cym dissertation - tyler fixman
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Religious Education’s Role in Faith Transmission
and Spiritual Development by Tyler Fixman
Academic year 2013/2014
CYM Dissertation Showcase
www.cym.ac.uk
Religious Education’s Role in Faith Transmission and Spiritual Development
By Year10 or 11 has Religious Education assisted in individual faith transmission or the
development of spirituality in students and what are the resultant inherit implications for Christian
schools work and mission?
Chapter 1: Introduction
I would like to discover if Religious Education in its current educational framework assists in
personal faith transmission (Collins-Mayo et al. 2010: 9-10) and/or spiritual development, or has
the subject mainly become an exercise in teaching moral and ‘socially cohesive values’ (Copley
2010: 46) in our pluralistic and multicultural society? My hope is that even in the sometimes
contentious arena of Religious Education pedagogical practices (Cooling 2010:12 and Erricker
2010: xi) that there remains the opportunity for Religious Education to inspire students to explore
their own personal faith or even develop a greater degree of spiritual literacy (Ayman 2004:110).
Proverbs 22: 6 prophetically challenges us to ‘train a child in the way he should go and when he is
old he will not turn from it’.
This research is important to me on many different paradigm levels; as a Christian who
wishes to see a continuation of the Christian faith for the next generation, as a Christian who
currently works within a school context and as a father who will soon guide his child into secondary
education. I believe my research (and more extensive research into the subject area) could have
wider societal significances as well. Currently the Coalition government’s educational policies could
cause Religious Education to become a second tier subject comparative to other subjects on the
English Baccalaureate (Watt 2011, BBC 2011), dwindling church attendance could put a greater
emphasis for more Christian schools work to be performed and I believe that there is definite
argument that spirituality could assist in raising the well-being of adolescent young people (King
and Benson 2006: 393) within a society which UNICEF attributes to producing the unhappiest
children in the Western world (Blair 2007). In this piece of research I would like to address these
wider subject areas as well as studying the fundamentality of Religious Education’s role in faith
transmission and/or spiritual development.
Reflexivity
Walford would state that ‘all research is researching yourself’ and ‘all research has a
subjective element’ (2005: 98). I appreciate that my reflexivity (Payne and Payne 2004: 191) is
deeply entrenched within this research subject. For most of my undergraduate studies I believed
that I would pursue a teaching career as a Religious Education teacher. I no longer hold onto this
career aspiration but I do believe that I will continue to vocationally work within a school context in
the future. Another area of reflexivity could be attributed to my own education. I was educated
within an American education system which did not allow for Religious Education to be taught in
the classroom. As Bowser and Muse highlight, the U. S. Supreme Court still adheres to the First
Amendment’s mandate which maintains that there should always be a strong divide between the
church and state in America (2008: 50-51). When I moved to England I was pleased to learn that
Religious Education was still being taught in schools.
My etic perspective (Hennink et al 2011: 18) naively or possibly ignorantly envisioned that
strong Christian apologetics and education was being offered in England. I now understand that
Christianity’s truth claims have long been challenged within English society (Cathey 2009: 56) and
this has subsequently and substantially changed Religious Education in the classroom. My further
understanding of Religious Education’s role in adolescent faith formation was through the many
conversations I had with young people who attended the church based youth groups that I led.
Through these conversations I initially found that for many young people Religious Education was
not producing or having any personal relevance in faith formation or spiritual development and this
inspired me to pursue a career as a Religious Education teacher. As I stated I no longer wish to
become a Religious Education teacher but I reflect and acknowledge that it was these initial
conversations with young people which has shaped and inspired the research project that I now
passionately pursue.
Research Framework
I would like to provide a brief overview of my dissertation. As a theology undergraduate
student I would like to apply theological reflection throughout the study where it seems appropriate
and helpful. I have decided to mainly study Year 10 and 11 students for my research. Partly this is
due to the fact that some schools do not offer Religious Education past Year 11 and my belief that
these students would have a suitable level of maturation to reflect upon Religious Education’s role
in their personal development. I had over 362 students reply to a questionnaire that I gave to six
different schools which ranged from faith, state and to private schools. I performed small focus
groups within some of the schools and conducted many individual student interviews to obtain the
research results. I will expand upon the research process within the methodology section of the
dissertation.
In the literature review I will use a thematic approach for the two core subject areas of my
research; Religious Education and adolescent spirituality. This thematic approach will assist in
placing these research subjects within a broad context of understanding and underpin my personal
reflections upon the subject areas. I will then extrapolate the research data and provide an analysis
within the findings section of the study. Within this section I will evaluate and reflect upon the hard
and soft data and provide my conclusions of the research
with some additional recommendations. Lastly, I will finish with an overall conclusion of the study
and provide a series of wider implications and considerations that I have discovered or reflected
upon.
I believe this research has inferred significance to other areas of societal and ecumenical
considerations and many of these areas of interest are important to me on a very personal level. I
humbly acknowledge that I have only started to scratch the surface of this subject area but I
believe the initial findings are dramatic and offer an interesting and profound view upon Religious
Education’s place and role within educational and adolescent contexts.
Chapter 2: Literary Review
For my literary review I have chosen to use a thematic topical approach to form a basis of
understanding which should assist in placing the research within a wider contextualized framework.
I will utilize different impressions of the topics of Religious Education and adolescent spirituality.
Religious Education
The Church and Pedagogy
From its earliest scholastic foundations, educators from cathedral and monastic schools in
England would have taught the fundamentals of discipline, morality, academic achievement and
faith and ‘they would probably have made very little distinction between them’ (Lawton and Gordon
2002: 46). Faith and education were interwoven and for many years ‘the Christian dominance of
schooling was almost complete and almost universally acceptable’ (Cooling 2000: 19). Parker-
Jenkins (et. al.) found that ‘the origins of popular education in this country are ensconced in the
charity schools’ that were established by the British and Foreign School Society and the National
Schools in the early 1800’s. Parker-Jenkins also concludes that ‘throughout England and Wales
the clergy initiated schooling as a means of carving out their evangelistic crusade’ (2005: 12).
Historically it is easy to see that there has been Christian based initiatives to educate those in their
communities, whether it be done through philanthropist ideals or for more ecclesiological
provisions, such as the Sunday school movement and Robert Raikes’ endeavors in the late 1700’s
and early 1800’s (Luumi 2008: 230), Christianity has had a long history of influence within British
education.
Postmodern Religious Education
Thompson has chronicled the changes of Religious Education over the last 40 years and
would state that modern Religious Education could be about ‘anything (almost) but it may not be
the faithful presentation of Christian faith to the young, in the hope that it will form the basis of their
spiritual development’ (2004: 171). She highlights that after a period of intense academic and
intellectual scrutiny by scholars such as Smart, Hull, Cox and Smith during the 1960s and 1970s
(ibid 2004: 35, 47-48) there was a sharp change from the once acceptable church inspired form of
Christian Religious Education. Christianity had lost its ‘monopoly’ within Religious Education (Hull
1982: 123).
Postmodern philosophers such as Lyotard heralded an age of intellectual questioning which
favored an ‘incredulity towards metanarratives’ (Malpas citing Lyotard 2003: 16). Christianity’s
universal truth claims were being set aside and challenged by those within and outside of the
teaching profession. One set of values were now seen as no better than any other set of values
(Wood 2005: 86). Subsequently Religious Education teaching syllabuses gradually reflected an
accession of Christianity being taught on equal comparison with other world faiths and religions.
Learning From and About Religion
The oft cited criterion of Religious Education’s primary role in education is to assist students
in ‘learning from religion’ and ‘learning about religion’ (Grimmitt 1987: 225-226 authors original
emphasis). This theory emerged as the hallmark of good acceptable pedagogical praxis in the
postmodern landscape that Religious Education found itself in. Grimmitt would state that learning
about religion implies that ‘pupils learn from beliefs, teachings and practices of the great religions
of the world’ and learning from religion allows students to discern ‘ultimate questions and ‘signals
of transcendence’ in their own experience and consider how they might respond to them’ (ibid).
While I understand the fundamentals of this teaching strategy I have found that the implementation
of this theory into pedagogical practice has not been greatly successful. Teece would argue that ‘it
is evident from the academic literature on the subject that controversy remains on the terms’
meaning and validity’ and ‘some secondary teachers lack clarity about a conceptual approach to
the subject’ (2009: 93, 102).
