• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.69-94
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• 2011

This research examines how experiences related to multicultural issues influence the understanding, perception, attitudes, and self-efficacy of early childhood preservice teachers toward multicultural education in Korea and the United States. 512 early childhood preservice teachers in Korea and the United States participated. Their multiculture-related experiences and their understanding, multiculture-related characteristics(perception, attitudes, and self-efficacy concerning multiculture) were measured using questionnaires. The key findings are as follows. First, more preservice teachers in the United States took multiculture-related courses, had experiences with children from multicultural families, traveled to other countries, and took courses with students from multicultural background than their counterparts in Korea. Second, there were no significant differences in understanding of multiculture according to their multiculture-related experiences between Korean and the United States preservice teachers. Third, there were no significant correlations between preservice teachers' multicultural experiences and perception and attitude toward the multicultural education in the United States. On the contrary, Korean preservice teachers who took classes with students from multicultural families showed better perception and attitude toward multicultural education. Regarding self-efficacy, there were no differences with varying multiculture-related experiences in the United States, whereas Korean preservice teachers who took multiculture-related courses exhibited higher degree of self-efficacy toward multicultural education.