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

ABSTRACT

This article outlines the ‘Big Ideas’ approach to curriculum reform, as applied in the ‘Principles and Big Ideas of Science Education’ project. 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. 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 means 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.

KEYWORDS:

• Religious Education
• Big Ideas
• RE-searchers
• pedagogy

Acknowledgements

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.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. We use ‘inquiry’ rather than ‘enquiry’ in the context of ‘inquiry-led learning’. Although often used interchangeably, ‘enquiry’ has connotations of asking for or requesting pre-existing information, while ‘inquiry’ is often associated with researching or investigating to generate new knowledge (Baumfield and Higgins 2008).

2. Professor Michael Reiss was one of the group of international scientists who produced Principles and Big Ideas of Science Education.

3. Invited participants: Alan Brine (Former OFSTED National Adviser for RE); Denise Cush (Bath Spa University); Dave Francis (Bath and North East Somerset Standing Advisory Council for RE); Felicity Henchley (Saints’ Way Multi-Academy Trust, Cornwall); James Holt (University of Chester); Janet Orchard (University of Bristol); Linda Rudge (Learn, Teach, Lead RE Project Director); Joy Schmack (Liverpool Hope University); Julian Stern (York St John University); and Karen Walshe (University of Exeter).

4. In accordance with our emphasis on reflexivity and positionality in the study of religion(s) and worldview(s), it is appropriate we acknowledge our own locations as authors. Rob Freathy was the lead applicant securing funds for the ‘Identifying Principles and Big Ideas for Religious Education’ project, a core participant at the Dartmoor Symposium, a contributor to the final report, and the manager of its publication. His past and present contributions to the ongoing development and implementation of the ‘Big Ideas’ project reflect a preference for critical, dialogic and methodologically/hermeneutically-orientated RE. Helen John is a former RE teacher and now New Testament specialist, focusing particularly on inter-/trans-disciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives and methods, including anthropological fieldwork and investigation of indigenous worldviews in Southern Africa. Amongst other things, she is currently working with Rob Freathy on various RE-related projects, which conceive of the study of religion(s) and worldview(s) as a multi-disciplinary, multi-methodological and multi-perspectival field, which should be imbued with reflexivity and led by inquiry.

Additional information

Funding

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.

Notes on contributors

Rob Freathy

Rob Freathy is Professor of Education in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Exeter, UK.

Helen C. John

Helen C. John is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Exeter, UK.