Re-imagining Senior Secondary Religious Education (eBook)

This book examines and reports the findings regarding the level of satisfaction by students, teachers and parents with an innovative senior secondary Religious Education curriculum 'Religion, Meaning and Life' (RML). The stimulus for RML is found in the changing profile of students within faith-based schools and the motivation of school authorities to be inclusive and responsive to changing needs and priorities of students and families. Curriculum practices typically mirror this continuing renewal as community expectations give rise to innovation in curriculum practice. This concept of continuity and discontinuity is evidenced in the field of Religious Education,, which recognizes religious plurality while giving preference to an imagination centred on inclusion, hospitality and respectful dialogue. In this context, new pathways are being explored as the reality and significance of Religious Education in faith-based school remain a priority for Christian organizations in Australia.

Mindful of the diversity of expectations within the Catholic school, the curriculum initiative of RML was developed, supported and implemented. The La Salle Academy of the Australian Catholic University reviewed this senior secondary curriculum across three years and presents in this book an independent, evaluative report of the findings, together with insights for implementation at scale and associated applications across Christian faith-based institutions.

William Sultmann AM, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Australian Catholic University and the deputy dean of La Salle Academy, Australia. He is a teacher, psychologist, practical theologian and leader with senior executive and governance roles in education, health and welfare across Government and Catholic sectors. He has chaired and participated in multiple states and national bodies and consulted nationally and internationally. He has published comprehensively through books, monographs and journals and holds research doctorates in Educational Psychology and Practical Theology. His current responsibilities include university teaching, applied research and professional writing and community engagement in not-for-profit governance boards. In 2019, Bill was honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours as a member of the Order of Australia.

Janeen Lamb, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Australian Catholic University, Australia, with expertise in Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Statistical applications and Research Methods. Her professional experience and expertise are evidenced in her positions as the director, Higher Degree Research in Education, and in instructional leadership in teaching doctoral courses. Her work on leadership and the development of leaders within faith-based cultures has been across several national projects, as well as provincial research in support of specific Arch/Dioceses.

Peter Ivers, Ed.D., is a senior lecturer and a national coordinator for Postgraduate Studies in the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy at Australian Catholic University, Australia. He has extensive experience in a variety of leadership roles in different educational settings. His doctoral work investigated the emergence of educational discourses on Religious Education (RE) in the Archdiocese of Brisbane between 1984 and 2005, and this has been extended to include recent research projects for the Archdiocese. Peter teaches postgraduate units in Religious Education in areas of history and theories of RE, RE Curriculum, Catholic Social Teaching and Partnerships in RE.

Mark Craig has been a secondary school teacher of religion for over 20 years and is currently employed as an education officer with Brisbane Catholic Education, Australia. Before that, Mark was in full-time ministry with the Archdiocese of Brisbane. He is currently completing a Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of Divinity, Melbourne, and has a Master of Education (Research), as well as a Bachelor of Theology. Mark is a sessional lecturer with BBI-The Australian Institute of Theological Education (BBI-TAITE) and has published several books in religion and spirituality, as well as articles on Religious Education pedagogy and curriculum in Religious Education journals.

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This book examines and reports the findings regarding the level of satisfaction by students, teachers and parents with an innovative senior secondary Religious Education curriculum 'Religion, Meaning and Life' (RML). The stimulus for RML is found in the changing profile of students within faith-based schools and the motivation of school authorities to be inclusive and responsive to changing needs and priorities of students and families. Curriculum practices typically mirror this continuing renewal as community expectations give rise to innovation in curriculum practice. This concept of continuity and discontinuity is evidenced in the field of Religious Education,, which recognizes religious plurality while giving preference to an imagination centred on inclusion, hospitality and respectful dialogue. In this context, new pathways are being explored as the reality and significance of Religious Education in faith-based school remain a priority for Christian organizations in Australia.Mindful of the diversity of expectations within the Catholic school, the curriculum initiative of RML was developed, supported and implemented. The La Salle Academy of the Australian Catholic University reviewed this senior secondary curriculum across three years and presents in this book an independent, evaluative report of the findings, together with insights for implementation at scale and associated applications across Christian faith-based institutions.