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Study on materials used to teach about world religions in schools in England
29th January 2010
1
Warwick
Religions and Education Research Unit (WRERU) has just released a report on a large scale study for the UK Government's Department for Children, Schools and Families. The first ever conducted study to focus on the use of materials used in religious education involved 29 researchers and reviewers.
The overall aim of this research was to examine the materials available to schools and used by them for teaching about the six main world religions in the UK.
The study includes an evaluation of the published materials readily available, consideration of the contextual and pedagogical factors that influence their selection and use in schools and classrooms, and the materials’ contribution to learning.
A particular focus has been on their contribution to education for community cohesion both in terms of their ability to enhance young people’s understanding of the principal religions in British society, and in terms of the messages these materials may convey about inter communal, particularly inter-religious, harmony and cooperation.
The project used quantitative and qualitative methods and comprised an audit of available Religious Education (RE) materials and a review of a sample of materials by members of faith, academic and professional RE experts; case studies in 20 schools and a survey of a nationwide random sample of schools.
Professor Brian Gates, Chair, The Religious Education Council of England and Wales:
"The Religious Education Council of England and Wales welcomes the publication of this major research study, commissioned and funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and produced by the Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit, at the University of
Warwick by a team led by Professor Robert Jackson.
The report identifies many examples of good professional practice, teachers’ use of a range of pedagogies and approaches to learning and their creative use of resources, particularly web-based materials. The report also highlights a number of serious weaknesses which the REC now calls on the DCSF, publishers and RE professional organisations to address. It identifies the ways in which teachers use RE to promote community cohesion and to develop personal and social values, positive attitudes towards those of other religions, and critical thinking."
View the full report.
The overall aim of this research was to examine the materials available to schools and used by them for teaching about the six main world religions in the UK.
The study includes an evaluation of the published materials readily available, consideration of the contextual and pedagogical factors that influence their selection and use in schools and classrooms, and the materials’ contribution to learning.
A particular focus has been on their contribution to education for community cohesion both in terms of their ability to enhance young people’s understanding of the principal religions in British society, and in terms of the messages these materials may convey about inter communal, particularly inter-religious, harmony and cooperation.
The project used quantitative and qualitative methods and comprised an audit of available Religious Education (RE) materials and a review of a sample of materials by members of faith, academic and professional RE experts; case studies in 20 schools and a survey of a nationwide random sample of schools.
Professor Brian Gates, Chair, The Religious Education Council of England and Wales:
"The Religious Education Council of England and Wales welcomes the publication of this major research study, commissioned and funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and produced by the Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit, at the University of
Warwick by a team led by Professor Robert Jackson.
The report identifies many examples of good professional practice, teachers’ use of a range of pedagogies and approaches to learning and their creative use of resources, particularly web-based materials. The report also highlights a number of serious weaknesses which the REC now calls on the DCSF, publishers and RE professional organisations to address. It identifies the ways in which teachers use RE to promote community cohesion and to develop personal and social values, positive attitudes towards those of other religions, and critical thinking."
View the full report.
1 COMMENT
Paul Hopkins
02.06.2010 • 13:59
Good to see this important report on the EWC. It highlights some key things about the resources that are available for teaching religions and how we need to ensure that the materials we are using in schools are rich, representative and varied both from the traditions themselves and more a more objective viewpoint. Also how the development of on-line resource is challenging the quality assurance process and how we need to all be critical evaluators of materials.
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