In a recent report entitled ‘Transforming Religious Education’ Ofsted News found that ‘in
many of the schools visited, Religious Education was no better than satisfactory, and in some
cases inadequate, because teachers are unsure about what they are trying to achieve in the
subject’ (June 2010). It appears that as the postmodern subject of Religious Education has moved
away from its Christian foundations it has struggled to find its academic identity. Indicative of this
statement is the fact that Religious Education exists with a non-statutory guidance from the
Department for Education and different Local Authorities and Standing Advisory Councils on
Religious Education agree on their own approved local syllabuses for the subject (DfE 2012).
Community Cohesion
In the last decade Religious Education has played an important role within the wider
academic curriculum through the purposeful acknowledgement of community cohesion and
emphasizing the importance of diversity. Gilcrest has noted that the term community cohesion has
evolved and has been adapted over the last few years. She notes in 2002 community cohesion
could be defined as: ‘a common vision and a sense of belonging’ with ‘strong and positive
relationships between people from different backgrounds’. Five years later the definition shifted to:
communities which ‘acknowledge a shared future based on mutual respect, civility, visible social
justice and an ethics of hospitality’ (2009: 78).
The Education and Inspection Act of 2006 mandated that all schools in England had a ‘duty
to promote community cohesion’ (section 38). Ofsted was enlisted to inspect and report on each
school’s progress. The Education Acts of 2002 and 2006 put into law the need for schools to
develop and educate their students in light of the ‘debate wider UK society engages with
issues around race, religion, culture, identity and values in a way that meets the needs of all of the
pupils’ (Arthur et. all 2010: 82). Together with other subjects such as Citizenship (Davies 2010: 27
and Packham 2008: 4-5) Religious Education has assisted in the development of students who are
‘reflective and responsible citizens in a plural society and global community, with a strong
awareness of religious and ethical diversity’ (Wood 2009: 8).
Grimmitt would state that ‘the capacity of Religious Education to contribute effectively to
social and community cohesion has been, and continues to be seriously undermined by being
based on legislation which clearly fails’ ‘the test of evenhandedness with regard to equality of
opportunity’ (2010: 284). Grimmitt would argue that there is a need for schools to change the
provision of Religious Education to ‘reduce the potential for conflict and competition between faiths’
and to ‘play its part in encouraging moderation and greater inter-faith co-operation within society as
a whole’ (ibid 285). I am pleased that Religious Education could play a part within wider societal
considerations such as community cohesion and inter-faith co-operation but I equally wish that the
subject could ‘provide the means to an end- spirituality’ (Ayman 2004: 110).
Adolescent Spirituality
Spirituality and Established Research
Sheldrake affirms Underhill’s assessment that ‘human beings are vision-creating beings
rather than merely tool making animals’ and goes on to say that ‘they are driven by goals that are
more than mere physical perfection or intellectual supremacy. Humans desire what might be called
spiritual fulfillment’ (2007: 1). I believe that when human beings were created (Genesis 1:27) we
were made in the image of God (McGrath 1998: 423-424) and this image encapsulated a capacity
of spirit within human beings for all time. Copley would state that ‘spirituality has become more
acceptable because it is not often used in a religious-specific way’ but he also concludes that
‘spirituality carries a complex of meanings’ (2000: 3). As spirituality has shifted off its cloak of
religious trappings it has become the subject of intense multidimensional study (Roehlkepartain et
al. 2006: 9).
I have found that there has been an increasing academic and scientific interest into the
research of child and adolescent spirituality since the 1960s, with important foundational research
performed by Robinson, Hay and Erricker (Wright 2000: 38- 46). Some researchers of the subject
of spirituality will look for an anthropological understanding (Toynbee 1957: 5-7), a
psychoanalytical interpretation (Coles 1990: 20-28), a sociological acknowledgement (Waaijman
2002: 116-120) or even a neurophysiological (or neurotheological) perspective (Newberg 2006:
183-186) to help explain spirituality and how it affects us as a race. Other researchers have
dismissed spirituality altogether and adhere to the belief that expressions of spirituality ‘are really
only about social class, race, gender, ethnicity, nationalism, solidarity, social control and so on’
(Smith 2003: 19). I disagree with this statement but I do acknowledge that there will probably be an
inevitable disregard and dismissal by some due to the subject’s experiential or phenomenological
dimensions (Erricker, C 2010: 51).
Definition of Spirituality
Nye would argue that any attempts to define spirituality too closely ‘can be sure of one
thing: misrepresenting spirituality’s complexity, depth and fluidity’ and ‘we delude ourselves to think
otherwise, either in design of research or in analytical conclusions’ (1999: 58). I conceptually agree
with Nye’s assessment but I do feel the need to provide a working definition of spirituality for this
piece of work and have chosen a definition provided by leading child and adolescent spirituality
scholars;
‘spirituality is the intrinsic human capacity for self-transcendence in which the individual
participates in the sacred- something greater than the self. It propels the search for
connectedness, meaning, purpose and ethical responsibility. It is experienced, formed, shaped and
expressed through a wide range of religious narratives, beliefs, and practices, and is shaped by
many influences in family, community, society, culture and nature’ (Yust et al. 2006: 8).
While I appreciate that defining spirituality may be found to have ‘deep ambiguities’ and
‘fundamental ontological uncertainties’ (Carr 2006: 74) on different conceptual levels for some, I do
believe that spirituality is an important aspect of our collected humanity and we must think carefully
when we intend to educate the next generation upon the grounds of spirituality.
Spiritual Education
In the Education Reform Act 1988 and additionally the Education Act 1992 the government
mandated that schools should provide for the ‘spiritual, moral, social and cultural development’
(Ofsted 2004: 6) of its pupils. Spiritual development became part of the educational agenda and
many schools utilized Religious Education or acts of Collective Worship to fulfill their pedagogical
requirements in spirituality. Ofsted would state that spiritual development ‘relates to that aspect of
inner life through which pupils acquire insights into their personal experience which are of enduring
worth. It is characterised by reflection, the attribution of meaning to experience, valuing a non-
material dimension to life and intimations of an enduring reality. ‘Spiritual’ is not synonymous with
‘religious’ [and] all areas of the curriculum may contribute to pupils’ spiritual development’ (ibid: 8).
Interestingly, Erricker (J) would also differentiate spirituality and religion when applying
pedagogical approaches by stating ‘spirituality is not necessarily religious in nature. This is not to
say that it often isn’t religious in nature, but that it doesn’t have to be’ (italics used by author 2001;
199). Equally, Benson (et al.) would state that ‘spiritual development is shaped within and outside
of religious traditions, beliefs and practices’ (2003: 205-206). I am in firm agreement that religious
matrixes are not the sole domain of spirituality but I do consider Copley’s warning that ‘spiritual
development will cut its umbilical cord to religions and religious language at great risk, for by so
doing it could be secularised out of existence’ (2000: 142).
Spiritual Development Practices
Holmes found that ‘the notion of spirituality is both important and problematic in
contemporary education’ (2009: 33). One of the reasons why it could be seen as problematic is the
basic lack of understanding by teachers and students within a culture which has largely become
‘spiritually illiterate’ (Ayman 2004: 110). Hay would argue that pupils need assistance to ‘transcend
the all-powerful influence of their everyday individualistic assumptions’ and to ‘break out of the
largely unconscious indoctrination that is their cultural legacy and which blinds them to a major
aspect of their own awareness’ (2006: 169). I believe that it is possible for teachers (and other
important parts of our society) to assist young people in discovering their own spiritual language of
reference and
develop an understanding of the wider implications of spirituality in their own lives and that of
others. I want to now offer different perspectives of spiritual development practices.
Hay would prescribe that ‘the teacher has four major responsibilities:
1. helping children to keep an open mind
2. exploring ways of seeing
3. encouraging personal awareness
4. becoming personally aware of the social and political dimensions of spirituality’ (2006: 149).
When building a ‘spiritual curriculum’ Hart would describe ‘ten sources of power and
perspective’ as:
‘Who Am I?
To Thine Own Self Be True
What Am I Here to Give?
What Am I Here to Learn?
Finding My Voice
Mastering Myself
Seeing Our Future
Where Am I Now?
Hearing the Inner Voice
Listening with Your Heart’ (2003: 171-209).
Alexander and Carr point out six ‘key agendas’ and ‘distinct but interrelated’ dimensions of spiritual
education:
1. ‘confessional or nonconfessional
2. religiously tethered or untethered
3. theologically objectivist, collectivist, or subjectivist
4. independent of or reducible to morality
5. culturally thick or thin
6. pedagogical cognitive or affective’ (2006: 75-78).
