Multiculturalism from the perspective of early childhood education students in Poland and Iceland

Abstract

In recent years, Poland has witnessed a gradual increase of foreign cultures, which is inextricably linked to a new challenge for educational institutions. On the one hand, schools have to face the influx of students for whom the Polish language and culture is not their mother tongue; on the other hand, they have to prepare Polish students for encounters with elements of culture other than their own, i.e. language, customs, traditions or religion. The article presents the results of a Polish-Icelandic research project, the aim of which was to learn the views of students of early childhood education on multiculturalism. Quantitative (diagnostic survey) and qualitative (content analysis) methods were used in the research. The research group consisted of 141 students, 71 from Poland and 70 from Iceland. The research was conducted from June 2022 to March 2023. The results showed that both the place of residence and the educational experience (Iceland has successfully applied systemic solutions to the integration of foreigners for many years) have a significant impact on how students understand and define multiculturalism. Of interest to the researchers were the analyses showing that, regardless of their place of residence, children of early school age are characterised by an open attitude towards intercultural contacts. Early school children are curious about other cultures, they want to exchange experiences and develop their knowledge in the field of intercultural education.