• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.79-107
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• 2013

The purpose of this study purpose was to analyze the structural model of variables such as experiences and personal- and professional- beliefs of cultural diversity, and the culturally responsive teaching efficacy of early childhood preservice teachers including identifying the beliefs as mediating variables. Another purpose was finding the different structural relations among the research variables according to the stages of a teacher education program. The participants were 273 students who enrolled in K grade teacher education programs in the southwest areas of the U.S. The research variables were measured with the items used by Schroeder (2008), Pohan and Aguilar (2001), and Siwatu (2007). The structural equation model analysis showed that the direct effects were found between the paths from the cultural diversity experiences and personal beliefs to the culturally responsive teaching efficacy, from the experiences to personal beliefs, from the personal to professional beliefs. The personal beliefs were identified as a mediator of the path from the experiences to professional beliefs. By multi-group analysis, the path from professional beliefs to the culturally teaching efficacy showed a meaningful difference between the initial and final stage groups of a teacher education program. Suggestions for future research and early childhood teacher education programs were presented based on the results.