Wright would call for a ‘critical spiritual education’ which ‘requires a rich multi-dimensional
presentation of spirituality which does not hesitate to embrace controversy’ because ‘spirituality
must be treated as a controversial subject’ (2000: 103). His three main areas of consideration
would be:
‘spiritual tradition- it seeks to transcend the limitations of a spirituality of introspective
experience by engaging with forms of spirituality embodied in historical, cultural, linguistic
and social tradition
spiritual truth- it is concerned to resist the instinct to bracket out the question of the
material content of spirituality by engaging directly with the question of spiritual truth
spiritual wisdom- it sets out to challenge raw unreflective spiritual emotivism by engaging
with critical thinking’ (ibid. 104-112).
These pedagogical concepts are offered as a framework of spiritual education and
development. I believe that it is crucial for children and young people to ‘live flourishing and
virtuous lives, sensitive to their ultimate values and responsive to the ultimate values of those
around them’ (Wright 2000: 125) and spiritual education can be used as a positive conduit for all of
these pedagogical and societal aspirations.
Chapter 3: Methodology
Overall Research Approach: Mixed Methods
For my research methodology I have decided to use a mixed method approach conjointly
utilizing both a case study and a survey approach. When describing a mixed method approach
Thomas comments that ‘different elements of your research, relating to different questions, will
almost certainly need different methodological responses’ (2009: 140). Bell found that mixed
methods allowed for the prescribed research to ‘put flesh on the bones of a survey’ (2005: 10) and
because so much of my research was centered upon the survey results, I felt the necessity to
provide a strong case study which acted as a complimentary counterpoint to the research.
The case study element of my research methodology, the focus groups and the personal
interviews, offered a ‘versatile, qualitative approach to research which enables the researcher to
understand a complex issue’ (Demetriou 2009: 203). The questionnaires that I employed with all of
the schools represented a more quantitative survey method of research which was used to ‘obtain
answers to the same questions from a large number of individuals to enable the researcher not
only to describe but also to compare’ (Bell 2005: 14).
Scott and Morrison would state that there are potential challenges when mixing research
methods such as one method’s results having greater importance to the diminishment of the other,
a possible contradiction of epistemological positions and they question whether the research work
is performed more in tandem than combined (2006: 158). I acknowledge these points but I found
the combined method best suited my research needs and style and equally provided for a more
synergistic result.
Design of the Data Gathering Methods
I designed the research with three main components; a questionnaire given to the six
different schools, small sized focus groups consisting of 6 to 8 students and I performed individual
student interviews. Each of the research data gathering tools were chosen for their possible
utilization with a triangulation affect. Triangulation is the ‘validation of findings by comparing data
collected by a variety of methods or from a variety of sources, researchers or theoretical
perspectives’ (Maniam et al 2007: 230). Besides triangulation I also chose each of these research
tools because of their participatory and power connotations.
The anonymous questionnaire was useful to gain the opinions and views of the students
who would not want to participate in an interview or with the focus groups (Hill 2006: 69-70). Sue
Heath (et al. 2009: 89-90) cites the findings of Eder and Fingerson that claim focus groups ‘reduce
the power and influence of the interviewer and create a less threatening environment’. The semi-
structured interviews were very important because they allowed for a rich qualitative opportunity for
‘each individual child’s opinions and experiences’ to be expressed ‘especially [when] the topic
could be sensitive’ (Gallagher 2009: 75).
Validity and Reliability
It could be argued that personal faith transmission and/or spirituality could be difficult to
qualify and quantify due to the very personal nature of the research subject and the elusive and
sometimes problematic qualities of defining what is meant by faith or spirituality (Wright 2000:7). I
believe that this area of research reflects my own paradigm of ‘phenomenology as a form of
interpretivism, where the emphasis is placed on the way human beings bring meaning to their lives’
(Morrison 2007: 20 author’s original emphasis). Even if the meaning of my research subject is
difficult to define I believe that there was an argument for validity to my research.
Bell cites Sapsford and Jupp’s definition of validity to mean ‘the design of research to
provide credible conclusions; whether the evidence the research offers can bear the weight of
interpretation that is put on it’ (2005 117-118). Some research writers (Evens 2009: 118, Gallagher
2009: 83 and Thomas 2009: 106-108) would argue that validity within qualitative research data is
‘generally viewed as inappropriate’ (Evens ibid) due to the ‘highly subjective’ (Gallagher ibid)
nature of qualitative research.
I believe there is a manner in which I can validate my research by applying Spencer’s (et
al.) four guiding principals of qualitative data analysis. ‘Contributory’- the data assists and
participates with ‘wider knowledge or understanding’ of the research subject. ‘Defensible’- the
research is designed in a manner that ‘addresses the questions posed’. ‘Rigorous’- the
methodology of the research data collection is ‘systematic and transparent’. ‘Credible’- the
research provides ‘well-founded and plausible arguments’ of the collected data (Gallagher citing
Spencer et al. 2009: 84). By applying these four principals to my research work I believe that I am
able to argue for the validity of the work.
When writing about reliability in research, Scott and Morrison conclude that ‘a measure is
reliable if it provides the same results on two or more occasions…if a measure, or indeed a series
of measures when repeated give a similar result, it is possible to say that it has high reliability’
(2006: 208). Similar to validity some researchers (Bush 2007: 91) are reluctant to argue for the
reliability of phenomenological or qualitative research. I have found that the concept of ‘test-retest
reliability’ (Thomas 2009: 105) to be one way to test the reliability of my pilot study. I do believe
that if I re-applied my measuring instruments to the same group of students a week after
performing the first round of the research, I believe I would obtain almost identical results. I also
acknowledge that I could perform an ‘inter-rater reliability’ (Thomas ibid) measure and replace
myself with a different researcher and interviewer and again I believe I would have similar results
which would affirm the research’s reliability.
The concepts of validity and reliability cause me to reflect upon my Christian witness to the
world. Are my actions validated by what I say? Can my claims of God’s love and my Christian
concern for others be tested with a sense of reliability? In John 13:35 there is a sense that the
world will be testing my qualifications and claims of being a Christian. I need to be able to stand up
to such scrutiny and prove that Jesus is valid and reliable to a world that may be testing the
evidence of God’s existence through me.
Description of Data Gathering Method
While I was formulating my questions for the questionnaire I discovered that I had to
refocus my over-arching research theme for as Punch (2005: 36) comments ‘what perhaps
seemed so simple and straightforward becomes complicated, many-sided and full of possibilities’. I
found that my first draft of questions had too many conceptual variables and I was inadvertently
using
Christian faith concepts that were not easily understood by the students. Bell would warn against
common mistakes when formulating questions for questionnaires (2007: 227) and with these
factors in mind I rewrote my questionnaire three more times. I chose to use a Likert scale for most
of my questions which utilized equal ‘attitudinal values’ (Kumar 2011: 170) on a five-point scale
and asked the students ‘to indicate strength of agreement or disagreement with [the] given
statement’ (Bell 2007: 219). In each of the schools the questionnaire was administered by a
teacher and was collected by a teacher.
The next stage of the data gathering process was to engage with the different gatekeepers
and gain their approval of my research and to ensure the anonymity, confidentiality and safe-
guarding aspects for the students. Masson comments that ‘gatekeepers have a positive function in
ensuring that children are protected from potential harm…and to act as a barrier to poorly thought
out or potentially damaging research’ (2007: 46). Initially I had an easy time gaining access to
three schools as I was personally known to the gatekeepers or I came with a reference from
someone the gatekeepers could trust. I later found great difficulty in gaining access and speaking
to other gatekeepers and I spent a long period of time with many rejections before I was able to
gain access into another three schools.
After collecting and securing all of the questionnaires I then set up three focus groups in the
schools. I asked for the gatekeepers to select a variety of Year 11 students who would like to
voluntarily participate in the focus groups. I kept the groups to six students and had to obtain
another two stage consent form for the focus groups and the interviews. The focus groups were
audio-recorded and I used the original questionnaire as the format for the group discussion. Wilson
states that focus groups are ‘useful for revealing beliefs, attitudes, experiences and feelings of the
participants’ but additionally warns, ‘some participants may dominate the group’ (2009: 92). I had
to be careful that each member of the group had an opportunity to voice their opinions and beliefs
about Religious Education and spirituality.
Lastly, I obtained the last stage of my data gathering method triangulation by performing
twelve thirty minute semi-structured interviews with students from my faith school placement and a
state school. I used the main questions from the questionnaire but I also found that I added other
questions to help process new areas of investigation that arose during the interview (Schmidt
2004: 25).
