Assessment

• Reflection Pieces • Project Work • Essay

Module Aims

To provide students with an introduction to the meaning, tradition and contemporary practice of religious education with a particular focus both on the teaching of Religious Education at post-primary level, with particular but not exclusive reference to Catholic Education.

Indicative Syllabus:

• Religious Education
• Religious Education – Theological and Philosophical Perspectives
• Integrating Theology and Religious Education
• Catholic Education
• Vision, Ethos and Identity of Faith Based Schools
• Spirituality of the Child
• Religious Education – Curricula
• Religious Education – Programmes
• Religious Education – Methodologies & Planning
• Religious Education – Contemporary Issues and Challenges
• Faith, Spirituality and Education
• Teacher Identity

Learning Outcomes

• — • Define the principle terms and concepts associated with Irish education today and specifically Religious Education.
• — • Understand the difference between Religious Education, Catholic Education and Catechesis.
• — • Integrate their theological knowledge into religious education methodologies.
• — • Explain the concepts and current thinking on Childhood Spirituality.
• — • Understand the current curricula and syllabi for teaching religious education in Ireland.
• — • Show proficiency in constructing lesson plans based on content and current methodologies.
• — • Understand and evaluate the current challenges involved in teaching religious education today.
• — • Identify and describe the relationship between faith, spirituality and education as it is manifest in post-primary education today.
• — • Discuss the place of a faith and spirituality in the life of a teachers

Bibliography

• — Barnes, L. Philip, ed. Debates in Religious Education. London: Routledge 2012.
• — Best, Ron, ed. Education, Spirituality and the Whole Child. London: Cassell 1996.
• — Byrne, Garth & Patricia Kieran. Toward Mutual Ground – Pluralism, Religious Education and Diversity in Irish Schools. Dublin: Columba Press, 2013.
• — Groome, Thomas H. Will There be Faith? Depends on Every Christian. Dublin: Veritas, 2011.
• — Hession, Anne Catholic Primary Religious Education in a Pluralist Environment. Dublin: Veritas 2015.
• — Kieran, Patricia and Anne Hession, eds. Exploring Religious Education: Catholic Religious Education in an Intercultural Europe. Dublin: Veritas, 2008.
• — Lane, Dermot A. Challenges Facing Religious Education in Contemporary Ireland. Dublin: Veritas, 2008.
• — O’Higgins Norman, James, ed. Education Matters – Readings in Pastoral Care for School Chaplains, Guidance Counsellors and Teachers. Dublin: Veritas, 2011.
• — Ratcliff, Donald E., ed. Handbook of Children’s Religious Education. Birmingham, AL: Religious Education Press, 1992.