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Abstract: Abstract This paper responds to calls for renewal in Islamic schooling and education. In doing so, it provides insight into educators’ views on Islamic Studies (IS) in five Australian Islamic schools, with a focus on senior years (years 10, 11 and 12). The study offers a ‘dialogic alternative’ of ‘speaking with’ rather than ‘speaking for’ educators in Islamic educational research, planning, and renewal within K-12 Australian Islamic schools. It privileges educators’ voice and enables an insight into their experience with one of the most important and distinct features of Islamic schools – IS. Using phenomenology as a methodological framework, educators’ voice was elicited through focus groups where eighteen educators provided information describing their experience with IS. The study identified “strengths” and “challenges” of IS. Strengths includes parents’ desire for IS, educators’ personal connection with learner, knowledge of subject-matter, autonomy in teaching IS and unity among IS educators. The challenges outweigh the strengths and include insufficient time for IS, lack of resources, absence of a clear vision leading to a tokenistic and fragmented approach to the teaching of IS, low-level respect and recognition of IS educators and more. PubDate: 2022-03-21
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Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Abstract In the field of education concerning cultural diversity it has been recognized as vital to address justice in social structures. Although justifications for religious education in non-confessional contexts are heavily based on religious diversity, their advocates have paid little attention to justice and power relations. In this article, I analyse observations of five observed classroom activities on social justice designed for religious education and related pupil interviews. The participants were in the eighth and ninth grades of Finnish comprehensive school. The main question is: how do elements of informed empathy and perception of social justice emerge in interviews and RE classroom activities with Finnish lower secondary school pupils' The results show that the concept of informed empathy well describes the pupils’ emerging awareness of social justice, that pupils’ critical agency should be carefully fostered and that social justice has potential to make religious education more relevant for certain pupils. PubDate: 2022-02-14 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-022-00159-9
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Abstract: Abstract Students in Australian Catholic schools live in a multi-cultural and multi-faith society where pluralisation, de-traditionalisation and individualisation are becoming increasingly prevalent. Given this context, religious education (RE) teachers face the challenge of implementing a pedagogical approach that is both culturally plausible and explicitly engages with the Catholic faith tradition. A recontextualising pedagogy seeks to meet this challenge. This investigation sought to ascertain the perspectives of RE teachers and leaders as to their understandings of recontextualisation and its application in the RE classroom. A qualitative approach utilising semi-structured interviews (distinguished by broad, general and open-ended questions) was employed to capture these perspectives. Whilst participants found it difficult to articulate what recontextualisation is, a key finding from this research was that they believe it is about making the Catholic faith tradition relevant to the lives of contemporary students. A second key finding was that certain strategies facilitated recontextualisation. These include: supportive, knowledgeable Religious Education Leaders (RELs); a trusting staff environment; using Scripture as Narrative; student-centred and active learning: toward a Pedagogy of Encounter; diversity; and reference to Catholic Social Teaching. It was also found that teachers’ limited understanding of the Catholic Tradition and the lack of adequate resourcing that facilitates recontextualised learning are key barriers to recontextualising in the RE classroom. This research makes a significant contribution to an understanding of the purpose and challenges of recontextualisation, and some key strategies and barriers to its implementation. PubDate: 2022-02-14 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-022-00162-0
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Abstract: Abstract The Jewish Passover seder meal is one of the central celebrations for Jews. The commemoration of the Exodus annually celebrated in this ritual meal has attracted the attention of Christians in recent years who seek to replicate the experience of Jesus of Nazareth in his Last Supper in Jerusalem. However, the practice of a "Christian seder" has been criticised on historical, theological and cultural grounds. This paper surveys these criticisms and offers appropriate educational options for Christians who wish to understand and appreciate the Passover seder and its significance for Christian self-understanding. PubDate: 2022-02-11 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-022-00160-2
