Challenging Life: Existential Questions as a Resource for Education (eBook)

Jari Ristiniemi, Geir Skeie, Karin Sporre (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: PDF

2018 | 1. Auflage
416 Seiten
Waxmann Verlag GmbH
978-3-8309-8886-1 (ISBN)

Infos

There is an increasing recognition today that young people need to have knowledge about religions and world views in order to live and work in diverse societies. What kind of 'maps' are they provided with through religious, values and ethics education? Does education address the challenging existential questions that children and adolescents ask about life and the world? This volume addresses different aspects of how existential questions have been dealt with in educational research. It especially draws attention to the Swedish research tradition of focusing on life questions and the interpretation of life in education, but with contemporary international research added. It also addresses issues of ethics education and discusses possible options for the future of existential questions as a resource for education.

Inhalt

Buchtitel 1
Impressum 4
Contents 5
Foreword (Robert Jackson) 9
Introduction (Jari Ristiniemi, Geir Skeie and Karin Sporre) 13
Children Searching for a Philosophy of Life. A Retrospective Review of Six Research and Development Projects (Sven Hartman) 21
Abstract 21
1. Introduction 21
2. Six Research and Development Projects 22
2.1 Teaching Methods in RE and Pupils’ Development and Motivation 24
2.2 Small Children and Existential Questions 27
2.3 Environmental Orientation and Philosophy of Life 28
2.4 Children’s Living Conditions and Life Interpretation 32
2.5 Children’s Life Interpretation in a Comparative Perspective 36
2.6 Children’s and Youths’ Life Interpretation and Basic Values of School 37
3. A Short Comment on the Research Methods 38
4. Six Research Projects in Retrospect 39
References 42
Existential Questions in Research and Education in the Shape of a Response to Sven Hartman (Sven-Åke Selander) 47
Abstract 47
1. Introduction 47
2. Society and Religious Education in the 1960s 48
2.1 Curriculum 1962 for the Compulsory School (Lgr62) 48
2.2 Analysis of the Modern Human Situation – Curriculum 1965 for the Upper Secondary School (Lgy65) 49
2.3 Existential Questions and Personal Involvement in the Primary and Secondary School Curriculum 1969 (Lgr69) 49
3. Upper Secondary School Curriculum 1970 (Lgy70) 50
4. The Concept Existential Question in a Research Perspective 52
5. Existential Questions and Integration – The Curriculum 1980 for Primary and Secondary School (Lgr80) 54
6. Interpretation of Life – in Curricula 1994, 2000 56
6.1 Upper Secondary School (Lpf94) 56
6.2 Primary and Secondary School (Lpo94) 57
7. The Curricula 2000 58
7.1 Upper Secondary School (Gy2000) 58
7.2 Primary and Secondary School (Gr2000) 59
8. Scientific Methods and Analysis – Curricula 2011 59
8.1 Upper Secondary School (Gy2011) 59
8.2 Primary and Secondary School (Gr2011) 60
9. Summary 61
References 62
Is a ‘Life Question Approach’ Appropriate when Religious Education has Become a Part of Social Studies? (Gunnar J. Gunnarsson) 69
Abstract 69
1. Introduction 69
2. Different Approaches 70
2.1 Nordic Context 73
3. The New National Curriculum Guide for Compulsory Schools in Iceland 75
3.1 Analysis 76
4. Conclusion 77
References 80
Addressing Existential Issues through the Eyes of Swedish Religious Education Teachers (Malin Löfstedt and Anders Sjöborg) 83
Abstract 83
1. Framing the Study – The Swedish Case 83
2. Previous Research 84
3. Theory and Methods 87
3.1 Theoretical Perspectives 87
3.2 Methods 88
4. Results 89
4.1 What Issues are Important in RE? 89
4.2 World Religions before Existential Issues 91
4.3 Writing their Own Credo 92
4.4 Absence of AlternativeWorld Views in the Classroom 94
4.5 Changing the Name and Content of the Subject 95
5. Concluding Discussion 96
References 97
Tonåringen och livsfrågorna (1969) Revisited. Reflections on ‘Life questions’ in Contemporary Religious Education in Swedish Schools (Staffan Nilsson) 101
Abstract 101
1. In the Beginning 101
1.1 Introduction 101
1.2 The Report 103
2. The Revisit 104
2.1 An Ambiguous and Unimportant Concept? 104
2.2 Religious and Existential Questions 105
2.3 A Secularized Notion of Religion 108
2.4 The Interest for Young and Plurality 109
2.5 The Turn to Popular Culture 111
2.6 The Universality Bias 112
3. Concluding Remarks 114
References 115
Liberal Muslim, Atheist Hindu and Born-again Christian. Identifications in Relation to Religion among Three Upper Secondary Students with Experiences Connected to Migration (Signild Risenfors) 119
Abstract 119
1. Religion as a Response to Questions about Views of Life 119
2. Views of Life and Religion within the Subject of Religious Education 120
3. Migration and Identity 122
4. Three Narratives 122
4.1 Mona – Liberal Muslim 123
4.2 Adi – Atheist Hindu 125
4.3 Esther – Born-again Christian 126
5. Being Intelligent and Global 127
5.1 Challenging a Discourse about Indifference and Narrow-Mindedness in Favour of Philosophy 128
5.2 Challenging a Discourse about Tradition and Culture in Favour of Globalization and Subjectivity 129
6. Conclusion and Discussion 130
References 131
Personal World View, Existential Questions and Inclusive Pedagogy. Theological and Pedagogical Underpinnings (Siebren Miedema) 137
Abstract 137
1. Introduction 137
2. From Religion toWorld View 138
3. World View Used in Empirical Research 139
4. Conceptual and Theoretical Analyses 141
5. The Pedagogy behind PersonalWorld View Formation 144
6. The Necessity to Use ‘World View’ 146
7. The Nordic Input in this Debate on World View and Existential Questions – a few Reflections 148
8. To Conclude 150
9. Summary 152
References 152
World Views in Norwegian RE (Oddrun Marie Hovde Bråten) 157
Abstract 157
1. Introduction 157
2. Introducing Core Concepts 159
2.1 Further Teaching ofWorld Views 161
2.2 Concept and Curricula 163
2.3 What is Religion? 166
2.4 What was Learned? 168
3. Discussion and Conclusion 169
References 173
Should Religious Education Include the Exploration of Existential Questions through Non-Religious World Views? The Views and Experiences of English Secondary School Teachers (Judith Everington) 177
Abstract 177
1. Introduction 177
2. The Inclusion of Non-Religious World Views and Developments in English RE 178
2.1 The Wider Debate: a Child or Subject-Centred Curriculum? 181
2.2 Integrating Academic and Personal Development in the Teaching of Non-Religious World Views 183
2.2.1 Maria 183
2.2.2 Claire 184
2.2.3 James 185
2.3 The Inclusion of Non-Religious World Views in Differing School Contexts 186
3. Conclusion 187
References 189
The Image of God in Children’s Epistolography (Maria Szczepska-Pustkowska) 193
Abstract 193
1. Introduction 193
2. The Image of God – Terminological Issues 194
2.1 The Development of the Idea of God 194
3. Research Methodology 196
4. Analysis Results 197
4.1 Epistolary forms of the letters 197
4.2 Subjects and Content of Letters 198
4.2.1 A Request – Gratitude Scheme 199
4.2.2 Confessional Scheme 200
4.2.3 Presentational Scheme 202
4.2.4 Children’s questions to God 203
4.3 Artistic Form of the Letters 204
5. An Attempt to Summarize 205
References 208
Life Issues Among Young Adults. An Empirical and Methodological Example (Caroline Gustavsson) 211
Abstract 211
1. Introduction 211
1.2 The Empirical Research 213
1.2.1 The Sample 213
1.2.2 A Research Pilot that Led to Knew Interview Questions 214
1.2.3 Methodological and Theoretical Choices Made 217
1.3 Research Results 218
1.3.1 Life Issues 220
2. Reflections 221
2.1 Life Questions in Education 222
References 223
Existence and Education. A Relational and Interactional Model (Jari Ristiniemi) 227
Abstract 227
1. Introduction 227
2. Relational Identity and Sense-Integral Learning 229
2.1 A Top Down Science 231
3. Technological Gestalt and Trajectory of Objectification 234
4. Ontology of Life 236
4.1 Sensing Body and Learning 237
5. Environment and the New Materiality 239
6. Summary 241
References 242
Other sources 244
Being and Becoming. Challenging Dichotomous Conceptions of Ethical Competence within Democratic Ethics Education in Compulsory School (Olof Franck and Annika Lilja) 247
Abstract 247
1. Introduction 247
2. The Voices of 12-Years Old Pupils 248
3. Opening up the Arena for Ethical Discussion 251
4. Aims of the Subject RE in the Swedish Syllabus 252
5. Curricular Obstacles 253
6. An Alternative Approach: Some Guidelines 255
7. The ‘Childist Approach’ 256
8. Being and Becoming ‘Morally Competent’ 257
9. Conclusions 258
References 258
The Ethical Aspects of Using Jokes for Learning Purposes as Seen from a Historical Perspective (Iris Ridder) 261
Abstract 261
1. Humour in Classrooms, Medieval Schoolbooks and the Latin DSeM 261
2. The Content and Characters of the Novel 265
3. The Rhetorical Structure and Emotional Response of the Text 267
4. Hostile Jokes in Instructional Humour 269
5. Conclusion 273
References 274
Ethical Concepts according to 12-Year-Olds. Students’ Responses, National Tests, and Ethics Education (Karin Sporre) 279
Abstract 279
1. Background and Task 279
1.1 Introduction 279
1.2 The Curricular Context 280
1.3 Task 282
2. The Research Field 283
