Publication 2183

Our task is to work together to create learning contexts to promote awareness and mutual understanding amongst young European citizens. In this paper (1) I introduce the constructivist approach, (2) present results of three studies of baseline attitudes of Irish primary children towards children from (a) France, (b) Greece and (c) from the Third World, and (3) provide data of effects of classroom discussions on their views. I believe that this work is useful in understanding the problems associated with our task. The approach I take is explicitly constructivist and has grown out of the work of John Dewey, George Kelly, and Jean Piaget. Relevance: A constructivist approach to changing attitudes towards children from other countries.

Key words: Constructivism Attitudes Children Ireland France Greece