Reflection
I enjoyed performing the research but I also discovered that I have a lot to learn with
research methodologies. I greatly appreciate Newby’s statement that research can be a ‘messy
business’ and ‘there is plenty that can go wrong!’ (2010: 14). Even after re-writing the
questionnaire I am unconvinced that my questionnaire is the best that it could be. I felt that I had to
design a questionnaire that would be short enough to allow for time constraints within a busy
school schedule but also allow for honest reflective answers that assisted in the data collection. If I
were to expand upon the research I believe I would like to have a more in-depth questionnaire that
had triple the amount of questions which would allow for a more precise answers from the
students. I would also like to ‘stay in control of the data collection process rather than leave it to
others’ (Punch 2005:100) and use a wider method of student ‘randomized sampling’ (Tisdall et al.
2009: 228).
The focus groups and individual student interviews have proved to be dynamic and
informative. By using the questionnaire as a starting point for the discussions I found almost all of
the students willing to openly engage with the research. I conclude with other researchers of
adolescent spirituality (Souza et. al. 2009: 331-335) that similarities in topical patterns can be
found even when working with different adolescent groups. Some of the students were hesitant to
begin with but were soon offering opinions and experiences. It could be argued that by asking the
schools to provide the students for the interviews and focus groups they could be inadvertently
influencing the results but I do believe I had a broad enough variable for the data to be reliable and
validated.
Chapter 4: Analyzing the Research Data
Hennink would state that analysis of qualitative data is equally a science and an art form.
The science aspect ‘refers to developing evidence-based interpretations by applying appropriate
[analysis] techniques’ and the art form aspect ‘involves making sense of people’s experiences…
which requires uncovering personal, social and cultural meanings’ (2011: 205). I
find this metaphor of science and art form very applicable as I started to compile and sort through
the research data.
The analytic method I used to interpret the research data is best described as the constant
comparison method. Thomas explains that ‘the constant comparative method is going through the
data again and again…comparing each element-phrase, sentence or paragraph- with all of the
other elements’ and ‘from the constant comparison you emerge with themes that capture or
summarize the contents of your data’ (2009: 198). With this method I was able to apply the
quantitative or scientific approach and was able to categorize the basic components of the
research and statistically extrapolate the findings but I was also able to apply the art form of
listening and interpreting the qualitative data and ‘look for similarities, groupings [and] clusters…of
items of particular significance’ (Bell 2005: 227).
I used the Microsoft Excel program to assist in calculating the raw data and I built a
thematic categorical listing of the more qualitative data. The thematic categorical listing approach
of the qualitative data was employed to argue against my findings being perceived as discretionary
‘soft data’ (Denscombe 2007: 45-46). From compiling and comparing the collected data I was able
to discover my concluding findings and started to answer my research question.
Survey Findings
Smith and Denton found that surveys do have ‘limits to the insights they can render about
the social world and personal experiences, perhaps especially about the lives of adolescents and
perhaps especially about faith and spiritual experiences’ (2005: 67). I appreciate and acknowledge
these limitations but I believe the findings from the surveys have fairly represented the students’
personal views and opinions concerning the role and impact that Religious Education has had
upon their lives. Out of the combined [300] Year 11 students that filled in the questionnaire I found
that;
63% of the students responded that Religious Education did not assist them with believing
in God (34% disagreed and 29% strongly disagreed) while 16% were unsure and only 21%
responded in agreement (14% agreed and 7% strongly agreed).
59% of the students responded that Religious Education did not assist them in discovering
a spiritual side to their life (38% disagreed and 21% strongly disagreed) while 26% were
unsure and 15% responded in agreement (13% agreed and 2% strongly agreed).
35% of the students responded that they were unsure if Religious Education did help them
to become a better person while 33% were in disagreement (22% disagreed and 11%
strongly disagreed) and 32% responded in agreement (26% agreed and 6% strongly
agreed).
72% of the students responded that Religious Education had assisted them in gaining a
better understanding, respect or appreciation for people of other faiths (16% strongly
agreed and 56% agreed) while 15% were unsure and 13% responded in disagreement
(9% disagreed and 4% strongly disagreed).
Other Survey Findings
There were a total of 362 responses to the anonymous questionnaire and 190 were male,
168 were female and 4 students did not specify.
The students were aged ranging from 14 to 16 years old and were in Year 10 (64 students)
or Year 11 (298 students). The break down of public, faith and state school are as follows:
42 students were from a public school
80 students were from a faith school
240 students were from state schools
When asked how often the students attended a place of worship over half of the young
people replied that they never attend a place of worship. The survey results for this question are as
follows:
84 every week
23 about once a month
71 only during holidays or festivals
187 never
Of note was Moat Community College (see appendices 5b) which had a very high Muslim
student population. Out of the 62 students who answered the questionnaire from this
particular school, 58 students answered that they belonged to the Islamic faith and 48 of
these students attending a place of worship at least once a week. In addition many of these
students also wrote that they attended their place of worship on a daily basis.
When asked if the students were a part of a particular type of religion 214 associated
themselves with a form of religion while 148 denied belonging. Out of the students who answered
that they were part of a religious group there were:
85 Muslims
52 Catholics
34 Christians
12 Anglican
20 Hindu
3 Buddhists
4 Sikhs
2 Jehovah’s Witness
1 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
1 Jedi
It should be noted that the faith school De Lisle Catholic Science College (see appendices
5a) would account for the high amount of Catholic students (47 out of the 80 surveyed
students).
When asked if the students would have chosen Religious Education as a subject to study in
school, the students replied as follows:
145 replied that they would choose to study Religious Education
199 replied that they would not chose to study Religious Education
18 were unsure if they would wish to study Religious Education
Of note were the results from the public school Loughborough Grammar School (see
appendices 5d) which all 44 students had chosen to study Religion and Philosophy and the
48 out of 62 students from Moat Community College with its high Muslim student population
who also affirmed that they would have chosen to study Religious Education.
Survey Reflection: Religious Education
I believe that the evidence from the survey would indicate that by Year 10 or 11 in the three
different types of school settings, Religious Education had not inspired or assisted the students to
develop a personal belief in God. Three times as many students replied that Religious Education
had not assisted them in believing in God compared to those who affirmed the question. I
acknowledge that inspiring, assisting or nurturing a belief in God is not actively within the remit of
current Religious Education pedagogical praxis but I have been surprised that the research has
produced such a high result (63% disagreement). Religious Education has been used to teach
many different socio, political and personal aspects of life, ranging from moral development,
citizenship, community cohesion, spirituality, ethical considerations, philosophy and religious
aspects of world history but it seems the one thing it is not effectively teaching or producing in
young people is a belief in God.
Fowler (1995: 117) and Westerhoff (2000: 57) both theorized that faith could be defined
with a developmental stage model similar to Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development model
(1995: 222) or Kohlberg’s theory of moral development (Zastrow et al. 2007: 266-268). Westerhoff
would argue that ‘faith can only be nurtured within the self-conscious intentional community of faith’
(ibid. 52). I believe the key word from this quote is intentional and I further believe that Religious
Education has long stopped being intentional about encouraging faith development and it should
be of little surprise that faith is sparsely transmitted within our modern educational communities.
Survey Reflection: Spiritual Literacy
The evidence from the research would show that for the majority of students (59%) they did
not believe that Religious Education had assisted them in discovering a spiritual side to their lives.
Conversely it was only a very small amount (15%) of students who believed that Religious
Education had assisted them in their spiritual development. It would appear that Religious
Education is equally failing young people in gaining a spiritual understanding of their lives as it is
with assisting a personal belief in God. Smith and Denton would argue that while some scholars
(Clark, Hunter, Wolfe et al.) believe a growing percentage of young people are spiritual or religious
‘seekers’ (2005: 5, 312) their own research would indicate that only 8 percent of teenagers would
say that they were ‘spiritual but not religious’ (ibid. 77). Few of the young people whom I
interviewed would consider themselves to be spiritual but like other researchers I did find small
amounts of spiritual practices such as prayer was being used as private coping mechanisms (Nash
2011: 18).
I find it concerning that while the government has had a long interest in mandating some
form of spiritual development within school settings few of the young people whom I interviewed or
who replied to the questionnaire thought that schools, and specifically Religious Education, were
helping them to discover a spiritual aspect of their lives. The cause of this apparent failure of
spiritual development in schools is beyond the scope of this research setting. I have found that
other researchers would argue that young people are open to expanded forms of spirituality (Snell
et al. 2009: 296) and I believe that concepts such as Orison’s Prayer Spaces in Schools initiative
could help raise spiritual literacy and understanding in students.
Orison is an interactive travelling school prayer experience which encourages students ‘of
all ages to engage with prayer using creative, hands on activities’ (2011). I have participated with
some of Orison’s spiritual teaching aids during a training seminar and was very impressed with the
depth of spirituality that was achievable through the meditative and hands-on experience. I was
also inspired that any student regardless of faith or lack thereof could equally participate with the
experience due to the interesting setting and the welcoming emphasis of hospitality.
