Abstracts - Earli

core beliefs that stand in the center of the groups’ collective narratives. However, peripheralattitudes and beliefs that are more easily affected by PE programs changed back as easily byadverse social and political influences. Additional finding was that an "induced compliance"activity which developed in the present study could promote more long-term impact of theeducational influences of a PE program. The results of this study can promote better understandingof the possibilities and the limits of peace education within societies engaged in intractableconflict, and also the ways to overcome these limits.Religious instruction - the robust stone base of successful educationAntti Rasanen, University of Helsinki, FinlandThe aim of my presentation is to examine religious instruction in Finland. According tointernational comparisons the Finnish school system is top class. What kind of role RE has in thesuccessful education? What do people expect of RE and how can a humanistic subject like religionfit the expectations? The research questions can be expressed in the following manner: (1) Whatdo Finns expect of the RE teacher? The aim is to clarify what is the purpose of RE teachers’ workis and what kind of personality s/he should be. (2) How would Finns implement RE incomprehensive school? This interesting issue was supposed to clarify what should be done inschools and how religion should be taught if should at all. The frame of reference of the studyprocesses shortly the current RE situation in Europe. The research data are based on a survey,which carried out in the autumn of 2004. A total of 588 Finnish women (N = 364, 63 %) and men(N = 216, 37 %) participated in the survey. Research data was analyzed using factor analysis. Thegroup differences are considered by gender, age groups, different kind of religiosity and regionaldifferences. According to the results, the most important characteristic in teacher is that s/he couldcourage students to independent thinking. RE teacher should be an expert but because s/he is a REteacher, some special characteristics are attached to her/him. It seems that RE has a receivedposition among Finns. Finns endorse multidimensional RE. Attitudes towards Christian instructionwere diffuse, which means neither strong refusal nor acceptance. Gender differences are in linewith previous results about females’ and males’ concepts of RE.M 631 August 2007 14:35 - 15:55Room: 7.14Paper SessionMathematics education and problem solvingChair:Julianna Szendrei, ELTE, HungaryExploring the current and future roles of Computer Algebra Systems in teaching mathematics atthe university level – an international studyZsolt Lavicza, University of Cambridge, United KingdomThis study investigates mathematicians’ views on the educational use of Computer AlgebraSystems (CAS) to contribute information for the development of appropriate, successful andsustainable integration of CAS into university-level mathematics teaching. Furthermore, thisresearch examines the factors that enhance or hinder the incorporation of technologies in entry-– 695 –