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Abstract: Abstract The Right-wing populism in Poland faces multiple challenges with respect to Religious Education. This is a complex issue, given it is not only about school education supporting pro-democratic positions in the modern generation of students, but also the fact that today’s populists have participated in long-term and complex educational processes of a similar nature. In this sense, the aim of this article is to seek an answer to the question of how Religious Education in Poland—with all of its theoretical and cognitive background rooted in the Christian vision of God and human and the world—can contribute to the elimination of the alliance of the right-wing populist perspectives from the dominant religion of the nation. The article will explain how practical educational opportunities will help students to understand the political strategy of populists, decipher their presentations and approaches, and so shape a positive attitude towards democracy as a desired ideological system within government and social life. PubDate: 2022-02-10 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-022-00161-1
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Abstract: Abstract The spiritual formation of teachers in Church-based schools is of great importance but doesn't always receive the attention it deserves. In the 1920s and 30s, the British writer in spirituality, Evelyn Underhill (1875–1941), gave three Addresses to teachers and one lecture at Oxford University, discussing the teacher’s spiritual life, and the importance of modelling spiritual vitality to students. Her insights still have incredible resonance nearly a century on. In this article we explore Underhill's principles concerning the teacher's spiritual life. Underhill reminds us that teaching is primarily about formation of students rather than simply imparting information. This view is supported by Parker J. Palmer and James K. A. Smith, whose ideas provide the theoretical undergirding for this article. Underhill outlines three movements of the soul that are important for teachers: adoration of God, communion with God and our co-operation with God in his work in our students’ lives. Remembering that we are participating in God's work as teachers and co-operating with God is a fundamentally important principle for understanding our work as teachers. Given Underhill saw spiritual discernment as important for teachers, Henri Nouwen's insights regarding spiritual discernment and its cultivation is briefly discussed. As teaching is a spiritually, emotionally and physically draining vocation, Underhill argues it's important that we maintain hidden foundations through a rich life of prayer—drawing upon Jesus’ “Living Water” so we're like a “reservoir”, rather than a “canal”. The importance of Sabbath rest, private prayer practices, spiritual reading and “lectio divina” are outlined as practices that can help safeguard against exhaustion and burnout for teachers. Underhill's words to teachers are a practical reminder of the importance of being spiritually vibrant, so we can most effectively model Christ-like behaviour and spiritually nurture our students. Further, the spiritual formation of teachers has the potential to positively impact teachers’ engagement with the "mission" of faith-based schools (and higher education providers), including aspects such as school culture, differentiated curriculum, and our broader professional identity and practice. PubDate: 2022-01-25 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00158-2
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Abstract: Abstract The importance of developing students’ argumentation skills is well established across the curriculum: students should grasp how claims are made and supported in different disciplines. One challenge is to follow and thereby agree with or critique the arguments of others, which requires perspective-taking, in tracing these other reasons and reasoning. This challenge is increased when disciplines construct argumentation and perspective-taking differently. Here, we consider the role of perspective-taking in argumentation within and between science education and pluralistic religious education, where the former aims at the justification of scientific claims and the latter at both an empathetic understanding of different religions and worldviews, and personal reasoning. We interpretively analyze student data to identify salient features of students’ strategies to perspective-taking within argumentation. Data from 324 pupils across nine schools are explored in relation to students’ challenges in perspective-taking, strategies for perspective-taking within argumentation, and the use of perspective-taking to construct personal argumentation. The analysis shows some barriers to perspective-taking within argumentation, the range of students’ perspective-taking strategies within argumentation, and how personal argumentation could hermeneutically build upon perspective-taking strategies. The importance and implications of perspective-taking within argumentation across the curriculum are considered highlighting challenges in the etic/emic shift, both within the individual subject as well as across them, and some reflections on how this provides a fresh pedagogical perspective on the science/religions debate are made. To end, we conclude with the wider challenges for disciplines and perspective-taking across schooling and university. PubDate: 2021-12-23 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00143-9