I strongly believe that there are many advantages to be gained by including and increasing
spiritual development in education. An example that Kirkby found is a correlation between
spirituality and student behaviour and academic attainment found within an Ofsted school league
table. Kirkby states ‘of the top ten performing schools eight out of the ten were judged to have a
spiritual provision in the range of good to excellent, whilst in the bottom performing schools the
ratio was seven out of ten in the range of either satisfactory, unsatisfactory or in many cases
underdeveloped’ (2010:10). I believe that spiritual development needs to remain a priority in
education but more needs to be done to raise adolescent spiritual awareness and the increased
benefits of spiritually literate young people.
Survey Reflection: Becoming a Better Person
A problem or difficulty that could have affected the survey is the consideration of ‘prestige
bias’ and not wishing to ‘look bad’ or go against ‘expected behaviour’ (Dawson 2002: 89). The
argument of prestige biasing could have multiple affects within the research. I would argue that for
some students they might not want to go against the adolescent cultural norm of religious
indifference (Gollnick 2005: 99) and subscribe to a belief that Religious Education has or could
assist them in their personal development. I also critically reflect that question 8 from the survey,
which asked if the students believed that Religious Education helped them to become a better
person, could probably have a biased result because of the implications applied when answering a
question about being or becoming a better person (Neuman 2006: 278).
The results for this question were considerably balanced with 35% remaining unsure if
Religious Education assisted them in becoming a better person while 33% disagreed and 32%
agreed. I believe that Religious Education has the potential to stimulate ethical, moral and spiritual
development which many researchers and scholars are now attributing to adolescent well-being
(Boyatzis 2009: 60-61) and thriving. King and Benson would describe well being as ‘an indicator of
general mental health, happiness and life satisfaction’ and thriving as a young person who ‘not only
grows and flourishes as an individual but also contributes to family, community and/or society’
(2006: 385).
Researchers have also found that young people who have an active faith life are ‘significantly less
likely to feel sad and depressed, alone and misunderstood’ (Smith and Denton 2005: 225-226).
Spiritual acknowledgement and understanding through Religious Education could offer young
people ‘a positive contribution to promoting human flourishing’ (Cooling 2010:66). I strongly believe
that spirituality could be considered the critical life sustaining and edifying component that is
missing from the lives of young people today.
Survey Reflection: Community Cohesion
There was an overwhelming majority of the students (72%) who believed that Religious
Education had assisted them with a better understanding, respect or appreciation for people of
other faiths. This affirmative was carried over into the focus groups and personal interviews but this
was the one category of the survey which showed a significant response from the students.
Educationalist Paulo Freire would encourage the educator and the learner in recognizing cultural
differences by paying attention to ‘unity in diversity’ (1992: 151) and to a high degree I believe
Religious Education has succeeded in doing this. Grimmitt would argue that a school should not
‘ignore its role in fostering community cohesion and in educating for diversity’ (2010: 280).
I believe a strength that Religious Education has is the subject’s ability to draw interesting
links for students to other socio-cultural and religious groups. It can also be used to raise
awareness of a school’s particular ethos (Dyson and Gallannaugh 2008: 18), the anti-racism
interventions a school’s proposes and to ‘create a vision and a sense of belonging’ which ‘values
diversity’ (Cantle 2008: 27). I believe this aspect of Religious Education has been so easily
identifiable for the students because they have been raised within a largely pluralistic-minded
society which celebrates tolerance and diversity. ‘Social capital’ (Packham 2008: 32) and
community cohesion have been hallmarks of good education practice (Liam Gearon 2010: 79) for
most of these students lives but that position could soon change.
Longhurst (et. all.) would argue that ‘any period of political change will inevitably also be a time of
cultural change’ (2008: 150). Due to the recent change in government, I believe we will inevitably
see a change within the culture of community cohesion in education. Under the new Coalition
Government, community cohesion will no longer be inspected by Ofsted. Shepard reports that
Graham Stuart who is a Conservative MP who also chairs the Commons education committee
stated “the best contribution to community cohesion a school can make is providing a good
education for all of its children”. Shepard also reports former educational secretary David Blunkett
responded: “withdrawing an emphasis on community cohesion sends entirely the wrong signal, not
only in education, but more broadly to society as a whole” (2010).
Focus Group and Interview Findings
In the focus groups and the semi-structured interviews that I performed with the students I
again found overwhelming evidence that Religious Education has not promoted faith transmission
or spiritual development in young people. I would like to offer brief excerpts from the interviews and
focus groups and use the student’s own views and opinions on subjects relating around Religious
Education and their lives. I have thematically collected the quotes and will adhere to the anonymity
that I established with the students.
Some young people found that Religious Education assisted them in not believing in a
personal faith life because of what they perceived as contradiction between different religious
claims.
“RE has made me more aware of the ignorant claims made by religious groups. It has
helped me not to believe in any of them”.
“How can one religion have all the answers? They are all so similar it’s hard to tell which
one can be right”.
“If anything it has only made me more atheistic. It made it more clear that I do not agree
with religions”.
Many young people spoke about science and how scientific evidence and the many
scientific theories had disproved many religious faith claims.
“What about the Big Bang? How can religion argue with that? Science has made me
believe in science not God”.
“RE doesn’t make sense when compared to evolution”.
“People and scientific ideas are what I trust. Not in an imaginary friend”.
There seemed to be a strong belief that Religious Education could assist the students with
cultural and religious understanding.
“I think you should learn about other people’s religions so you can appreciate them. It helps
you gain better knowledge about them and form your own opinion”.
“Maybe it helped me understand other people better”.
“It helps you gain more respect of others and their faiths and not the interpretation that the
media provides us with”.
“RE has helped me understand how other people live and understanding why other people live
their lives is essential in making decisions in your own life”.
Personal faith seemed to be strong indicators whether or not a student chose, enjoyed or spiritually
engaged with Religious Education on a whole.
“I don’t like it because I don’t have a faith”.
“I don’t believe in it at all. Religion should be regarded as superstition
and nothing more. Worshiping imaginary figure heads is all it is”.
“I never go to church and I don’t see how people can believe in
something so supernatural”.
Many students expressed their displeasure with Religious Education because the subject
was mandatory in some schools and Christianity is the main focus.
“I hate the fact that schools force religion on you. It’s quite bad how they influence primary
schoolers and force and almost brainwash young influential children”.
“It is always about Christians and it’s forced on me”.
Some students stated that Religious Education should not be studied in school due to
religion’s potential for societal decisiveness.
“I would never have chosen to take Religious Studies because religion is the cause of all
wars”.
There were many students who exhibited the postmodern belief that all religious viewpoints
were equal and people should be able to have different beliefs.
“I’m not religious at all, but people should be able to believe in what they want”.
Interestingly there were quite a few students who disagreed with Religious Education being
taught at school because they could not see how the subject would have relevance later in life or in
connection with obtaining future employment.
“I’ve learnt nothing, absolutely nothing that I can apply or ever use. I think RE should be
dropped as a subject. How is it going to help me in future life? Not at all”.
“There is no logic or reason behind religion and each hour I spend in a compulsory RE
lesson I could have been learning something more useful that would allow me to get a higher
chance of getting a high paid job that would also benefit society instead of being wasted”.
Some students showed a dislike towards Religious Education because they viewed it as a
subject that would be competing with other more important school subjects and affect the amount
of revision they could apply to the other subjects.
“I don’t think it’s as important as other subjects and my RE exams interfere with my study
time for other more important subjects like Maths, Science and English”.
“There are many more useful things to do in education”.
“It gets in the way of real subjects”.
The reverse of the above point of view was the minority of students who stated that they
thought Religious Education was a good option for an GCSE qualification.
“I think RE is interesting and the exam is easy to pass, if you paid attention”.
“Religious Education at GCSE is easy and shows that you are a well rounded person”.
“I honestly see it as a lighter subject compared to other subjects at GCSE level”.
There were many generally disapproving comments made about Religious Education.
Once one student would express a negative viewpoint in a focus group it seemed to be an open
opportunity for others to express their own negative opinions about Religious Education.
“I think RE and the whole thing is stupid”.
“It’s boring”.
“It’s just so repetitive and a complete waste of time”.
“And I have no interest in these conflicting fairy tales”.
“Never in a million years would I choose RE. It does not benefit me. If anything it’s tedious
and non-productive”.
“If I wanted to learn about it I would do my own private research, rather than learn it from a
teacher who is probably telling it wrong”.
