Improving the Pedagogy of Islamic Religious Education in Secondary Schools The Role of Critical Religious Education and Variation Theory Routledge Research in Religion and Education Series

This timely book focusses on the central issues and questions which emerge in relation to the teaching and learning of Islam in confessional and constructivist religious education. Considering the consequences of a lack of diversity in the Islamic Religious Education curriculum, the text also explores the challenges faced by Muslim pupils in connection with secularism and radical Islam.

Through rich analysis of research carried out across Muslim and public secondary schools in the UK, this book develops a meaningful pedagogy of Islamic Religious Education. In particular, the volume investigates the benefits of Critical Religious Education and Variation Theory frameworks on student learning in Religious Education classrooms and illustrates how these didactic frameworks can help to ameliorate distinct problems seen across Islamic Religious Education. Chapters identify discrete pedagogical issues that arise in the confessional and constructivist approaches to Islamic Education, such as students? difficulties in relating to concept of Islam, and progressive approaches taken in public schools. In addressing these, the text proposes a new theoretical and pedagogical approach to the teaching of Islam, which draws on the philosophy of Critical Realism, the theories of Critical Religious Education, and Variation Theory.

This book will be of great interest to postgraduate students, researcher scholars and academics in the fields of religion and education and Islamic studies. In addition, it will be of interest to social equity professionals and public policy decision makers.

List of tables

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1

Introduction

Problems of teaching Islam in confessional and constructivist religious education

Absence of diversity in the Islamic Religious Education curriculum

A new theoretical and pedagogical approach to Islamic Religious Education

The aim of the study

Structure of the book

Chapter 2

Critical Realism and Islam

Critical Realism

Religion, God and Critical Realism

Critical Realism as applied to Islam

Critical Realism as ‘underlabouring’ Islamic Religious Education

Chapter 3

Applying the Framework of Critical Religious Education and Variation Theory to Islamic Religious Education

Critical Religious Education

Phenomenography

Variation Theory

Learning Study Model

Chapter 4

Research Methodology

Research Approach

Implementaion of learning studies

Sampling of research participants

Data collection tools

Data analysis

Ethical considerations and trustworthiness of the study

Reflexivity

Chapter 5

Implementation of Critical Religious Education and Variation Theory in RE lessons: A learning study on ‘Islam and being a Muslim’

The first lived object of learning

The intended object of learning

The enacted object of learning

The second lived object of learning

Chapter 6

Implementation of Critical Religious Education and Variation Theory in RE lessons: A learning study on ‘equality in Islam’

The first lived object of learning

The intended object of learning

The enacted object of learning

The second lived object of learning

Chapter 7

RE teachers’ pedagogical perceptions and practices before and during the learning study

Theoretical background

Themes

Chapter 8

Discussion and Conclusion

Summary and discussion of the findings

The theoretical and pedagogical implications for Islamic Religious Education

Limitations of the study

Future research

Concluding remarks

Appendices

Index

Ayse Demirel Ucan is Researcher in the Religious Education Department at Marmara University, Turkey.