Training Needs Assessment of Primary Education Teachers in Intercultural Education Issues: A Quantitative Study

In the present paper, we investigated the views of Primary Education teachers in Viotia Prefecture during the school year 2015-16, as regards their training needs in intercultural education, as well as the parameters they deem important in organizing effective training interventions. The statistical analysis of the research data revealed teachers’ positive disposition to attending interventions in intercultural education, a demand for direct interconnection of their training to the classroom practice and the necessity of organizing more training interventions to meet their needs. With regard to the training context, the respondents were recorded to prefer to be exempted from their duties throughout the training period, which was mostly preferred to be of limited or medium duration, within the school unit, by applying modern teaching methods, under the supervision of Pedagogical Departments, but also with direct Involvement of Teachers' Associations in suggesting training topics. What was indicated as a priority in teacher education and training is the need to develop attitudes, skills and values, whilst what was reported as the targeted outcome of a training intervention in intercultural education is the "development of empathy and group consciousness" in classroom practice.