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Abstract: Abstract We present the process, collaborative management, and impact of a pilot leadership programme created to help teachers of Religion and Worldviews (R&W) (We are using the phrase ‘religion and worldviews’ to reflect a change in approach advocated in the Commission on RE (2018). We use the abbreviation R&W throughout. We acknowledge and accept that many are using the phrase ‘religious education’ or ‘RE’ to refer to the school subject.) find their voice as leaders. At the heart of the project’s successful impact is a steering group which not only manages the programme, but models collaboration across the R&W eco-system. Here we reflect as a team on the process of programme development particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. We consider what we have learned individually and as a team, and how we each perceive the impact of the programme so far. We use a collective writing method, identifying key themes arising from the different perspectives and draw conclusions. This approach mirrors the way in which the team worked together reflecting the values of the joint funders such as integrity, openness, empowerment, and service. We conclude by offering this model as a way of working strategically across multiple diverse organisations. PubDate: 2021-11-01 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00148-4
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Abstract: Abstract In this paper, we draw on interim findings of our research project on Religious Education (RE), knowledge and big questions. We have found Miranda Fricker’s concept of epistemic injustice useful in our analysis—that is, the notion that a person can be wronged “specifically in their capacity as a knower (Fricker 2007, 1). In interviews with Key Stage 3 pupils (aged 12–14) we found that for many pupils, their capacity to know was hindered by the prioritisation of respect for opinion. Where opinion is considered something not to be questioned, this seems to be a key indicator of epistemic disadvantage while some pupils valued and could employ criticality when considering knowledge claims (including opinions). Epistemic advantage in this way exacerbates epistemic injustice, broadening a gap between the epistemic haves and have-nots. This research is part of a larger project where we attempt to answer the question: ‘Does Religious Education have a distinctive contribution to make to the development of epistemic literacy'’. We begin with our account of epistemic literacy underpinned by Young’s powerful knowledge (Young and Muller 2010) and contextualise our data with discourses about knowledge and school education. We focus largely on the emergent theme of (respect for) opinions and we argue that the prioritisation of respect in RE is (for some pupils) a barrier to knowledge. We go on to explore why this matters for individuals, society and RE. PubDate: 2021-11-01 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00155-5
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Abstract: Abstract Drawing on the work of prominent atheists and theists, this article argues that any genuinely comprehensive vision of education should include space on the curriculum for subjects such as Theology. Theology is an example of a subject which pushes questioning to infinity, thereby allowing for insight, potential discovery and wonder. The article identifies problems in education systems framed by narrow learning outcomes. These unduly limit the scope for legitimate enquiry and restrict the reach of education. Scholars from a range of disciplines with differing worldviews make a case for a more open educational ambition. PubDate: 2021-11-01 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00146-6
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Abstract: Abstract It is still surprisingly common to hear advocates of Catholic education refer to ‘Catholic’ Religious Education. This article will identify the issues bound up with the concept of ‘Catholic Religious Education’. It will be argued that at the very least using this concept is akin to a category mistake, and at worst it skews our understanding of Religious Education in Catholic schools and as such inevitably triggers off some problematical debates. The nature and scope of Religious Education in Catholic schools is in many respects contested in relation to whether it is catechesis or Confessional education. Much of this is to do with the way in which it is framed or aligned with being ‘Catholic’. An important priority now is to stop referring to this part of the curriculum as Catholic Religious Education. PubDate: 2021-10-15 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00145-7
