Unit rationale, description and aim
Learning about religion is an essential component of a well-rounded education because religion is an important cultural, social, and political phenomenon. A sophisticated level of religious literacy is necessary for people to interact in today’s religiously plural and secularising society. The Congregation for Catholic Education (2013) reminds schools of their great responsibility for participating in intercultural education based on dialogue (para 50).
This unit is based on the assumption that global peace and justice as well as social cohesion and intercultural education are only possible if there is informed understanding and acceptance of religion in the community based on knowledge and reflective critique.
Students will investigate the history and development of the Catholic Church’s foray into inter-religious engagement. They will examine and critique methods of teaching for inter-religious understanding in the contemporary classroom which ultimately forms the foundation for inter-religious understanding in a pluralist society.
The aim of this unit is to enhance levels of religious literacy by engaging with approaches and methods for developing inter-religious understanding and inter-religious education.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.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.
Describe and explain foundational issues in religi...
Learning Outcome 01
Interpret and analyse the Catholic Church’s stance...
Learning Outcome 02
Examine the work of scholars whose work focuses on...
Learning Outcome 03
Explain and apply range of methodological approach...
Learning Outcome 04
Interpret and implement a range of approaches and ...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Foundational issues in religious diversity, education, and religious education.
- The interpretation and critical analysis of the Catholic Church’s theology of inter- religious engagement including the study of key Church documents that deal with inter-religious acceptance and understanding.
- Investigation of inter-religious understanding from the perspective of various scholars e.
- A range of methodological approaches used for educating for inter-religious understanding
- The interpretation and implementation of approaches and methodologies for teaching for inter-religious understanding in curriculum documents.
Assessment strategy and rationale
In order to successfully complete this unit, students need to complete and submit two graded assessment tasks.
The assessment strategy used allows students to progressively develop their knowledge, understanding and analytical skills to the level of sophistication where they are able to commence with the basic skills of describing and explaining foundational issues related to religious diversity and education, and then interpret and critically analyse the Catholic Church’s theology of inter-religious engagement with reference to key Church documents. The unit also challenges students to investigate the works and approaches of key scholars in this area, to identify methodological approaches to inter-religious learning and to apply these to the religious education teaching context.
In order to develop this level of creativity the first assessment focuses on an extended writing task where students articulate and interpret foundational issues linked to religious diversity and education based on the writings of key authors in the field or they critically analyse key church documents on interreligious engagement and assess their impact on religious education in contemporary classrooms.
In the second task, they respond to selected stimulus quotes on interreligious dialogue and education, and critique one or more approaches to inter-religious education in the light of religious education curriculum documents and/or the Toledo Principles. In both tasks, there is a deliberate emphasis on theory and classroom praxis.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 Extended writing task. Research...
Assessment Task 1
Extended writing task. Research essay focusing on either foundational issues in religious diversity and education based on the writings of education scholars such as Herman’s, Boys and REDCO or an analysis of how the Catholic Church’s theology of interreligious engagement has changed since the Second Vatican Council and the impacts this has had on the teaching and learning of religious education
50%
Assessment Task 2 Response to Stimulus Quotes and...
Assessment Task 2
Response to Stimulus Quotes and Critical Analysis – Students respond to stimuli from various scholars in the field as a foundation for critiquing existing models for inter-religious education or use the stimuli as the basis for designing an approach to enhance inter-religious understanding in their current school setting.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit is offered in multi-mode (i.e. delivered online and in face-to-face contexts) and uses an active learning approach to support students to develop a sophisticated level of religious literacy necessary for teaching in today’s religiously plural and secularising society. Students are able to explore the essential knowledge related to interreligious education and dialogue through a series of online asynchronous interactive sessions. Students also have the opportunity to attend synchronous online sessions to participate in the construction and synthesis of this knowledge. This approach allows flexibility for students who are largely engaged in full-time work.
Where required by cohorts, part or all of the unit could be delivered face-to-face with students engaging in lectures and workshops as well as students accessing digital resources and activities available through the Canvas site.
This learning and teaching strategy will facilitate active participation in pedagogical approaches that demonstrate alignment of teaching, learning and assessment and the strategy is responsive to the diverse contexts of individual students and cohorts.
This is a 10 credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support your learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video, workshops, and assignments etc.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Lead
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards: