This article presents the findings of a two-year research project investigating four hundred third-level Initial Teacher Education (ite) students’ perceptions of the religiously unaffiliated in Ireland. The research was undertaken in two Third Level Catholic colleges of education in the Republic of Ireland (roi). A brief overview of some contemporary cultural, educational and ecclesial factors impacting on participants’ lived experiences and perceptions of Catholicism is provided. Irish society is changing rapidly and the religiously unaffiliated are the fastest growing belief group in the 2016 Census (cso 2016). A major part of the research focuses on the religious or belief affiliation of the sample group. It explores how participants’ personal religious and convictional perspectives impact on their own lives as well as their understandings of their future professional roles as educators in Ireland’s primary school system. Drawing on the research survey and interview data the article explores participants’ belief fluidity which blends belief in Roman Catholicism with belief in crystals, chakras, reincarnation, gods, and magic among others. The researchers analyses what these findings might reveal about lived Catholicism in the contemporary Irish context.
This article overviews the contemporary context for teaching Religious Education (RE) in Ireland and profiles changing religious demographics in an increasingly secular context. It presents the findings of a two-year mixed-methods study undertaken in two third-level Catholic colleges in Ireland, investigating four hundred third-level Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students' perceptions of the religiously unaffiliated. The research data reveals the complexity and ambivalence of ITE students' attitudes to teaching RE in primary schools in a rapidly changing Irish society where one in ten is religiously unaffiliated (Central Statistics Office, 2017). Several challenges emerge for ITE students as they begin teaching RE in Ireland's denominational primary school context. The religious and convictional perspectives of the sample group are profiled and findings reveal that participants' personal worldviews impact on their understandings of their future professional roles as religious educators. Data from this mixed methods research suggest that while ITE students view the teaching of RE as an important professional duty, a disconnect between their own personal beliefs and the curricular content they are required to teach in sacramental RE programmes in Catholic primary schools creates a climate of ambivalence and uncertainty.
In 2007, a new model of state-run primary schools was established in Ireland in response to the growing pluralism in this country. These are publicly-managed, multidenominational schools with the Irish state, through the Education and Training Boards (ETB) as their patron. The ethos of schools is inclusive, striving to ensure that the beliefs of all children are respected and celebrated. There are currently twentythree schools in this sector. A multi-belief curriculum has been written for schools; one of the methodologies employed, 'the Family Project' is the focus of this research. The Family Project aims to encourage students to engage in conversation with their families about specific themes being explored in school, and to complete their projects at home. Students then present the Family Projects to peers in school, educating one another about how they express or live out their beliefs.This mixed-methods study explores students' views on how they feel about sharing their religious or secular beliefs with peers and about learning from their peers. Using questionnaires and focus groups with children in 5 th class (10-12 years) significant insights are revealed. Students reported positive attitudes towards listening to each other's beliefs but ambivalence about presenting beliefs. They also highlighted the importance of a safe space being created for the sharing of beliefs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.