Challenging Life: Existential Questions as a Resource for Education

Buchtitel

Impressum

Contents

Foreword (Robert Jackson)

Introduction (Jari Ristiniemi, Geir Skeie and Karin Sporre)

Children Searching for a Philosophy of Life. A Retrospective Review of Six Research and Development Projects (Sven Hartman)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Six Research and Development Projects

2.1 Teaching Methods in RE and Pupils’ Development and Motivation

2.2 Small Children and Existential Questions

2.3 Environmental Orientation and Philosophy of Life

2.4 Children’s Living Conditions and Life Interpretation

2.5 Children’s Life Interpretation in a Comparative Perspective

2.6 Children’s and Youths’ Life Interpretation and Basic Values of School

3. A Short Comment on the Research Methods

4. Six Research Projects in Retrospect

References

Existential Questions in Research and Education in the Shape of a Response to Sven Hartman (Sven-Åke Selander)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Society and Religious Education in the 1960s

2.1 Curriculum 1962 for the Compulsory School (Lgr62)

2.2 Analysis of the Modern Human Situation – Curriculum 1965 for the Upper Secondary School (Lgy65)

2.3 Existential Questions and Personal Involvement in the Primary and Secondary School Curriculum 1969 (Lgr69)

3. Upper Secondary School Curriculum 1970 (Lgy70)

4. The Concept Existential Question in a Research Perspective

5. Existential Questions and Integration – The Curriculum 1980 for Primary and Secondary School (Lgr80)

6. Interpretation of Life – in Curricula 1994, 2000

6.1 Upper Secondary School (Lpf94)

6.2 Primary and Secondary School (Lpo94)

7. The Curricula 2000

7.1 Upper Secondary School (Gy2000)

7.2 Primary and Secondary School (Gr2000)

8. Scientific Methods and Analysis – Curricula 2011

8.1 Upper Secondary School (Gy2011)

8.2 Primary and Secondary School (Gr2011)

9. Summary

References

Is a ‘Life Question Approach’ Appropriate when Religious Education has Become a Part of Social Studies? (Gunnar J. Gunnarsson)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Different Approaches

2.1 Nordic Context

3. The New National Curriculum Guide for Compulsory Schools in Iceland

3.1 Analysis

4. Conclusion

References

Addressing Existential Issues through the Eyes of Swedish Religious Education Teachers (Malin Löfstedt and Anders Sjöborg)

Abstract

1. Framing the Study – The Swedish Case

2. Previous Research

3. Theory and Methods

3.1 Theoretical Perspectives

3.2 Methods

4. Results

4.1 What Issues are Important in RE?

4.2 World Religions before Existential Issues

4.3 Writing their Own Credo

4.4 Absence of AlternativeWorld Views in the Classroom

4.5 Changing the Name and Content of the Subject

5. Concluding Discussion

References

Tonåringen och livsfrågorna (1969) Revisited. Reflections on ‘Life questions’ in Contemporary Religious Education in Swedish Schools (Staffan Nilsson)

Abstract

1. In the Beginning

1.1 Introduction

1.2 The Report

2. The Revisit

2.1 An Ambiguous and Unimportant Concept?

2.2 Religious and Existential Questions

2.3 A Secularized Notion of Religion

2.4 The Interest for Young and Plurality

2.5 The Turn to Popular Culture

2.6 The Universality Bias

3. Concluding Remarks

References

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)

Abstract

1. Religion as a Response to Questions about Views of Life

2. Views of Life and Religion within the Subject of Religious Education

3. Migration and Identity

4. Three Narratives

4.1 Mona – Liberal Muslim

4.2 Adi – Atheist Hindu

4.3 Esther – Born-again Christian

5. Being Intelligent and Global

5.1 Challenging a Discourse about Indifference and Narrow-Mindedness in Favour of Philosophy

5.2 Challenging a Discourse about Tradition and Culture in Favour of Globalization and Subjectivity

6. Conclusion and Discussion

References

Personal World View, Existential Questions and Inclusive Pedagogy. Theological and Pedagogical Underpinnings (Siebren Miedema)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. From Religion toWorld View

3. World View Used in Empirical Research

4. Conceptual and Theoretical Analyses

5. The Pedagogy behind PersonalWorld View Formation

6. The Necessity to Use ‘World View’

7. The Nordic Input in this Debate on World View and Existential Questions – a few Reflections

8. To Conclude

9. Summary

References

World Views in Norwegian RE (Oddrun Marie Hovde Bråten)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Introducing Core Concepts

2.1 Further Teaching ofWorld Views

2.2 Concept and Curricula

2.3 What is Religion?

2.4 What was Learned?

3. Discussion and Conclusion

References

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)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. The Inclusion of Non-Religious World Views and Developments in English RE

2.1 The Wider Debate: a Child or Subject-Centred Curriculum?

2.2 Integrating Academic and Personal Development in the Teaching of Non-Religious World Views

2.2.1 Maria

2.2.2 Claire

2.2.3 James

2.3 The Inclusion of Non-Religious World Views in Differing School Contexts

3. Conclusion

References

The Image of God in Children’s Epistolography (Maria Szczepska-Pustkowska)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. The Image of God – Terminological Issues

2.1 The Development of the Idea of God

3. Research Methodology

4. Analysis Results

4.1 Epistolary forms of the letters

4.2 Subjects and Content of Letters

4.2.1 A Request – Gratitude Scheme

4.2.2 Confessional Scheme

4.2.3 Presentational Scheme

4.2.4 Children’s questions to God

4.3 Artistic Form of the Letters

5. An Attempt to Summarize

References

Life Issues Among Young Adults. An Empirical and Methodological Example (Caroline Gustavsson)