A minority of the students had positive statements about Religious Education and the affect
the subject had on their own personal development.
30
“Religious Education has helped me gain an unbiased view on things, to consider the wider
consequences of my actions and to better understand other people”.
“It has helped me form my own opinions”.
“Religion and Philosophy assist me in thinking deeper thoughts outside of the classroom”.
I did find areas where I was more optimistic in regards to faith transmission.
“Religious Education has allowed me to consider if I am only believing in God because my
parents do”.
“Through studying Buddhism it has taught me to sit and reflect on my problems and stress
and clear my mind”.
“RE has helped me to hammer in some beliefs I already had but were slightly unsure
about”.
Overall the focus groups and the semi-structured interviews reinforced the evidence that
was obtained from the questionnaires. I was pleased and honored to spend time with the students
and gain their personal insights. My research evidence would conclude with a recent Ofsted report
which highlighted discrepancies or concerns within current Religious Education praxis such as ‘few
pupils were able to describe their progress in RE and, in comparison with other subjects, had less
understanding of what they had achieved or what they needed to do to improve’ (Ofsted 2010).
Chapter 5: Implications of the Research
I believe that my research evidence is a strong indicator that current practices of Religious
Education is not effectively instilling, developing or promoting spiritual development or a personal
belief in God for its students. If this is the case than I further believe that Christianity and Christian
schools work has an opportunity to speak into this educational environment. In this section of the
dissertation I would like to propose a Christian response and a course of action to the implications
of my research.
Christian School Work
Smith and Denton believe that ‘adolescents compose a population that many religious
organizations, both congregations and parachurch ministries, target to exert influence over their
lives’ (2005: 4). This targeted influence can lead some Christians to question the fundamentals of
working within an education system that ‘is largely funded by the state’ and wonder ‘should
religious beliefs have any place in the educational institutions of a religiously diverse democracy?’
(Cooling 2010: 12). If the answer to this question is yes, then I believe as Christians we must
explore creative and transparent initiatives which can connect our mission with adolescent
education in a way that is purposeful and mutually respectful.
I believe the basic motivation for some Christian school’s work could be a challenge to
appropriate practice. I am afraid that some of our current Christian endeavours into the educational
system may have less to do with the socio-edifying effects of Christianity, the life transforming
affects of knowing Jesus as Saviour or even the moral development of young people, but is more
of a reaction to the decline of British church membership and attendance over the last 60 years.
Warner comments that in the traditional denominations in England the aggregated decline in
church attendees from 1979 to 2005 was 51.59 per cent (2011: 122). With the loss of attendance
the church has now found itself in a position of less societal and educational influence as well.
Copley would elude that for a large part of the last 60 year time period of church decline the
churches have seemed to react to this loss of church attendees by ‘busily rearranging deckchairs
on the Titanic’ (2005: 64).
Jackson found that for some church attendees the refusal to take the problem of the decline
in church attendance seriously has led to despair with a fatalistic attitude (2004: 21). Bruce would
echo this fatalistic attitude by stating ‘three decades from now, Christianity in Britain will have
largely disappeared [with] total Christian church membership below 5 per cent’ (2003: 61). There
can be no doubt that church attendance is on the decline in Britain.
I believe a possible answer to church decline lies with attracting young people to the church
for as Jackson points out ‘shrinking churches are losing children faster than adults, while growing
churches are gaining children faster than adults (2005: 45). It has also been documented that it is
during ‘adolescence and young adulthood’ when ‘religious conversion is likely to take place’ (Smith
and Denton 2005: 4). I am in favour that churches should reach out into our school communities to
assist, nurture and provide a model of life that is incarnationally and radically different, but I believe
that the work must be performed in a manner that respects the place of education and is not done
solely to seek out new converts. Root would warn that some Christian youth ministry ‘risks making
relationships only about personal influence’ and they become ‘so busy making assertions about
heaven that [they] refused to see and accompany [the young people] in the darkness of their
personal hells’ (2007: 79).
Missio Dei and Schools
Ward aptly states ‘the mission is God’s, not ours’ (1997: 26). I believe that there is a great
opportunity for churches to link with their local schools and find themselves collectively and
cooperatively within God’s mission. Martyn Atkins states ‘the church derives its being from the
missionary God and is created and shaped to share in the missio Dei’ (2008: 19). Newbigin would
conclude ‘every proposed expression of the church’s missionary outreach must be tested by
asking whether it can be accepted by the whole ecumenical family as an authentic expression of
the gospel’ (1995: 7).
McLaren has suggested that our modern English culture ‘has already seen its [religious]
bubble burst’ and has gone through a ‘postmodern/post colonial, or perhaps [a] post-Christendom
transition’ (2009: 16-17). If this description of modern England is true then I believe our modern
cultural landscape should be seen as a mission field for the good news of Jesus. If England can be
seen as a mission field, then like good missionaries we should ‘explore the land’ (Numbers 13: 1-
25) and engage with the centres of the communities that we wish to work with (Acts 17: 22-31).
Shepherd points out that ‘schools are increasingly becoming the hub around which community life
is built’ (2008: 14). With before school activities, after school programs and extended school
services I believe that our school communities encompass rich opportunities for missionary
activities if we wish to pursue them.
Shepherd would argue that ‘schools’ ministry as mission involves a wide variety of activities
but, given our understanding of God and his mission, all our mission activity ought to have an
evangelistic edge’ (2008: 8). I believe prior to engaging in any schools’ mission work we need to
contemplate this ‘evangelistic edge’ which could potentially become a barrier to working within an
educational environment. Vital questions need to be asked by Christians while engaging in the
sometimes acrimonious domain of public education like; to what degree does our evangelism
shape our work, what public perception do we wish to portray and what are the school’s guidelines
and boundaries concerning proselytizing? To answer some of these questions I believe we should
examine what is meant by evangelism and how these ideas can fit within an educational context.
Educational Evangelism
Dickson would make a distinction from the evangelistic activities of ‘proclaiming the gospel’
and ‘promoting the gospel’. He lists personal prayer, godly behaviour, answering for your faith and
the simple activities of sharing life with others as ways of promoting the gospel, which he found to
be more effective after years of being an evangelist who proclaimed the gospel (2010: 7-8).
Christian evangelistic proclamation in education can induce a ‘fear of proselytism’ (Worsley 2010:
20). I believe that we should be sensitive of the fears of proselytism in education while at the same
time allowing our schools’ work to have a transformational evangelistic edge.
Hidden evangelistic agendas will not serve to build positive relationships with schools.
Christian schools’ workers must remember that they are usually welcomed into education facilities
as a guest, and they must take the responsibility of being a Christian representative very seriously
(Billings 2009: 50). Two factors I believe will assist Christian school workers to attain a helpful
professional status within a school is to think of their work as Christian service, and do all that they
can do to assist and serve the school, the faculty and the students, and to address their
evangelistic conduct in a manner that they would want a member of another faith to behave if they
were working in the same school (Matthew 7: 12).
I balance these statements of within the tension of my Christian belief that Jesus
commands us to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28: 19). Sudworth suggests that
our Christian faith can be distinctly welcoming and we can translate our core Christian beliefs
through our everyday behaviours (2007: 48-49). I believe that it is important to culturally
contextualize and remember that schools are primarily purposed for education while churches are
built to convert, transform and make disciples.
Chapter 6: Conclusions
Reflective Reflexivity
I now understand that I initially started the research from a position of a false assumption. I
believed that there would be much stronger evidence that Religious Education could promote faith
transmission and/or spiritual development in a larger percentage than I found to be true. My
assumption is evidently based on my reflexivity. My motives for this research subject and possibly
my data interpretation (Evens 2002: 148) could be connected to my once held desire to teach
Religious Education. Ethically I wonder if my desire to perform my research was in some form an
attempt to ‘increase the market share of the church’ (Cooling 2010: 14) and gain a forum to speak
about Christian beliefs with young people. I understand this fact would move me away from a being
a neutral researcher and could call into question the reliability and validity of the research itself. At
the end of the research process I do believe that I remained a neutral researcher even if the results
were somewhat surprising and promoted a reflective response to the evidence provided.
