What does it mean to What does it mean to be religiously be religiously

educated?educated?

Sue Ward Sue Ward Cambridgeshire and Peterborough RE Adviser and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough RE Adviser and

Independent Consultant for REIndependent Consultant for RE33rdrd July 2012 July 2012

AREIAC CONFERENCEAREIAC CONFERENCE

suejward@btinternet.comsuejward@btinternet.comsusan.ward@cambridgeshire.gov.uksusan.ward@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be religiously educated?religiously educated?

• Good knowledge about religionsGood knowledge about religions

• High quality training of teachers High quality training of teachers

• Variety of pedagogies to suit different styles Variety of pedagogies to suit different styles of learnersof learners

• Engage the learners in their learningEngage the learners in their learning

• Apply principles of AfL and AoL to RE Apply principles of AfL and AoL to RE rigorouslyrigorously

Nothing new there then!Nothing new there then!

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be religiously educated?religiously educated?

Dialogic learning is a theory of Dialogic learning is a theory of learning and teachinglearning and teaching..

Key thinkers in this area are Lev Key thinkers in this area are Lev Vygotsky, Paolo Freire, Jurgen Vygotsky, Paolo Freire, Jurgen Habermas, and Ramon Flecha. Habermas, and Ramon Flecha.

•,

Dialogic Learning is based on these learning characteristics:

Egalitarian DialogueEveryone is part of the learning community and can make a useful

contribution.Cultural intelligence

The community has respect for each person’s experience in the dialogue.

TransformationTrue learning is respectful of “other” and is transformational in

nature.Instrumental

Knowledge is negotiated and collaborative and questions established structures.

Meaning creationLearning is a part of building personal and social identity. It gives people the possibility to decide, create and transform their lives.

SolidarityAll opinions are considered and are valid in knowledge-building.

Equality of differencesDifferences in point of view are a source of richness.

Hart’s Ladder of Participation is based on 8 levels. The levels show an incremental increase in active involvement, level 1 being the lowest in terms of children and young people, having very little influence on decisions, to level 8 illustrating true involvement. The ladder can help teachers engage the learners co-constructively and more effectively by considering how much teachers encourage learners to participate in their learning.

Degrees of Participation

1. Manipulation

2. Decoration

3. Tokenism

4. Assigned but informed

5. Consulted and informed

6. Adult initiated-shared decisions with users

7. User initiated and directed

8. User initiated and share decision with adults

Adapted from Hart, Roger (1992) Children’s participation from tokenism to citizenship

The questions that I address are: ‘What ought to become of Religious Education (RE)?’ and ‘To what extent do non-religious beliefs belong in RE?’ I will argue that there are compelling reasons for studying religious and non-religious views alongside each other, but that there are serious objections to doing this in the context of any subject called ‘religious education’ and that a new compulsory, national curriculum subject called Ethics would be an appropriate context for such study.

John Tilson ‘Philosophy of John Tilson ‘Philosophy of Education’Education’

In Favour of Ethics Education, Against Religious EducationJohn TillsonArticle first published online: 22 NOV 2011

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be religiously educated?religiously educated?

* * llearning is created through curiosity, dialogue earning is created through curiosity, dialogue and consensusand consensus

* group work in the capacity of both teachers and * group work in the capacity of both teachers and learners in meaningful conversationlearners in meaningful conversation

* engages the speakers’ critical thinking and * engages the speakers’ critical thinking and learning skillslearning skills

* * develops questioning skillsdevelops questioning skills* * participants connect ideasparticipants connect ideas* * challenge their assumptionschallenge their assumptions* * absorb and reflect on informationabsorb and reflect on information Learning to speak has the reciprocal effect Learning to speak has the reciprocal effect

of speaking to learn. of speaking to learn.

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be religiously educated?religiously educated?

The Future of Religion 1968 Ninian The Future of Religion 1968 Ninian Smart Smart

“ “It is important to enter dialogue It is important to enter dialogue with men’s beliefs, myths, with men’s beliefs, myths, desires, intentions, practices in desires, intentions, practices in order to understand why they order to understand why they act as they do.”act as they do.”

SHAPING PROGRESSION IN SHAPING PROGRESSION IN THE RE CURRICULUMTHE RE CURRICULUM

Conceptual developmentConceptual developmentSlides 9-13 are from Mary Earl, university Slides 9-13 are from Mary Earl, university

lecturer at the Faculty of Education at lecturer at the Faculty of Education at Cambridge University by kind permission to Cambridge University by kind permission to share these with AREIAC membersshare these with AREIAC members

Using large scale ‘conceptual growth’ Using large scale ‘conceptual growth’ indicators to help young people learn.indicators to help young people learn.Key ‘humanities’ concepts?Key ‘humanities’ concepts?