Abstract

1. Introduction

1.2 The Empirical Research

1.2.1 The Sample

1.2.2 A Research Pilot that Led to Knew Interview Questions

1.2.3 Methodological and Theoretical Choices Made

1.3 Research Results

1.3.1 Life Issues

2. Reflections

2.1 Life Questions in Education

References

Existence and Education. A Relational and Interactional Model (Jari Ristiniemi)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Relational Identity and Sense-Integral Learning

2.1 A Top Down Science

3. Technological Gestalt and Trajectory of Objectification

4. Ontology of Life

4.1 Sensing Body and Learning

5. Environment and the New Materiality

6. Summary

References

Other sources

Being and Becoming. Challenging Dichotomous Conceptions of Ethical Competence within Democratic Ethics Education in Compulsory School (Olof Franck and Annika Lilja)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. The Voices of 12-Years Old Pupils

3. Opening up the Arena for Ethical Discussion

4. Aims of the Subject RE in the Swedish Syllabus

5. Curricular Obstacles

6. An Alternative Approach: Some Guidelines

7. The ‘Childist Approach’

8. Being and Becoming ‘Morally Competent’

9. Conclusions

References

The Ethical Aspects of Using Jokes for Learning Purposes as Seen from a Historical Perspective (Iris Ridder)

Abstract

1. Humour in Classrooms, Medieval Schoolbooks and the Latin DSeM

2. The Content and Characters of the Novel

3. The Rhetorical Structure and Emotional Response of the Text

4. Hostile Jokes in Instructional Humour

5. Conclusion

References

Ethical Concepts according to 12-Year-Olds. Students’ Responses, National Tests, and Ethics Education (Karin Sporre)

Abstract

1. Background and Task

1.1 Introduction

1.2 The Curricular Context

1.3 Task

2. The Research Field

3. Theoretical and Methodological Presuppositions and Considerations

3.1 The Moral Philosophy of Seyla Benhabib

3.2 The Test Task of this Study, the Sample and Research Ethics

3.3 A Methodological Reflection

4. Students’ Choices of Concepts and Perceptions of Content

4.1 Choice of Concepts and Assessment

4.2 Conceptual Understandings of Justice, Equality, Solidarity and Empathy

4.3 Students’ Responses, Seyla Benhabib, and the Public Arena

5. Discussion

References

Ethical Excursions and Philosophical Dialogues in Teacher Education. A Waste of Time or a Wise Way to Necessary Knowledge? (Camilla Stabel Jørgensen)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Theoretical Framework: Education and Democracy

3. Presentation of Practices, Data and Analytical Tool

4. Presentation of Analysis

4.1 The Task

4.2 Students’ Responses: The Philosophical Dialogues

5. Discussion and Further Questions

References

Appendix

School Children Envisioning Future Knowledge and Agency within the Context of Education for Sustainable Development (Annika Manni)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Background

3. Aim and Questions of the Study

4. Methods

4.1 Participants

4.2 Data Collection and Analysis

4.3 Ethical Considerations

4.4 Validity and Reliability

4.5 Methodological Reflections

5. Results – Visions of Important Future Knowledge and Possibilities to Act

5.1 Important Future Knowledge

5.2 Visions of Possibilities to Act

5.3 Tentative Relations between Knowledge and Action

5.4 Summing up the Results

6. Analytical Discussion

7. Conclusions

References

The Position of (S-)EXistential Questions in Religious Education in School and in Teacher Education in Sweden (Bodil Liljefors Persson)

Abstract

1. Introduction – Religious Education in Sweden

2. The Formation of the School Subject RE in Sweden and in a European Context

3. The position of existential questions within RE in general and about (S-)EXistential questions in particular, in Sweden today

4. Sexuality and Relations Education in Teacher Education Programmes in Sweden

5. Existential Questions as a Method to Connect with Young People’s Values – some Examples of Good Practices

6. Concluding Comments

References

Narratives and Haiku as Didactic Tools in Clown Work and Drama (Birgitta Silfver)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Presentations of Narratives and Haiku

2.1 On Clown Work in the Classroom, Presented in the Form of Four Portraits

2.2 Turning Point in the Student’s Meeting with the Clown – Individual Accounts

2.3 The Tightrope Artist who was Afraid of Heights

2.4 Further Work with the Haiku as a Presentation and Evaluation Tool

3. Summary

References

Blurring the Image of the Other? The Recontextualization of Environmental Ethical Values in Norwegian Education Policy Documents (Ole Andreas Kvamme)

Abstract

1. Introduction

1.1 Issue and Aim

1.2 Background

2. Theory and Method

2.1 Theoretical Considerations

2.2 Methodological Approach

2.3 The Material

3. The Analyses

3.1 The National Strategies

3.2 The school subject syllabi

3.3 The New Objects Clause

4. Discussion

5. Concluding Remark

References

Why should Religious Education Include Exploration of Existential Questions and Personal Values? (Geir Skeie)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Aims and Ambiguities in the Religious Education Curriculum regarding Existential Questions

3. Existential Issues in Religious Education Curricula

4. Existential Questions in Religious Education Seen in a Broader Educational Perspective

5. Approaches to Teaching and Learning about Existential Issues in the Classroom

References

Existential Questions in Religious Education. Opening up Discussions in Upper Secondary School (Karin Kittelmann Flensner)

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. The Concept of Existential Issues in RE

3. Theoretical and Methodological Approaches

4. Existential Questions in Classroom Practice

4.1 Your Time on Earth – the Origin and Finitude of Life

4.2 What is a Human Being?

4.3 Human Beings Need a Personal Interpretation of Life

4.4 Human Beings as Meaning-Seeking

4.5 Responsibilities of Human Beings

4.6 The Right and the Good

5. Concluding Thoughts

References