Enjoying Cultural Differences Assists Teachers in Learning about Diversity and Equality - An Evaluation of Antidiscrimination and Diversity Training

Oct 15, 2026

Quasi-experimental evaluation of an Antidiscrimination and Diversity Training (ADT) at the Faculty of Education in Ljubljana examines effects of an anti-bias approach on early childhood teachers. The experimental group of 52 in-service teachers completed 120 hours of training, compared with a control group of 130 teachers. ADT produced decisive improvements in knowledge about discrimination and increased support for positive measures, as well as preserving immigrant children’s cultural traditions and language. Self-assessed personality traits, especially enjoyment/awareness of cultural differences, predict teachers’ beliefs across dependent variables.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

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Introduction

Tackling Inequality through Early Childhood Education

Enjoying Cultural Differences Assists Teachers in Learning about Diversity and Equality. An Evaluation of Antidiscrimination and Diversity Training Nada Turnšek1 • The present study is based on a quasi-experimental research design and presents the results of an evaluation of Antidiscrimination and Diversity Training that took place at the Faculty of Education in Ljubljana, rooted in the anti-bias approach to educating diversity and equality issues (Murray & Urban, 2012). The experimental group included 52 in-service early childhood teachers attending the training, which consisted of a total of 120 hours. There was also a control group comprising 130 teachers. The ADT had a decisive impact on all of the measured variables: on an improvement in the participants’ knowledge of discrimination, and on increased support for positive measures and for the preservation of the cultural traditions and language of immigrant children. It was found that self-assessed personality characteristics are predictors ofthe teachers’ beliefs, especially the enjoying awareness of cultural differences variable, which correlates with all ofthe dependent variables. Keywords: Early childhood; Diversity; Equality; Discrimination 1 Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; [turnsek.nada@gmail.com](turnsek.nada@gmail.com) 118 enjoying cultural differences assist teachers in learning about diversity Uživanje v kulturni raznolikosti je v pomoč vzgojiteljem pri izobraževanju za različnost in enakost – evalvacijaizobraževanja za nediskriminacijo in raznolikost Nada Turnšek • Študija temelji na kvazieksperimentalnem raziskovalnem načrtu; predstavlja izsledke evalvacije izobraževanja za nediskriminacijo in raznolikost, ki je potekalo na Pedagoški fakulteti v Ljubljani; utemeljeno jena antipristranskem pristopu k izobraževanju za vprašanja raznolikosti in enakosti (Murray in Urban, 2012). V eksperimentalni skupini je bilo 52 vzgojiteljev, zaposlenih v vrtcu, ki so bili deležni 120-urnega usposabljanja; v kontrolni skupinije bilo 130 vzgojiteljev. Izobraževanjeje imelo odločilen vpliv na vse merjene spremenljivke: izboljšalo se je znanjeudeležencevo diskriminaciji, povečalasejepodporapozitivnim ukrepomter ukrepom ohranjanja kulturnih tradicij in jezika otrok priseljencev. Samoocene osebnostnih lastnosti so napovedovalci prepričanj vzgojiteljev, še posebej spremenljivka uživanje v zavedanju obstoja kulturnihrazlik, ki je povezana z vsemi odvisnimi spremenljivkami. Ključne besede: zgodnje otroštvi, raznolikost, enakost, diskriminacija Introduction Early childhood education is seen as playing a key role in combating educational disadvantages stemming from socioeconomic, cultural and/or language factors (Eurydice, 2009) . Studies demonstrate the impact of quality preschools on all children’s educational achievement, showing that disadvantaged children benefit the most; even long-term individual and societal benefits have been demonstrated in terms of reducing educational inequality (Heckman, 2011). However, there is growing doubt about the “formula” according to which early childhood education represents a good investment in the social state (Ruhm & Waldfogel, 2011). Moss (2012) points out the incredulity of the ‘story of high-returns’, claiming that even in countries that have for decades implemented national compensatory early interventions, social inequality is still increasing. Experts problematise the implications of such an ‘instrumentalisation’of preschool education – manifested in imposing the function of eliminating inequalities on preschool programmes – especially if the state does not provide effective mechanisms for reducing income inequality and social disparities in societies. As many studies show that inequality persists, Gaber and Marjanovič(2009) draw attention to the illusion that educational institutions (as well as educators) regard themselves as socially neutral and just, often combined with a belief that, so

FAQs

How was the Antidiscrimination and Diversity Training (ADT) evaluated?

The study uses a quasi-experimental research design to evaluate ADT delivered to teachers in Ljubljana.

What was the training format and participant composition?

The experimental group included 52 in-service early childhood teachers who attended a total of 120 hours of training, with a control group of 130 teachers.

Which outcomes did ADT improve?

ADT improved participants’ knowledge of discrimination and increased support for positive measures, including preserving immigrant children’s cultural traditions and language.

Oct 15, 2026

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