Children’s willingness to have contact with children from different cultures; evidence from the Tec4schools program

ABSTRACT This paper explores the factors that predict children’s willingness to have contact with those from cultures in conflict, using data collected in 2014–2015 from the TEC4Schools program which begins online and eventually includes face-to-face contact. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted on the results of the questionnaire from 577 students. The predictors were entered in four steps: (1) personal details (gender and religion), (2) equity and satisfaction (3) collaboration (the use of collaborative learning in the course), and (4) intercultural attitudes. Both intercultural attitudes and positive experiences are associated with collaboration and predict the dependent variable: the willingness of the children to interact with those from other cultures. Satisfaction and equity do not directly predict willingness to interact with other children but do so via collaboration. In addition, the variable ‘intercultural attitudes’ is a mediator for collaboration, meaning that collaboration does predict willingness to interact with other cultures via intercultural attitudes. Although the findings show that gender and religion do not predict willingness to interact, there are significant differences in gender and/or religion in satisfaction, equity, intercultural attitudes, and collaboration.