Evidence
When the 362 students were questioned if Religious Education had assisted them in
believing in God:
63% responded that Religious Education did not assist them
21% responded in agreement
16% were unsure
When asked if they believed that Religious Education assisted them in developing a spiritual side
to their lives:
59% responded that Religious Education did not assist them
15% responded in agreement
26% were unsure
When considering if Religious Education had helped them to become a better person:
35% of the students responded that they were unsure
33% were in disagreement
32% responded in agreement
When asked if Religious Education had assisted them in gaining a better understanding,
respect or appreciation for people of other faiths:
72% responded that Religious Education had assisted them
15% were unsure
13% responded in disagreement
The evidence from the questionnaires was collaborated by the qualitative results from the
focus groups and the semi-structured interviews that I performed. It had become very clear that
very few students actually believed that Religious Education had assisted them in a belief in God
or assisted them to discover a spiritual side to the lives. The students appeared to be divided and
unsure whether or not Religious Education could help them to become a better person. While the
largest margin of agreement was the belief that Religious Education had assisted the students in
gaining a better understanding, respect and appreciation for people of other faiths.
I argued that it seemed the mandated education requirement for spiritual development was
not being reflected by the student’s responses regarding their spiritual development. Though I
believe that spirituality continues to be a strong indicator for personal well-being and thriving
amongst young people I found little evidence that Religious Education was effectively being used
for this purpose. I also acknowledged that while Religious Education was not evidently producing a
personal faith in God, this result was no longer truly a part of pedagogical practices. It is my belief
that Christian schools work could find a place in education that could respectfully assist Religious
Education to mitigate its spiritual shortcomings.
Expanding the Work
To expand the work I would try to survey and interview students from different parts of the
country which would have different Local Authorities and varying Religious Education syllabuses
and teaching practices. I would try to include more faith schools into the research that placed a
greater emphasis upon developing their student’s faith life. It would be interesting to apply the
research with students of parents who frequently attended a place of religious worship and see if
there is any variation. Lastly, I would also like to consider performing the research with younger
students for as Paiget theorized ‘children stop simply believing what adults have told them when
they are over the age of 12’ (Roberts 2009: 75).
Abdicated Responsibilities
Erricker (J) would state that ‘we have allowed schools to take responsibility for rectifying the
deficiencies of parents since the original notion of compulsory education and spiritual education
should not be excluded from this’ (2001: 200). As well as a connection between parents and
schools, I believe there could be an argument that Christian churches have abdicated there
authority and responsibility of Religious Education to the state school system and the resultant
evidence clearly shows that the current educational practices are no longer producing outcomes
adhering to the desired affect of Christian faith transmission or spiritual development.
I further believe that Christians should stop hoping that the current state of Religious
Education does little more than offer a Christian ‘chain of memory’ (Collins-Mayo et al. citing
Hervieu-Leger 2010: 10) for the young people of today. If we as Christians want our faith to be
more than a memory we must honestly appraise the situation and find the courage and heart to
offer a gospel understanding of God’s redemptive love to a generation that have grown up in a
world that ‘is more often than not destructive to their spirituality’ (Hay 2006: 33). It is at our
collective peril (Blakeney et al. 2006: 375-376) that we ignore or dismiss the spiritual component of
life and continue to perpetuate the negative consequential ramifications for children and young
people today. ‘Someday, maybe, there will exist a well informed, well considered and yet fervent
conviction that the most deadly of all sins is the mutilation of a child’s spirit’ (Nye citing Erikson
2009:20).
Word Count: 11,000
All Biblical quotations were taken from the New International Version of the Bible.
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Appendices
Index Page
Appendix 1: Religious Education Questionnaire 49
Appendix 2: Information and Consent Forms 50
Appendix 3: Questionnaire Totals 52
Appendix 4: Schools Contrast 56
Appendix 5: Individual School Totals 63
Appendix 6: Ethical Approval 69
Appendix 1: Questionnaire
Religious Education Questionnaire
1) Are you: Male or Female (please circle)
2) What year group are you in: ______ 3) How old are you: ______
4) How often do you go to a place of worship? (church, mosque, temple etc.)
(A) every week (B) about once a month (C) only during holidays or festivals (D) never
5) Are you part of a particular type of religion? Yes or No (please circle)
6) If you answered Yes to question 5 what type of religion or faith group do you belong to?___________________
_______________________________________________________
Note: For questions 7 to 10 please circle Strongly Agree, Agree, Unsure, Disagree or Strongly Disagree.
7) By studying Religious Education have you gained a better understanding, respect or appreciation for people of other faiths?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
8) Has Religious Education helped you to become a better person?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
9) Has Religious Education assisted you in discovering a Spiritual side to your life?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
10) Has Religious Education assisted you in believing in God?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
11) Would you have chosen to study Religious Education in school?
Why or Why Not: ________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Appendix 2: Information and Consent Forms
Religious Education and Personal FaithInformation Form
My name is Tyler Fixman. I am a 3rd Year degree student and I would like to ask you to participate in a research project for me. I am performing a study on the connection between the school subject Religious Education and religious personal belief. I am researching if Religious Education may inspire some people to think about or develop their own personal belief in religion, faith or spirituality. I am asking selected teachers to hand out the questionnaire during a class and the student will be asked to return the questionnaire in their next lesson.
A few facts about the questionnaire:
It is only one side of an A4 sheet of paper You will not be asked to put your name on the questionnaire I will keep all of the completed questionnaires in a secure location Even if you agree to fill in the questionnaire, you do not have to finish the
questionnaire and can decide not to hand it in
I will also be looking for students to participate in focus groups and individual interviews. The focus group will be limited to six students per group and you will have the chance to answer the questions in more detail. The focus group and the individual interviews will take place at the school during school hours. I will audio-record both the focus group and the individual interviews and all of the students will have the right not to answer any question they do not wish to and they may quit the interview or leave the focus group at any time they wish.
If you choose to fill in the questionnaire or join a focus group or wish to be interviewed I will not use your name for any of the research work. I will keep all of the results and recordings in a secure location and use the information for my research purposes. There may be a chance that other people will want to use the results for future research projects but I will personally keep all of the materials and information.
Religious Education and Personal FaithConsent Form
If you would like to assist me in this research project and have read the information sheet please sign below and hand the sheet back to your teacher. If you are under 16 you must also have a parent or guardian sign the consent form as well. Thank you for your assistance.
I would like to take part in the study and;
( ) will fill in a questionnaire
( ) be part of a 6 student focus group at school
( ) be asked questions for an individual interview
________________________________________________
(student signature)
I agree that the above named student is allowed to take part in the selected parts of the research project:
________________________________________________
(parent or guardian if student is under 16)
Appendix 3: Questionnaire Totals
I would like to include the questionnaire totals for all six schools together using pie charts
and graphs to assist in visually representing the research results.
190168
41) Are you: Male or Female
Male
Female
No Reply
84
23
71
187
4) How often do you go to a place of worship? (church, mosque, temple etc.)
every week
about once a month
only during holidays or festivals never
214
148
5) Are you part of a particular type of religion?
Yes
No
52
6) If you ans wered Yes to ques tion 5 what type of relig ion or faith g roup do
you belong to?
52
34
12
85
203 4121 C atholic
C hris tian
Ang lican
Mus lim
Hindu
B uddhis t
S ikh
Mormon
J ehovah's W itnes s
J edi
7) B y s tudying R elig ious E duc ation have you g ained a better unders tanding , res pec t or apprec iation for people
of other faiths ?
56
204
5531
16
0
50
100
150
200
250
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S tr D isagree
8) Has R elig ious E duc ation helped you to bec ome a better pers on?
22
92
128
76
42
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
S tr Agree Agree Uns ure D is agree S trD isagree
9) Has R elig ious E duc ation as s is ted you in dis c overing a S piritual s ide to
your life?
7
47
96
135
77
020406080
100120140160
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S tr D isagree
10) Has R elig ious E duc ation as s is ted you in believing in G od?
26
50 57
123106
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S trD isagree
11) Would you have c hos en to s tudy R elig ious E duc ation in s c hool?
145
199
18
Y esNo
Uns ure
Appendix 4: Schools Contrast
In this section I would like to comparatively contrast two of the schools. The schools were both state schools with almost equal amount of student participants but the results to most of the questions were very different.
