engleski

Intercultural education in Croatia: the comparison of attitudes of the students of the Faculty of Teacher Education and primary school teachers

Intercultural education is a relatively recent concept of education in Croatia, which appeared at the beginning of the 90s in the previous century. In Croatia intercultural education was the result of the need for a new approach to education due to the changes brought about by the homeland war. Croatian European democratic orientation is connected to multicultural and intercultural challenges and perspectives, which will become even greater once Croatia joins the EU. As a country with various national and ethnic groups as well as religious specificities, Croatia faces the issue of introducing intercultural contents into current teaching practices of future teachers and curricula on all levels of education. The aim of this research is to compare the attitudes of the students of the Faculty of Teacher Education to primary school teachers’ attitudes. The research has also determined the connection between national identity and attitudes towards accepting differences. The research was carried out on 200 students of the Faculty of Teacher Education in Osijek and 190 primary school teachers. A questionnaire for data collection was specifically designed for the purpose of this research. The results indicate that national identity significance measured by NATID questionnaire is in a moderately positive correlation with accepting differences. When it comes to accepting differences and the significance of national identity, there are distinctions between the students and primary school teachers. The teachers have a more expressed national identity than the students, whereas the students show a higher acceptance level of differences. One can assume that students are more tolerant of differences since during their studies most of them did courses related to intercultural education. The teachers, on the other hand, did not have such courses during their studies. Moreover, we can also assume that the teachers are under the influence of the events they witnessed during the war. The results indicate that both the students and the teachers have a relatively high acceptance level of differences. Therefore it is necessary for all Faculties of Teacher Education in Croatia to introduce programmes which will train students to become teachers who are prepared to teach and raise children in intercultural situations. Also, it is necessary to offer primary school teachers additional professional development programmes in the same field so that they can broaden their knowledge and improve the skills essential for work and strengthening the intercultural element in classroom and school environment.

intercultural education; students of the Faculty of Teacher Education; primary school teachers; national identity; accepting differences

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