TeachingRE Issue 4.pdf - the Second Level Support Service

Comments:• The Search for Meaning – I have always been interested in thegreat questions of life and enjoyed reading and learning aboutphilosophy before starting this course. This course gave me afurther outlet to explore these questions.• My favourite part of the course has been philosophy. It has mademe look at things more objectively and gave me a great foundationfor studying other topics.• Morality was my favourite as it made me think about my ownbeliefs as well as hearing about other peoples’ beliefs.• Morality – topical issues. Contemporary and relevant to me.• Religion and Science: because it allows one to engage with bothsides of the argument. In addition it covers many of the topicswhich young people should know about such as evolution, stemcell research etc.• My favourite part of the course was the Coursework as it allowedme to take my own slant on issues and research.Q7:What kind of approaches / methodologies helped you to learnbest, e.g. reading from the textbook or any other type of approach?Please give reasons why the approaches you name were useful.Comments:• Reading from the book. However, it did not develop the topic fullyand was very time consuming to look for other sources.• Textbook gave me the basics but relevant handouts made meexpand and broaden my answers.• Textbook has been useful for core ideas but I have enjoyed readingpoetry, literature and studying media to broaden my opinion.• I found having discussions in class were most helpful.• Reading the book and taking notes down and learning thenotes…doing questions for homework.We also summarised partsof the course onto big sheets and put them on the wall in class.• I found reading stories the most helpful as they were easier toremember, such as the stories from ‘Sophie’s World’.• Book work, class discussion and good teacher.• Looking up the internet – going to the library looking up booksand talking to people from Islam and also talking to my teacher.• Pictures.• Spider diagrams helped make the information clear andunderstandable, and notes.• Library, doing my own research, textbooks.• Power Point, as it was clearer and more effective.• Power Point, note-taking, class discussions, sharing opinions.• From my teacher thoroughly explaining it to me – he made it veryclear.• Learning, understanding and practicing questions.• Reading the text and then practising answers. It helped me toremember material.• Answering questions in class and reading them out.• Constant reviewing and interlinking sections of the course.Q8: If you had the power to change anything about the LCREcourse what might it be? