Abstract
As a result of changing demographics and changing attitudes the role of religion and beliefs
in education remains a key issue in how we educate our children in Ireland, North and South.
Significant, though quite separate, developments are taking place in both jurisdictions which
seek to address issues of diversity in beliefs as well as promote opportunities for sharing,
collaboration, and dialogue between those of all faiths and none. These include the
development of the subject ‘education about religions and beliefs and ethics’ (ERBE) in the
South and the new government strategy for Sharing Education in the North as well as the
long-standing experience of developing inclusive forms of religious education in Integrated
and Multi-denominational schools.
Building on a previous SCOTENS project on Sharing Beliefs in which both Dr Hunter and Dr
Irwin were involved, this project aimed to focus more specifically on RE teaching and
employment in the non-faith formation sectors in both Northern and Southern Ireland. While
commentators (Richardson 2014; Coll 2013) look positively at the opportunities presented by
a more diverse environment, key questions remain unresolved concerning the nature of
facilitating teaching about religion and beliefs (Nelson 2010; O’Toole 2014). The Philosophical
direction, aims and pedagogies of these non-faith formation sectors require further attention
in both policy and practice.
Aware of these issues this project had three main aims:
1. To facilitate cross-border inter-professional learning for student RE teachers and in-service RE teachers around recent developments in policy and practice of teaching
about religion and beliefs in schools.
2. To provide opportunities for specialists in non-faith formation sectors to explore
philosophy and direction of their sector.
3. To investigate the use of ‘community conversation’ dialogue technique for inter-professional comparative education practice in Religious Education
in education remains a key issue in how we educate our children in Ireland, North and South.
Significant, though quite separate, developments are taking place in both jurisdictions which
seek to address issues of diversity in beliefs as well as promote opportunities for sharing,
collaboration, and dialogue between those of all faiths and none. These include the
development of the subject ‘education about religions and beliefs and ethics’ (ERBE) in the
South and the new government strategy for Sharing Education in the North as well as the
long-standing experience of developing inclusive forms of religious education in Integrated
and Multi-denominational schools.
Building on a previous SCOTENS project on Sharing Beliefs in which both Dr Hunter and Dr
Irwin were involved, this project aimed to focus more specifically on RE teaching and
employment in the non-faith formation sectors in both Northern and Southern Ireland. While
commentators (Richardson 2014; Coll 2013) look positively at the opportunities presented by
a more diverse environment, key questions remain unresolved concerning the nature of
facilitating teaching about religion and beliefs (Nelson 2010; O’Toole 2014). The Philosophical
direction, aims and pedagogies of these non-faith formation sectors require further attention
in both policy and practice.
Aware of these issues this project had three main aims:
1. To facilitate cross-border inter-professional learning for student RE teachers and in-service RE teachers around recent developments in policy and practice of teaching
about religion and beliefs in schools.
2. To provide opportunities for specialists in non-faith formation sectors to explore
philosophy and direction of their sector.
3. To investigate the use of ‘community conversation’ dialogue technique for inter-professional comparative education practice in Religious Education
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Commissioning body | SCoTENS Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South |
| Number of pages | 53 |
| Publication status | Published (in print/issue) - Oct 2022 |
Funding
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS) |
Keywords
- Religion and Philosophy
- Religion in Context
- Teacher Education
- cross-border mobilities
- Non-confessional