HistoriansHistorians•Chronological understandingChronological understanding

•Cultural, ethnic and religious Cultural, ethnic and religious diversitydiversity

•Change and continuityChange and continuity

•Change and continuityChange and continuity

•Cause and consequenceCause and consequence

•SignificanceSignificance

•interpretationinterpretation

Key ‘humanities’ concepts?Key ‘humanities’ concepts?

GeographersGeographers•PlacePlace

•SpaceSpace

•ScaleScale

•InterdependenceInterdependence

•Physical and human processPhysical and human process

•Environmental interaction and Environmental interaction and sustainable developmentsustainable development

•Cultural understanding and Cultural understanding and diversitydiversity

Is RE ‘unique’ or should we follow Is RE ‘unique’ or should we follow suit?suit?

TIME TIME

•What is the What is the significance significance of…….(phenomena)of…….(phenomena)

•How can we How can we know know that…that…(something is true/not (something is true/not true) true) evidenceevidence

•What is the What is the continuity continuity which holds traditions which holds traditions together?together?

•What is theWhat is the diversity diversity which which separates them out?separates them out?

SPACESPACE

•What is the What is the significance significance of…….(phenomena)of…….(phenomena)

•How can we How can we know know that…that…(something is true/not (something is true/not true) true) evidenceevidence

•What is the What is the continuity continuity which holds traditions which holds traditions together?together?

•What is the What is the diversitydiversity which which separates them out?separates them out?

Advantages and disadvantagesAdvantages and disadvantages

It enables the profession to….It enables the profession to….

•Clarify actual content for Clarify actual content for facilitating KS 3 facilitating KS 3 progressionprogression in in learninglearning

•‘‘fair test’ whether pupils fair test’ whether pupils actually know anything!actually know anything!

•Demonstrate to pupils exactly Demonstrate to pupils exactly what it what it means means to understand to understand each topic studied.each topic studied.

•Put RE back in the curriculum Put RE back in the curriculum as a true ‘field of knowledge’as a true ‘field of knowledge’

•Identify (eg for OFSTED) what Identify (eg for OFSTED) what ‘progess in learning’ is in RE.‘progess in learning’ is in RE.

It might make it harder for It might make it harder for the profession to allow …..the profession to allow …..

•Teacher lesson planning to be as Teacher lesson planning to be as ‘individual’ as before?‘individual’ as before?

•Poor teachers to ‘get away’ with Poor teachers to ‘get away’ with poor teaching. (can be held poor teaching. (can be held accountable more easily for accountable more easily for pupils not making progress in pupils not making progress in learning)learning)

•Teachers to work withTeachers to work with AT 2 AT 2 aspects of RE in the way they aspects of RE in the way they (some of them) do now.(some of them) do now.

•Teachers to assume pupils know Teachers to assume pupils know something when they clearly something when they clearly don’t!don’t!

So the So the argument argument would be would be that…that…

•Effective teaching and Effective teaching and learning in world religions learning in world religions should help pupils to:should help pupils to:

•ProcessProcess information in a variety of information in a variety of intellectually stimulating ways. (i.e. intellectually stimulating ways. (i.e. stimulating of conceptual growth in the field stimulating of conceptual growth in the field of world religions)of world religions)

•And, because ‘information per se is not And, because ‘information per se is not knowledge’ (Charles Bailey) it should also:knowledge’ (Charles Bailey) it should also:

•Teach pupils to Teach pupils to apply anapply an appropriate appropriate hermeneutic hermeneutic (interpretative tool) to the (interpretative tool) to the information they are given so thatinformation they are given so that

•They can learn to understand, over time, They can learn to understand, over time, the the significancesignificance of what they read about of what they read about world religions and be able to world religions and be able to justifyjustify their their findings on an findings on an appropriate evidence base.appropriate evidence base.

In learning In learning FROM FROM religionsreligions

You learn You learn ABOUT ABOUT the the significance of significance of phenomena in world phenomena in world religions, and religions, and ABOUT ABOUT the the possible evidence base possible evidence base for talking about the for talking about the significance of those significance of those phenomena (to the phenomena (to the wider school/cultural wider school/cultural community) In the community) In the process you learn process you learn ABOUT the ABOUT the continuous continuous (identity) of tradition(s) (identity) of tradition(s) and and ABOUTABOUT the changes the changes which create their which create their diversity.diversity.

Since 2004 the non statutory National Framework for Religious Education has influenced the development and direction of Religious Education. Using the six areas of enquiry, identified in the Framework, otherwise known as the conceptual strands of the subject, it is possible to show how learning about (AT1) and learning from (AT2) religion can be linked.

