In today's democratic and diverse classes, teachers are expected to create educational environments that embrace students of different ethnic, religious, linguistic, racial and sexual profiles. Based on the ever growing need to train interculturally competent and sensitive teachers who can employ multiple perspectives for culturally diverse classrooms of not only different profiles but also the marginalized and minorities, this study revolves around the possibilities to bring about transformation for better intercultural communication of education practitioners. This study adopts the concept of multiculturalism that points out to the ontological existence of minorities of various ethnic, religious, linguistic, sexual backgrounds and the marginalized rather than a mere indication of different cultures being together in one classroom.

This study aims to present the experiences of pre-service teachers of their transformation from a monocultural, ethnocentric perspective to intercultural sensitivity through the implementation of a twelve-week multicultural teacher education programme based on the ten stages of perspective transformation as defined by Jack Mezirow (2000). In Transformative Learning Theory, the perspective transformation is defined as the structural transformation of the individual's beliefs, values and assumptions through a critical reflection process as a result of experiences, which is facilitated intentionally in educational environments and/or informally in real life situations (Mezirow, 1991, 2000). In this context, a Multicultural Teacher Training Curriculum Based on Transformative Learning Theory was developed and implemented and the effect of the programme on pre-service teachers' perspective transformation from ethnocentrism to intercultural sensitivity was analysed. 

Major research question is:

How do pre-service teachers describe their experiences of perspective transformation from ethnocentrism to intercultural sensitivity through the implementation of a semester long transformative learning course?

In this context, answers to the following questions are also sought:

i. To what extent pre-service teachers experienced the transformation?

ii. In which dimensions this perspective transformation has occured?

iii. Is there a statistically significant difference between ethnocentrism and intercultural sensitivity pre-test and post-test scores of pre-service teachers?

In line with the research questions, a mixed sequential exploratory design as classified by Cresswell et al. (2003) was employed. Qualitative data collection tools employed in the research are semi-structured interview forms, The Learning Activities Survey and Follow-up Interview Form which are developed by King (1997) and reflective diaries of pre-service teachers. The translation of the The Learning Activities Survey and Follow-up Interview Form and the adaptation studies were completed by the researchers as per approval by King. Quantitative data collection tools can be listed as Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (Chen & Starosta, 2000) and Ethncocentrism Scale (Neuliep & McCroskey, 1997); adaptation studies for both scales are completed by Üstün (2011). The study group consisted of second year pre-service teachers (n=12) studying at the the Faculty of Education at Near East University, Nicosia, northern part of Cyprus. The basis for the development of the draft curriculum was initiated with the needs analysis. The needs analysis was conducted through document analysis (n=39), and through interviews with pre-service teachers (n=27), representatives of non-governmental organisations and (n=6) and teachers (n=26). The implementation of the draft curriculum, which was developed in line with the data obtained from the needs analysis and based on the transformative learning theory, was carried out within a thirteen week period with a working group of twelve pre-service teachers. In order to determine whether the pre-service teachers experienced a perspective transformation towards intercultural sensitivity as a result of the implemented curriculum, the Learning Activities Survey and Follow-up Interview Form were employed. The survey was also used to determine at which dimensions the pre-service teachers have experienced the perspective transformation as defined by Mezirow (1991, 2000) and to identify the activities and people affecting and facilitating this transformation. Reflective diaries were also used to analyse the perspective transformation experienced by pre-service teachers.

Quantitative analysis was completed in the first phase of the data analysis process, revealing a statistically significant difference between pre-test ethnocentrism data values and post-test ethnocentrism data values within the scope of curriculum objectives to improve pre-service teachers' intercultural sensitivity. The findings obtained from the analysis of Learning Activities Survey and Follow-up Interviews revealed that the majority of the pre-service teachers in the study group experienced a perspective transformation towards improvement of their intercultural sensitivity. Pre-service teachers stated that they experienced a transformation most frequently at the stages of "a disorienting dilemma" and "self-examination of social roles". In addition, pre-service teachers stated that the activities carried out in the classroom and the deep and intensive thinking that followed the activities were the factors that contributed most intensely to their perspective transformation. The qualitative analysis of the interviews with the teacher candidates following the implementation of the program reveals an awareness of the intercultural sensitivity. The pre-service teachers express their self-reflection on their modes of discrimination, how they perceive differences and how their perception has shifted and transformed. The interviews also reveal a stronger understanding of the concepts such as racism, discrimination, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia and their histories.

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