Year
2022Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitUnit rationale, description and aim
The Religious Education curriculum in a Catholic school needs careful and assiduous oversight by well informed leaders in the field. The role of the RE leader is multi-faceted, and must primarily be concerned with curriculum, pedagogy and assessment methods that are most appropriate for the students and teachers who undertake the teaching of RE. The expertise provided by RE leaders requires them to be well versed in the Catholic tradition as it pertains to education, and well aware of the place of the tradition in contemporary society. This unit provides these leaders with expertise in all facets of RE curriculum. The unit demonstrates that reflective practice in the light of past practice is a necessary foundation for future policy and program development.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
LO1 - Critically analyse, synthesise and evaluate perspectives and paradigms that shape and guide curriculum development in religious education particularly in relation to Church and local diocesan religion curriculum documents (GA6; APST Lead 7.2)
LO2 - Demonstrate specialised knowledge and skills in leading colleagues to design and implement a classroom religion program in a chosen content area relevant to diocesan curriculum which aligns curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and reporting (GA5, GA6; APST HA 5.1)
LO3 - Support colleagues to develop effective teaching strategies that address the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse religious backgrounds (GA1; APST Lead 1.3)
LO4 - Critique and generate a range of strategies that facilitate open-mindedness and receptiveness to new ideas and reflective practice in the classroom teaching of religion (GA5; APST HA 6.3)
Graduate attributes
GA1 - Demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity
GA5 - Demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession
GA6 - Solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Highly Accomplished
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards:
5.1 Develop and apply a comprehensive range of assessment strategies to diagnose learning needs, comply with curriculum requirements and support colleagues to evaluate the effectiveness of their approaches to assessment. |
6.3 Initiate and engage in professional discussions with colleagues in a range of forums to evaluate practice directed at improving professional knowledge and practice, and the educational outcomes of students. |
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Lead
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards:
1.3 Evaluate and revise school learning and teaching programs, using expert and community knowledge and experience, to meet the needs of students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. |
7.2 Initiate, develop and implement relevant policies and processes to support colleagues’ compliance with and understanding of existing and new legislative, administrative, organisational and professional responsibilities. |
Content
Topics will include:
- principles of curriculum development which are shaped and guided by Church and diocesan religious education documents as well as state and national curriculum requirements
- a variety of approaches to curriculum planning and how they in turn direct pedagogy specific to the classroom religion program
- the relationships between classroom religion curriculum and general curriculum trends
- analysis of evaluation, assessment and reporting strategies in classroom religion curriculum documents and their implications for reflective practice
- consideration for future curriculum development regarding content, pedagogy, evaluation, assessment and reporting in the classroom religion program
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The learning and teaching strategy in this unit is informed by the seven principles that are enunciated in the University’s Strategic Plan (2015 – 2020). In particular, the learning and teaching strategy seeks to develops knowledge, skills and personal values through active learning that draws upon the real-world experiences of the students (Principle 5). Therefore, the learning and teaching strategy adopts an inquiry framework that places the student at the centre of the learning experience.
EDRE624 is taught in numerous modes (i.e. face to face, intensive, online, mixed) and involves 150 hours of focused learning. This consists of lectures and tutorials in the face-to-face mode, and recorded lectures (for asynchronous use), videoconferencing and webinars in the online mode. The remaining hours are reserved for private research and cooperative learning through forums and reflective journals, leading to the completion of the required assessment tasks.
Students in this unit will become familiar, or more familiar with relevant Church documents that influence curriculum planning in Religious Education. They will know how to plan curriculum that is compliant with their own diocesan requirements and the needs of their school cohort. They will be able to engage with general pedagogical theories that may apply to RE. They will also be able to critically evaluate RE curriculum, assessment and pedagogy. They will engage in critical reflection that enables them to conceive future curriculum needs and to work collaboratively with school personnel to address them.
A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be used throughout the unit. The learning activities are supported by, but not restricted to, lectures (or recorded lectures for asynchronous use in online format), tutorials (webinars in online format) and opportunities for peer to peer interaction.
Duration
150 hours in total with a normal expectation of 24 hours of directed study and the total contact hours should not exceed 24 hours. Directed study might include lectures, tutorials, webinars, podcasts etc. The balance of the hours then become private study.
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment procedures
The assessment will relate directly to the achievement of the learning outcomes. A variety of assessment procedures will be used to ascertain the extent to which the students achieve the outcomes. These will include seminar presentations, research papers, audio/visual presentations, electronic multi-media presentations, discussion papers and a range of other options.
The first assessment task invites reflective practice on the part of students, in that they are expected to choose and evaluate a metaphor for the RE curriculum. This task is a reflection on pertinent RE curriculum as a whole and includes consideration of theory and practice in the light of Church and Diocesan documentation (LO1, LO2, LO3).
The first assessment task provides a context for the second one, which is to focus on a particular topic area within the RE curriculum of the diocese in which the RE leader is working. Students are required to justify their choice of topic area and consider the pertinent pedagogy, curriculum specifications and assessment in relation to the needs of a diverse learning community. They are also required to critique and evaluate the appropriateness of their chosen topic in the light of general pedagogical principles (LO1, LO2, LO 3, LO4).
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes | Graduate Attributes |
|---|---|---|---|
Suggest and critically evaluate a metaphor for the religion curriculum. | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3 | GA1, GA5, GA6 |
A critique of chosen topic area in relevant diocesan curriculum. | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 | GA1, GA5, GA6 |
Representative texts and references
Congregation for Catholic Education. (1988). The religious dimension of education in a Catholic school. Homebush NSW: Paulist Publications.
Congregation for Catholic Education. (2013). Educating for Intercultural Dialogue in Catholic Schools. Retrieved from:
Congregation for Catholic Education. (2014). Educating Today and Tomorrow: A Renewing Passion. Retrieved from:
de Souza, M., Engebretson, K., Durka, G., Jackson, R., & McGrady, A. (Eds.) (2006). International handbook of the religious, moral and spiritual dimensions in education. AA Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.
Erickson, H. L. (2008). Stirring the head, heart, and soul: Redefining curriculum and instruction (3rd ed.). Heatherton, Vic: Hawker Brownlow Education.
Erricker, C., Lowndes, J. & Bellchambers, E. (2011). Primary religious education – a new approach: Conceptual enquiry in primary RE. Abingdon, Eng: Routledge
Geron, L. (2013). On holy ground: The theory and practice of religious education London: Routledge.
Goldburg, P. M. (2013). Religious diversity and religious literacy. In R. Hudson & S. Hudson
Groome, T. (2001). Educating for life: A spiritual vision for every teacher and parent. New York: Crossroad Pubs.
Moran, G. (2016). Missed Opportunities: Rethinking Catholic Tradition. Bloomington, IN; iUniverse
National Catholic Education Commission (Australia). (2018). Religious Education Framing Paper. Braddon, ACT: National Catholic Education Commission.
Smith, D. L., & Lovat, T. J. (2003). Curriculum: Action on reflection (4th ed.). Tuggerah, NSW: Social Science Press.