methods and materials for religious education in adult education in ...

European Journal of Educational Studies 5(1), 2013
the project of constructing with paper the wall of Jerusalem before it was destroyed by the Babylonians. The learners
are to work in group to solve the challenging problem.
4.Field Trips.
Filed trips as an instructional method in teaching religious education involves taking the adult learners to a location
or first-hand observation of an activity (Staley 1982). Usually it is followed by meeting to analyze observations.
Here, students in Christian religious education to be taken on pilgrimage to Israel and Moslem to Mecca to obtain the
first class information on the topic they are taught.
5.Stories, Proverbs and Songs
Storytelling, according to Akubue (1992) is perhaps the oldest art in inculcating moral consciousness. Psychological
methods stress the need for using stories as entry behaviour in teaching religious education because the student‟s
loves stories which are generally strip up their imagination (Mok, 1999). Stories are very useful tools that have
Christianizing and moralizing effects in number of ways. They dispose the intellect to assent to the more serious
sequence; they fix moral truth in the minds when detailed explanation fails, those with the virtue become incarnate
in the mind, through stories, sympathy can be aroused and enthusiastic devotion can be encouraged Akubue (1992).
The teacher who tells a story well is like the rhapsodist who leaves his audience breathless (Akubue, 1992). Local
stories, proverbs and songs could be collected utilized to teach religious education in Adult education.
6. Seminars and Workshop
A group of adult learners at a conference may be broken into smaller units called seminars or workshop. These are
groups of learners under a leaner, who might be an expert or someone elected by his follow learners (Akpama, Ibor
and Bullem, 2005). Oduaran (2000) advocates the use of small group to reinforce learning among adults learners in
religious education.
7. Lecture Method
According to Knowles (1980) lecture method is one way communication from teacher to learner(s). The purpose is
to impart information, example introduce a new topic or relate new material to content taught before. Though the
lecture method in teaching religious education has the disadvantages of not giving the learners opportunity to
participate fully and does not encourage application of skills, yet, Smith (2002) believes that if the teachers have the
ability to deviate from the topic if the class seems particularly interested in certain topic, or is becoming more
engaged in certain example, the class will be lively and interested. Pilling-Cormick (1997) adds that if educators
capitalize on the interest of students, this will help to maximize learning potential and, as long as the material that is
required for the class is still covered, it often makes for the class is still covered it often makes for a more enjoyable
classroom experience. Akpama, Ibor and Bullem (2005) suggest that the lecture method could be blended with
tutorials to impact knowledge or facts and skills in any teaching miliew. The lecture method can be thus relied upon
as a bridge of communication between learners and Lecturers/Teachers (Knowles 1980).
8. Demonstration
Smith (2002) explains that demonstration as instructional method in teaching religious education in Adult Education,
explain a particular skill or activity verbally and then put it in action in a step by step process. the teacher‟s verbal
explanation and demonstration are usually followed by opportunities for learners to practice the activity. For
example, after may not be relevant demonstrating, Jesus teaching of the beatitudes, the learners can go and
demonstrate them.
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