Religious Education, Big Ideas and the study of religion(s) and worldview(s)

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Taylor & Francis (Routledge) via the DOI in this record.This article outlines the ‘Big Ideas’ approach to curriculum reform, as applied in the ‘Principles and Big Ideas of Science Education’ project (Harlen 2010). A critical analysis follows of the outcomes of the University of Exeter’s ‘Identifying Principles and Big Ideas for Religious Education’ project, which sought to apply the same approach to Religious Education (RE) in English schools (Wintersgill 2017). This project made great headway in generating ‘Big Ideas’ to inform and improve the selection and sequencing of RE curriculum content. However, its primary focus on subject content knowledge mean that ‘Big Ideas’ about epistemology and methodology are lacking. The article recommends an additional focus on multi-disciplinary, multi-methodological, inquiry-based, reflexive learning, which would ask why, how, where and by whom our ‘knowledge’ of religion(s) and worldview(s) is generated. In this regard, the article posits four ‘Big Ideas about the study of religion(s) and worldview(s)’ to highlight the symbiotic relationship between knowledge and knower, and to reject the false dichotomy between the object of study and method of study. In so doing, it draws upon the theoretical framework underpinning the ‘RE-searchers approach’ to primary school RE, which correspondingly exemplifies how such ideas can be taught in practice.The ‘Identifying Principles and Big Ideas for Religious Education’ project was supported by the St Luke’s College Foundation (016J-086). The ‘RE-searchers: A critical dialogic approach to Religious Education in primary schools’ project was supported by the Culham St. Gabriel’s Trust and Hockerill Education Foundation

Cynnydd dysgu yn y dyniaethau: canfod tensiynau wrth gyfleu cynnydd yn y dyniaethau yng Nghymru

Mae’r papur hwn yn edrych ar y tensiynau sy’n codi wrth gyfleu cynnydd mewn dysgu yn nisgyblaethau’r Dyniaethau. Ar sail ein hadolygiad o ymchwil yn nisgyblaethau’r Dyniaethau, cwricwla rhyngwladol ar gynnydd yn y meysydd hyn a myfyrdodau o weithgarwch proffesiynol ym ‘Maes Dysgu a Phrofiad’ y Dyniaethau, sydd newydd gael ei ddiffinio yn y Cwricwlwm i Gymru newydd, mae’r papur hwn yn disgrifio sut mae cynnydd dysgu yn y Dyniaethau wedi’i gysyniadoli yn y cwricwlwm newydd ac wedyn yn amlinellu ac yn adolygu’n feirniadol bedair her a gododd wrth ganfod a disgrifio’r cynnydd dysgu yng nghwricwlwm newydd y Dyniaethau. Mae’r tensiynau’n cynnwys y berthynas rhwng disgyblaethau; y cydbwysedd rhwng gwybodaeth, sgiliau a gwerthoedd; y gwahaniaethau rhwng modelau cynnydd sylfaenol yn y Dyniaethau; a chydbwyso cymhlethdod y dysgu ag ystyriaethau ymarferol ar gyfer cwricwlwm cenedlaethol. Drwy ddefnyddio’r Model Newid Integredd, mae’r papur hwn yn cyfrannu drwy gynnig mewnwelediadau newydd i agweddau eang ar gynnydd dysgu yn y Dyniaethau a thrwy dynnu sylw at y buddion a heriau dichonol o wneud penderfyniadau penodol mewn perthynas â phob un o’r tensiynau hyn. Trafodir goblygiadau sy’n codi mewn perthynas â chynllunio’r cwricwlwm ac ymchwil yn y dyfodol, yn cynnwys y rôl sylfaenol sydd gan ddysgu proffesiynol wrth ddatblygu a gweithredu’r cwricwlwm

Learning Progression in the Humanities: Identifying tensions in articulating progression in Humanities in Wales.

The paper explores tensions in the articulation of progression in learning across the Humanities disciplines. Informed by our review of research in the Humanities disciplines, international curricula on progression in these areas, and reflections from professional activity within the newly defined Humanities ‘Area of Learning and Experience’ (AoLE) in the new Welsh curriculum, this paper describes how learning progression in Humanities has been conceptualised within the new curriculum and then delineates and critically reviews four challenges that emerged when identifying and describing progression in learning in the new Humanities curriculum. Tensions include the relationship between disciplines; the balance between knowledge, skills and values; the differences between underlying models of progression in Humanities; and balancing the complexity of learning with practical considerations for a national curriculum. Underpinned by the Integrity Model of Change, this paper makes a contribution, through providing new insights on broad aspects of learning progression in Humanities and highlighting potential benefits and challenges of taking particular decisions within each of these four tensions. Implications for curriculum planning and future research are offered, including the fundamental role of professional learning in curriculum development and enactment

Putting Big Ideas into practice in religious education

This book is a sequel to 'Big Ideas for Religious Education'. As the name suggests, it demonstrates how Big Ideas might be put into practice in providing a rationale and learning objectives for the selection and organisation of subject knowledge and for assessment. It is intended for anyone who designs syllabuses, schemes of learning and units of work in RE. The book takes account of the recommendations of the Commission for Religious Education and also of the feedback received after the publication of Big Ideas for Religious Education. The most frequent comment concerned the length of the Big Idea narratives. We have accordingly revised both the overall narrative for each Big Idea (below) and the key stage narratives (Appendix 1)

Big ideas for religious education: curriculum design for a 21st century education in religion and worldviews [website]

Big Ideas for Religious Education is an approach to curriculum, teaching and learning used around the world. It was a key influence on the development of the Commission on Religious Education (CoRE) national entitlement and has been developed by RE professionals with many years of experience at local and national level