Differences in the Multicultural Perceptions of Elementary School Students and the Relationships between the Related Variables

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the multicultural perceptions (multicultural acceptability, multicultural sensitivity and judging multicultural children) of elementary school students. The subjects comprised 1,252 students (583 third graders and 669 sixth graders), promoted from 20 elementary school in J province. The findings are as follows. First, the independent t-test showed that the lower graders had higher scores in cultural openness and national identity of multicultural acceptability, as well as the cognitive element of multicultural sensitivity than upper graders. In addition, the upper graders had higher scores in unilateral expectations for assimilation of multicultural acceptability, as well as the cognitive element of judging multicultural children. Second, all subscales were found to be interrelated, except for unilateral expectations for assimilation and two subscales (cognitive and righteous) in judging multicultural children. These results imply that in order to help have more positive perceptions of multiculturalism, it is necessary to develop more diverse multicultural education programs for elementary school students which take into consideration their grade levels.