Exploring the Relationship between Prospective Mathematics Teachers' Perceptions on Individual Innovativeness and Lifelong Learning Skills

This study aims to examine the relationship between lifelong learning skills and individual innovativeness levels of prospective mathematics teachers in relation to certain variables. The study group consisted of first, second, third, and fourth-year prospective teachers enrolled in the mathematics education undergraduate program at the faculty of education of a state university. In this study, prospective mathematics teachers' perceptions of individual innovativeness and lifelong learning skills were examined in terms of gender, place of residence, income level, parental education attainment, and academic achievement averages. In the study, the relational survey design, one of the quantitative research models, was used. Depending on the research results it can be concluded that prospective mathematics teachers' perception of individual innovativeness and lifelong learning skills is high. While there was no significant difference in prospective mathematics teachers' perceptions of individual innovativeness based on their income level, there was found a significant difference in prospective mathematics teachers' perceptions of lifelong learning skills based on their income level. A moderately positive relationship was found between prospective mathematics teachers' perceptions of individual innovativeness and lifelong learning skills. Briefly, future research should employ a mixed-methods design, including qualitative interviews, to deeply explore why urban and higher-income students report higher LLKCS.