EDRE623 - Issues in the Teaching and Coordination of School Religious Education

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit investigates issues in religious education in schools that have a bearing on the ways in which it is planned, coordinated and taught. It gives special attention to the perspective of educators who have responsibility for the religion curriculum, including reference to contemporary research on this role, while taking into account other new religious role positions that have appeared in Catholic schools. It considers the expectations of religious education to promote religious change in students, as well as its dual role of giving educational access to religious heritage and helping young people in their personal religious quest, It makes brief cross reference to issues covered in detail in other units to help construct a panoramic and holistic perspective on how to make religious education more meaningful and relevant. In addition it examines areas such as the planning and conduct of retreats at secondary level, critical pedagogy, evaluation of cultural influences on students, and the status of religious education as a subject.