Unit rationale, description and aim
Within faith-based schools, religious education is a key learning area. For generations, religious education has been one of the ways in which the Catholic Christian tradition has been transmitted across generations. In Catholic Schools, religious education involves learning about and from religion as well as participating in the Catholic tradition. Learning about religion involves more than just knowing the names of the sacred texts of Christianity, it includes how the Church and believers, interpret and use these texts in various ways.
This unit is focused on developing pedagogical content knowledge (Schulman 1986) required for teaching the Bible to students in primary and secondary schools. Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is a type of knowledge unique to teachers, and is based on the manner in which teachers relate their pedagogical knowledge (what they know about teaching) to their subject matter knowledge (what they know about what they teach). PCK is the synthesis of teachers’ pedagogical knowledge and their subject matter knowledge and is the way of representing, transforming and formulating the subject that makes it comprehensible to students.
Religious Education curriculum documents across Australia have a strong emphasis on students learning about, understanding, interpreting, and using Old Testament and New Testament texts. This unit assists students to build on foundational content knowledge of the Bible in order to develop expert pedagogical content knowledge related to the teaching and learning of Scripture in school classrooms. Students will also investigate approaches to teaching scripture and critique them in the light of contemporary scholarship in the field.
The aim of this unit is to improve teachers PCK so that the teaching of scripture in classrooms moves from simple retelling to encompass hermeneutical interpretation.
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.
Analyse the purpose and role of sacred texts withi...
Learning Outcome 01
Analyse sacred texts using appropriate forms of te...
Learning Outcome 02
Develop and implement appropriate teaching and lea...
Learning Outcome 03
Identify and demonstrate application of knowledge ...
Learning Outcome 04
Critique contemporary resources for teaching sacre...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Identification of sacred writings including Old Testament and New Testament texts, and other Christian writings
- Exploration of significance and meaning of sacred texts as part of prayer and liturgy and ministry within the school and parish community
- Identification and analysis of text types such as sacred myth, parable, epic
- Exploration of Catholic church documents related to the interpretation of Scripture and engagement with hermeneutical interpretations of sacred texts
- Application of textual criticism including the categorisations of the Three Worlds of the Text and implications for curriculum and pedagogy
- Analysis and evaluation of a variety of approaches to teaching sacred texts
Assessment strategy and rationale
In order to successfully complete this unit, postgraduate students need to complete and submit two graded assessment tasks.
The assessment strategy used allows students to develop their knowledge, understanding and analytical skills to the level of sophistication where they are able to analyse a biblical passage, develop appropriate teaching and learning activities to teach the passage and evaluate methods and approaches of teaching the Bible to primary and secondary students.
In order to develop this skill, the first assessment task enables students to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the Bible and interpretation by analysing a nominated biblical text and developing relevant and meaningful age-appropriate teaching and learning activities for students in either primary or secondary school. In the second assessment task, postgraduate students develop a professional learning package explaining the theoretical and structural components of a selected approach used for teaching scripture supported with a sequence of teaching and learning strategies designed for age appropriate audience within primary or secondary school.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 Extended Writing Task: Analyse ...
Assessment Task 1
Extended Writing Task:
Analyse a nominated biblical text and develop relevant and meaningful age-appropriate activities demonstrating knowledge of the Three Worlds of the Text. Refer to relevant church documents and other academic sources in your response.
50%
Assessment Task 2 Professional Learning Package: ...
Assessment Task 2
Professional Learning Package:
Use the biblical text and research from Task 1. Select an approach to teaching Scripture. Develop a professional learning tool explaining the theoretical and structural components of the approach. Support this with a teaching and learning sequence which models the approach in practice.
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 in the exploration of the essential pedagogical content knowledge associated with teaching the Bible.
Students are able to explore essential variety of knowledge forms underpinning of teaching the Bible in a series of online asynchronous interactive lessons. Students also have the opportunity to attend synchronous online webinars 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 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 - Highly Accomplished
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards:
Australian Professional Standards For Teachers - Lead
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards: