Analyzing Teachers’ Perception of the Development of Lifelong Learning as Personal, Social and Learning to Learn Competence in University Students

Abstract

In recent decades, European education systems and policies have prioritized the need for lifelong learning for all citizens, both within and outside the education system. This research is an observational study using a cross-sectional quantitative design involving 446 participants from Spain, Mexico and Chile. The objective of this study is as follows: To understand how active methodologies impact the development and mastery of Personal, Social and Learning to Learn competence (PSLL) throughout the life of university students. The INNOVAPRENDE questionnaire, previously validated by 17 university experts and comprised of 43 items, was implemented. It is considered essential for students to develop a series of competences, in addition to acquiring knowledge, since lifelong learning is a necessity. It has been shown that less experienced teachers (vs. more experienced teachers), men (vs. women), and teachers with PSLL training during their university studies (vs. teachers with training during their work experience or without experience) have a more negative perception of their students’ overall development of PSLL. In conclusion, it should be emphasized that lifelong learning as PSLL is an educational paradigm open to any educational stage of teachers’ and learners’ lives.