AT1AT1 AA Beliefs, teachings Beliefs, teachings and Sourcesand Sources

AT2AT2 DD Identity, diversity Identity, diversity and belongingand belonging

AT1AT1 BB Practices and Practices and lifestylelifestyle

AT2AT2 EE Meaning, purpose Meaning, purpose and truthand truth

AT1AT1 CC Forms of Forms of expressing expressing meaning, meaning, beliefs and beliefs and valuesvalues

AT2AT2 FF Values and Values and commitmentcommitment

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be religiously educated?religiously educated?

ISNAD ISNAD : means ‘chain of authority’: means ‘chain of authority’

It is a process from the Islamic tradition. It It is a process from the Islamic tradition. It was an elaborate science of hadith was an elaborate science of hadith criticism that grew up mainly to ensure criticism that grew up mainly to ensure the authenticity of any given hadith as the authenticity of any given hadith as sound or weak. sound or weak.

( I heard from A, who heard from B who ( I heard from A, who heard from B who heard from C who heard from heard from C who heard from Muhammad ( pbuh))Muhammad ( pbuh))

Making chains of traditionsMaking chains of traditions

• Jesus ----------------------JerusalemJesus ----------------------Jerusalem

•Moses----------------------JerusalemMoses----------------------Jerusalem

•Muhammad (pbuh)-------Muhammad (pbuh)-------JerusalemJerusalem

Education ResearchEducation Research

• Assessment for Learning Assessment for Learning • Literacy Across the CurriculumLiteracy Across the Curriculum• Assessing Pupil ProgressAssessing Pupil Progress• Developing Higher Order thinking SkillsDeveloping Higher Order thinking Skills• Classroom management to improve teaching and Classroom management to improve teaching and

learninglearning• Learning outside the classroomLearning outside the classroom• Experiential learningExperiential learning• Teaching Able, Gifted and Talented pupilsTeaching Able, Gifted and Talented pupils• International research e.g. The Council of EuropeInternational research e.g. The Council of Europe

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be religiously educated?religiously educated?

What is your answer to the question?

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be religiously educated?religiously educated?

• Consider what is meant by first and Consider what is meant by first and second order concepts for RE. second order concepts for RE.

• Don’t lose the integrity of the subject by Don’t lose the integrity of the subject by merging it with othersmerging it with others

• Have just one Attainment target?Have just one Attainment target?• Develop more stimulating discourses that Develop more stimulating discourses that

are both intellectually and emotionally are both intellectually and emotionally challengingchallenging

• Base the teaching and learning on sound Base the teaching and learning on sound educational action researcheducational action research

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be religiously educated?religiously educated?

• Link RE to sound principles of assessment Link RE to sound principles of assessment for and of learningfor and of learning

• Have qualifications that are fit for purposeHave qualifications that are fit for purpose

• Ensure that the learners know how to Ensure that the learners know how to make progress in the subjectmake progress in the subject

• Use a range of skills and processesUse a range of skills and processes

• Ensure a highly qualified teaching Ensure a highly qualified teaching fraternityfraternity

Where are we now?Where are we now?• Increased school freedomsIncreased school freedoms• Review of external exam qualifications and assessment tasks Review of external exam qualifications and assessment tasks

for various key stagesfor various key stages• Training of teachers changingTraining of teachers changing• Review of the curriculumReview of the curriculum• Increased central power of DfE through the minister for Increased central power of DfE through the minister for

educationeducation• Action research - is it being taken into account?Action research - is it being taken into account?• Myriad of interested bodies e.g AREIAC, AULRE etcMyriad of interested bodies e.g AREIAC, AULRE etc• Role of RECRole of REC• Role of NATRERole of NATRE• Oftsed, SMSC and Transforming RE messagesOftsed, SMSC and Transforming RE messages• SACREs, Local determination and NASACRESACREs, Local determination and NASACRE• Review of RE in EnglandReview of RE in England

Whose RE is it? What next?Whose RE is it? What next?

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be religiously educated?religiously educated?

Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?• Outcome of the Review on RE?Outcome of the Review on RE?• Who is going to make the decisions?Who is going to make the decisions?• Should we have more cohesiveness and Should we have more cohesiveness and

collaboration between members of the RE collaboration between members of the RE community?community?

• How much does one take note of Ofsted How much does one take note of Ofsted findings, encouraging a critical enquiry findings, encouraging a critical enquiry skills approach to RE?skills approach to RE?

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be religiously educated?religiously educated?

My RE teacher tells me the Bible says that the world was made by God in six

days and the Bible is true.My Geography teacher is telling me

that the world developed over millions of years, reflected in different ages of

rock formations.Who is telling me truth?