3. Theoretical and Methodological Presuppositions and Considerations 285
3.1 The Moral Philosophy of Seyla Benhabib 285
3.2 The Test Task of this Study, the Sample and Research Ethics 286
3.3 A Methodological Reflection 288
4. Students’ Choices of Concepts and Perceptions of Content 288
4.1 Choice of Concepts and Assessment 288
4.2 Conceptual Understandings of Justice, Equality, Solidarity and Empathy 290
4.3 Students’ Responses, Seyla Benhabib, and the Public Arena 292
5. Discussion 293
References 295
Ethical Excursions and Philosophical Dialogues in Teacher Education. A Waste of Time or a Wise Way to Necessary Knowledge? (Camilla Stabel Jørgensen) 297
Abstract 297
1. Introduction 297
2. Theoretical Framework: Education and Democracy 298
3. Presentation of Practices, Data and Analytical Tool 301
4. Presentation of Analysis 303
4.1 The Task 303
4.2 Students’ Responses: The Philosophical Dialogues 305
5. Discussion and Further Questions 307
References 308
Appendix 309
School Children Envisioning Future Knowledge and Agency within the Context of Education for Sustainable Development (Annika Manni) 313
Abstract 313
1. Introduction 313
2. Background 314
3. Aim and Questions of the Study 317
4. Methods 318
4.1 Participants 318
4.2 Data Collection and Analysis 319
4.3 Ethical Considerations 319
4.4 Validity and Reliability 320
4.5 Methodological Reflections 320
5. Results – Visions of Important Future Knowledge and Possibilities to Act 321
5.1 Important Future Knowledge 321
5.2 Visions of Possibilities to Act 322
5.3 Tentative Relations between Knowledge and Action 323
5.4 Summing up the Results 324
6. Analytical Discussion 324
7. Conclusions 326
References 326
The Position of (S-)EXistential Questions in Religious Education in School and in Teacher Education in Sweden (Bodil Liljefors Persson) 329
Abstract 329
1. Introduction – Religious Education in Sweden 329
2. The Formation of the School Subject RE in Sweden and in a European Context 330
3. The position of existential questions within RE in general and about (S-)EXistential questions in particular, in Sweden today 332
4. Sexuality and Relations Education in Teacher Education Programmes in Sweden 334
5. Existential Questions as a Method to Connect with Young People’s Values – some Examples of Good Practices 339
6. Concluding Comments 340
References 342
Narratives and Haiku as Didactic Tools in Clown Work and Drama (Birgitta Silfver) 347
Abstract 347
1. Introduction 347
2. Presentations of Narratives and Haiku 351
2.1 On Clown Work in the Classroom, Presented in the Form of Four Portraits 351
2.2 Turning Point in the Student’s Meeting with the Clown – Individual Accounts 353
2.3 The Tightrope Artist who was Afraid of Heights 355
2.4 Further Work with the Haiku as a Presentation and Evaluation Tool 356
3. Summary 356
References 357
Blurring the Image of the Other? The Recontextualization of Environmental Ethical Values in Norwegian Education Policy Documents (Ole Andreas Kvamme) 359
Abstract 359
1. Introduction 359
1.1 Issue and Aim 359
1.2 Background 361
2. Theory and Method 363
2.1 Theoretical Considerations 363
2.2 Methodological Approach 364
2.3 The Material 366
3. The Analyses 368
3.1 The National Strategies 368
3.2 The school subject syllabi 370
3.3 The New Objects Clause 375
4. Discussion 376
5. Concluding Remark 378
References 379
Why should Religious Education Include Exploration of Existential Questions and Personal Values? (Geir Skeie) 383
Abstract 383
1. Introduction 383
2. Aims and Ambiguities in the Religious Education Curriculum regarding Existential Questions 385
3. Existential Issues in Religious Education Curricula 386
4. Existential Questions in Religious Education Seen in a Broader Educational Perspective 389
5. Approaches to Teaching and Learning about Existential Issues in the Classroom 393
References 394
Existential Questions in Religious Education. Opening up Discussions in Upper Secondary School (Karin Kittelmann Flensner) 397
Abstract 397
1. Introduction 397
2. The Concept of Existential Issues in RE 399
3. Theoretical and Methodological Approaches 400
4. Existential Questions in Classroom Practice 401
4.1 Your Time on Earth – the Origin and Finitude of Life 402
4.2 What is a Human Being? 404
4.3 Human Beings Need a Personal Interpretation of Life 406
4.4 Human Beings as Meaning-Seeking 407
4.5 Responsibilities of Human Beings 408
4.6 The Right and the Good 409
5. Concluding Thoughts 411
References 413

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 1.11.2018
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Pädagogik
• ISBN-10: 3-8309-8886-9 / 3830988869
• ISBN-13: 978-3-8309-8886-1 / 9783830988861