The Importance of Investigating Students’ Lifelong Learning Levels and Perceptions of 21st-Century Skills

Abstract

Lifelong learning starts in childhood and youth, continuing throughout adulthood and old age. It encompasses formal learning in settings such as schools and training centers, informal and non-formal learning derived from colleagues and workplace trainers, and unintentional learning stemming from spontaneous social interactions. In today's fast-paced world, students need to acquire 21st-century skills and be lifelong learners. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the relationship between students’ perceptions of 21st-century skills and their effective lifelong learning levels. This research aims to investigate the following questions: “What are the students’ levels of success in lifelong learning and their perceptions of 21st-century skills? Is there a relationship between them?” and “Do students’ perceptions of 21st-century skills predict their levels of success in lifelong learning?”. The results indicated that students’ levels of success in lifelong learning and 21st-century skills have a strong correlation. Students have high characteristics that will enable effective lifelong learning, and their perceptions of 21st-century skills are moderate. In addition, students' perceptions of 21st-century skills predict their success levels in lifelong learning at a high rate.