27
34
21) Are you: Male or Female (Moat)
Male
Female
No Reply2828
01) Are you: Male or Female (Rawlins)
Male
Female
No Reply
46
3
12
2
4) How often do you go to a place of worship? (church, mosque, temple etc.) (Moat)
every week
about once a month
only during holidays or festivals
never
3 14
48
4) How often do you go to a place of worship? (church, mosque, temple etc.) (Rawlins)
every week
about once a month
only during holidays or festivals
never
60
2
5) Are you part of a particular type of religion? (Moat)
Yes
No
14
42
5) Are you part of a particular type of religion? (Rawlins)
Yes
No
6) If you ans wered Y es to ques tion 5 what type of relig ion or faith g roup do you belong to? (Moat)
1
58
1
C hris tian Mus lim
Hindu
6) If you ans wered Y es to ques tion 5 what type of relig ion or faith g roup do you belong to? (R awlins )
0
8
0
2
0
1
0
1
11 C atholic
C hris tian
Ang lican
Mus lim
Hindu
B uddhis t
S ikh
Mormon
J ehovah's Witnes s
J edi
7) B y s tudying R elig ious E duc ation have you g ained a better unders tanding , res pec t or apprec iation for people
of other faiths ? (Moat)
20
36
5
02
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S tr D isagree
7) B y s tudying R elig ious E duc ation have you g ained a better unders tanding , res pec t or apprec iation for people of
other faiths ? (R awlins )
3
1918
8 8
02468
10
1214161820
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S tr D isagree
8) Has R elig ious E duc ation helped you to bec ome a better pers on? (Moat)
10
45
126
205
101520253035404550
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S trD isagree
8) Has R elig ious E duc ation helped you to bec ome a better pers on? (R awlins )
13
11
23
18
0
5
10
15
20
25
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S trD isagree
9) Has R elig ious E ducation as s is ted you in dis cov ering a S piritual s ide to your life? (Moat)
3
12
28
16
4
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S tr D isagree
9) Has R elig ious E ducation as s is ted you in dis cov ering a S piritual s ide to your life? (R awlins )
03 4
2522
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S tr D isagree
10) Has R elig ious E duc ation as s is ted you in believing in G od?
(Moat)18
129
15
9
0
5
10
15
20
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S trD isagree
10) Has R elig ious E duc ation as s is ted you in believing in G od?
(R awlins )
03 2
20
31
05
101520253035
S tr Agree Agree Unsure D isagree S trD isagree
11) Would you hav e c hos en to s tudy R elig ious E duc ation in s c hool? (Moat)
48
13
2
Y esNo
Uns ure
11) Would you have c hos en to s tudy R elig ious E duc ation in s c hool? (R awlins )
6
48
2
Y esNo
Uns ure
Appendix 5: Individual School Totals
In this section of the appendices I will list the individual school totals and give a brief description about the school and their location.
Appendices 5a
School Name: De Lisle Catholic Science College (Faith School)
Description: Loughborough. Secondary school from Year 7 to Year 13
Questionnaire Results
1) Male: 32 Female: 48 No Replies: 0 Total: 80
2) What year group(s): Year 11 3) Students age: 15 and 16
4) How often does the student go to a place of worship?
(a) every week (b) once a month (c) holidays of festivals (d) never
16 10 23 31
5) Part of a particular type of religion?
Yes: 66 No: 14
6) If answered yes to question 5 what type of faith or religion?
Catholic Christian Anglican Hindu Muslim Mormon
47 6 5 4 3 1
7) By studying RE have you gained a better understanding, respect or appreciation for people of other faiths?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
12 53 8 5 1
8) Has Religious Education helped you to become a better person?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
2 11 39 18 4
9) Has Religious Education assisted you in discovering a Spiritual side to your life?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
0 19 21 32 8
10) Has Religious Education assisted you in believing in God?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
4 23 26 17 7
11) Would you have chosen to study Religious Education in school?
Yes: 27 No: 27 Unsure: 6
63
Appendix 5b
School Name: Moat Community College (State School)
Description: Leicester. Secondary school from Year 7 to Year 11.
Questionnaire Results
1) Male: 27 Female: 34 No Replies: 2 Total: 63
2) What year group(s): Years 10 and11
3) Students age: 14, 15 and 16
4) How often does the student go to a place of worship?
(a) every week (b) once a month (c) holidays of festivals (d) never
46 3 12 2
5) Part of a particular type of religion?
Yes: 60 No: 3
6) If answered yes to question 5 what type of faith or religion?
Muslim Christian Hindu
58 1 1
7) By studying RE have you gained a better understanding, respect or appreciation for people of other faiths?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
20 36 5 0 2
8) Has Religious Education helped you to become a better person?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
10 45 12 6 2
9) Has Religious Education assisted you in discovering a Spiritual side to your life?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
3 12 28 16 4
10) Has Religious Education assisted you in believing in God?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
18 12 9 15 9
11) Would you have chosen to study Religious Education in school?
Yes: 48 No: 13 Unsure: 2
Appendix 5c
School Name: Rawlins Community College (State School)
Description: Quorn. Voluntary controlled academy from Year 10 to Year 13.
Questionnaire Results
1) Male: 28 Female: 28 No Replies: 0 Total: 56
2) What year group(s): Year 11
3) Students age: 15 and 16
4) How often does the student go to a place of worship?
(a) every week (b) once a month (c) holidays of festivals (d) never
3 1 4 48
5) Part of a particular type of religion?
Yes: 14 No: 42
6) If answered yes to question 5 what type of faith or religion?
Christian Muslim Mormon Buddhist Jehovah’s Witness Jedi
8 2 1 1 1 1
7) By studying RE have you gained a better understanding, respect or appreciation for people of other faiths?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
3 19 18 8 8
8) Has Religious Education helped you to become a better person?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
1 3 11 23 18
9) Has Religious Education assisted you in discovering a Spiritual side to your life?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
3 12 28 16 4
10) Has Religious Education assisted you in believing in God?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
0 3 4 25 22
11) Would you have chosen to study Religious Education in school?
Yes: 6 No: 48 Unsure: 2
Appendix 5d
School Name: Burleigh Community College (State School)
Description: Loughborough. Year 10 to Year 13.
Questionnaire Results
1) Male: 39 Female: 39 No Replies: 2 Total: 80
2) What year group(s): Year 11
3) Students age: 15 and 16
4) How often does the student go to a place of worship?
(a) every week (b) once a month (c) holidays of festivals (d) never
7 5 8 41
5) Part of a particular type of religion?
Yes: 39 No: 41
6) If answered yes to question 5 what type of faith or religion?
Muslim Christian Hindu Catholic Anglican
20 8 6 3 2
7) By studying RE have you gained a better understanding, respect or appreciation for people of other faiths?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
6 51 14 5 4
8) Has Religious Education helped you to become a better person?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
2 10 43 18 7
9) Has Religious Education assisted you in discovering a Spiritual side to your life?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
1 3 19 39 18
10) Has Religious Education assisted you in believing in God?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
2 10 13 38 23
11) Would you have chosen to study Religious Education in school?
Yes: 14 No: 61 Unsure: 5
Appendix 5e
School Name: Loughborough Grammar School (Public School)
Description: Loughborough. Year 7 to Year 13.
Questionnaire Results
1) Male: 42 Female: 0 No Replies: 0 Total: 80
2) What year group(s): Year 11
3) Students age: 15 and 16
4) How often does the student go to a place of worship?
(a) every week (b) once a month (c) holidays of festivals (d) never
2 2 20 18
5) Part of a particular type of religion?
Yes: 22 No: 20
6) If answered yes to question 5 what type of faith or religion?
Christian Hindu Catholic Anglican Buddhist Muslim Sikh
5 5 4 2 2 2 2
7) By studying RE have you gained a better understanding, respect or appreciation for people of other faiths?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
12 26 2 1 1
8) Has Religious Education helped you to become a better person?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
3 21 13 5 0
9) Has Religious Education assisted you in discovering a Spiritual side to your life?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
3 8 12 16 3
10) Has Religious Education assisted you in believing in God?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
1 2 6 20 13
11) Would you have chosen to study Religious Education in school?
Yes: 38 No: 4 Unsure: 0
Appendix 5f
School Name: Ashby Grammar School (State School)
Description: Ashby. Voluntary Controlled. Year 10 to Year 13.
Questionnaire Results
1) Male: 24 Female: 19 No Replies: 1 Total: 44
2) What year group(s): Year 10
3) Students age: 14 and 15
4) How often does the student go to a place of worship?
(a) every week (b) once a month (c) holidays of festivals (d) never
1 2 4 37
5) Part of a particular type of religion?
Yes: 13 No: 31
6) If answered yes to question 5 what type of faith or religion?
Christian Anglican Sikh Jehovah’s Witness
8 2 2 1
7) By studying RE have you gained a better understanding, respect or appreciation for people of other faiths?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
3 19 6 12 4
8) Has Religious Education helped you to become a better person?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
1 2 10 20 11
9) Has Religious Education assisted you in discovering a Spiritual side to your life?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
0 2 12 8 22
10) Has Religious Education assisted you in believing in God?
Strongly Agree Agree Unsure Disagree Strongly Disagree
1 0 4 13 26
11) Would you have chosen to study Religious Education in school?
Yes: 10 No: 32 Unsure: 2
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