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Abstract: Abstract This article overviews the contemporary context for teaching Religious Education (RE) in Ireland and profiles changing religious demographics in an increasingly secular context. It presents the findings of a two-year mixed-methods study undertaken in two third-level Catholic colleges in Ireland, investigating four hundred third-level Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students’ perceptions of the religiously unaffiliated. The research data reveals the complexity and ambivalence of ITE students’ attitudes to teaching RE in primary schools in a rapidly changing Irish society where one in ten is religiously unaffiliated (Central Statistics Office, 2017). Several challenges emerge for ITE students as they begin teaching RE in Ireland’s denominational primary school context. The religious and convictional perspectives of the sample group are profiled and findings reveal that participants’ personal worldviews impact on their understandings of their future professional roles as religious educators. Data from this mixed methods research suggest that while ITE students view the teaching of RE as an important professional duty, a disconnect between their own personal beliefs and the curricular content they are required to teach in sacramental RE programmes in Catholic primary schools creates a climate of ambivalence and uncertainty. PubDate: 2021-10-15 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00153-7
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Abstract: Abstract Catholic schools share in the preferential option for the poor that is an essential part of following Jesus and the mission of the Church. Catholic schools in many parts of the world have an historical and contemporary mission for the care and education of the poor. This article uses key passages from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew to illustrate that Mary can be understood as an exemplar of God’s preferential option for the poor. Mary is presented as a young and poor Jewish woman of faith in the Annunciation and the Magnificat in Luke’s Gospel and is presented as an externally displaced person in flight into Egypt in Matthew’s Gospel. The paper also examines the journey to Bethlehem in Luke’s Gospel as interpreted by Pope Francis. He interprets this as Mary being an internally displaced person. Adopting these distinctive modes of interpretation, Mary can be recognised as a model of the preferential option for the poor for Catholic schools. PubDate: 2021-10-15 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00156-4
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Abstract: Abstract Since October 2018, researchers at the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education at Dublin City University have been engaged in the Adult Religious Education and Faith Development (AREFD) project. The overarching aim of the project was to facilitate a re-energising of adult religious education and faith development in Ireland. Working amongst local faith communities with an academic research focus, an area of interest that has emerged is how the insights gained from AREFD project can contribute to initial teacher education, particularly involving students preparing for employment as post-primary religious educators. This paper will outline some of the key themes that emerged from the data gathered in phase two of the AREFD project as it pertains to the initial teacher education (ITE) of religious educators. In phase two, a total of fourteen semi-structured interviews/focus groups were conducted between December 2019 and April 2021, featuring twenty-two people from across the island of Ireland who have a wealth of experience in AREFD across diverse contexts. The purpose of these interviews was to gather together the rich insights from the depth of experience of the interviewees on practicalities and possibilities central to adult religious education. The contexts in which they have worked are all pertinent to both the post-primary Religious Education curriculum in the Republic of Ireland and wider related learning experiences, in Ireland and beyond. Four key findings from this phase of the AREFD project are reported upon in this paper: the specific realm of AREFD as distinct from school-based religious education and catechesis; the need for intentional investment in AREFD; the physicality of religion; collaboration, communication and connection. These findings may contribute to the reflections of and course development by initial teacher education providers as they seek to offer the highest quality opportunities to their students, in the understanding that their students are adults themselves and that education is a lifelong endeavour. PubDate: 2021-09-25 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00152-8
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Abstract: Abstract The ability to encourage pupils to engage with diversity is crucial for Religious Education (RE) teachers who believe that the capacity to negotiate difference with integrity and openness is key to living well in a modern liberal society. This article is not about the need to address diversity in RE, that argument has been made thoroughly from a number of perspectives (Barnes, 2014; Jackson, 2004). The focus of this article is the way we engage with diversity, that is a plurality of often opposing views, ways of living and community living. We argue that the dominant paradigm within RE, the World Religions model, works to minimise difference through the presentation of essentialised constructs of religiosity. We contrast the World Religions approach to a liberal educational model which encompasses difference as part of a deep engagement with knowledge itself. Using examples from lessons available from a widely used teachers’ web site in the UK on the mosque we show how the World Religions approach ignores or downplays the significance of historical, cultural, social and theological differences between beliefs and thus serves to discourage exploration of issues that may be controversial or offensive. After a consideration of the educational benefits of a liberal approach to learning, we show how, using the example of teaching about the mosque, a Worldviews approach, can facilitate a focus on difference and the individual, that upholds the liberal educational promise for a multidisciplinary understanding of religion and belief. Throughout the article we draw on examples of work designed to create resources for teaching Islam through a Worldviews approach funded by Culham St Gabriel. PubDate: 2021-09-24 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00151-9
