The investigation of the effects of anti-bias education program prepared for early childhood educators on teachers and children

The purpose of this research is to examine the knowledge of preschool teachers on Anti-bias Education, to examine the effects of the Anti-bias Education Program on teachers, and to examine the effects of this program on children. The research shows the feature of nested mixed research design. Participants were included in the study using convenient sampling method. In the research, first of all, the knowledge and needs of preschool teachers about anti-bias education were examined. 54 preschool teachers participated in this study. In the second stage of the study, the effects of the program applied on teachers and children were examined. According to the findings of the research, the participants thought that the similarities between the places they worked and their own cultures had more positive effects, but they stated that the differences had both positive and negative effects. The attitudes and self-awareness of the experimental group teachers towards Anti-bias education increased after the program was implemented. In the follow-up test, it was found that this attitude and awareness were preserved. When we look at the experimental group, the sub-dimensions of gender, family and social structure, disability and cultural background and total scores of the children differ in the pre- and post-tests; they show higher attitudes in the post-tests. Similarly, in the follow-up test, the total score and sub-dimensions of gender and family and social structure increased compared to the posttests; There is no difference for children in experimental group in disability and cultural background sub-dimensions. There was no significant difference in the attitudes of children in control group for respect for differences in terms of total score, gender, family and social structure sub- in the before and after the applied program. Significant differences were found in the sub-dimensions of disability and cultural background. Accordingly, Anti-bias Education Program was found effective for both teachers and children.