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Abstract: Abstract This paper responds to the Commission on Religious Education’s proposed National Entitlement to Religion and Worldviews in England and Wales. Qualitative data were collected from nine English primary Religious Education (RE) teachers to establish their responses to the proposed National Entitlement from their perspectives as RE practitioners. Findings show that teachers were supportive of the high ambitions the National Entitlement has for RE, that they saw opportunities for pupils’ social and personal development as well as advancement in substantive knowledge, but that they were concerned about content-heavy curricula and structural barriers to implementing the National Entitlement. In response, the paper examines ‘cumulatively sufficient’ curricular design and ‘pedagogical reduction’ as strategies to activate the National Entitlement, and raises questions about ‘instrumental purposes’ in the conceptualisation of Religion and Worldviews. The paper recommends sharper account of the originality of Religions and Worldviews in order to advance the cause of the National Entitlement. PubDate: 2021-09-22 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00150-w
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Abstract: Abstract The Irish religious landscape is changing. Census data reveal that the percentage of those who identify as Catholic is in steady decline, while the proportion of those with no religion continues to rise. Christian religious practice in Ireland is also decreasing, especially among young people. Catholic schools, once the dominant provider of second level education, are now in a minority. This changing landscape has influenced Religious Education in second level schools. It is now an optional subject, and the historic tradition of denominational, confessional Religious Education has given way to an approach designed to be inclusive of students of all faith and none. Yet the surrounding discourse is unsupported by the perspectives of Religious Education teachers. This study attempts to address this knowledge gap by investigating their views and experiences, particularly with regard to inclusion. Results indicate that teachers are concerned about ‘religious students’. Whereas new to the Irish context, this reflects international research which suggests that in a rapidly secularising society, those who continue to practise any faith, especially the once-majority faith, are vulnerable. Findings signpost evidence of this, with RE teachers most concerned about the bullying of Catholic students and least concerned about the bullying of atheists. PubDate: 2021-09-16 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00144-8
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Abstract: Abstract Religious education was established as a compulsory curriculum requirement in all schools by the 1944 Education Act. It was intended to provide instruction to all pupils in the basic tenets of the Christian faith and ensure that every successive generation of pupils understood the role of Christianity in British history and the national sense of British identity. In examining the sociohistorical context in which this groundbreaking education act emerged it is evident that at that time religious education had a very clear purpose and unambiguous raison d'être. It was a key element in the socialisation process of children which familiarised them with the prevailing societal norms of behaviour, social values and dominant beliefs. By the second decade of the twenty-first century this certainty about a rationale for RE had been lost. Widespread confusion had developed about what the point of religious education actually was, and inspections of RE teaching revealed the subject to be in a parlous state (OFSTED in: Religious education: realising the potential, 2013; in: School inspection handbook, 2019). In 2016 the Religious Education Council of England and Wales established the Commission on Religious Education (CoRE) in an attempt to bring some clarity back into the subject. In the years between 1944 and 2021 social norms, values and beliefs had changed significantly and consequently the world RE teachers were seeking to socialise children into was and is very different. The solution proposed by the CoRE is to concentrate on teaching 'worldviews' to prepare pupils to respect the diversity of beliefs in contemporary society. Far from saving the subject, however, this shift of focus can be seen in many ways which are explored in this paper to be more likely to hasten the end of RE as a curriculum subject and to accelerate its replacement by an enhanced form of citizenship education. PubDate: 2021-09-14 DOI: 10.1007/s40839-021-00149-3
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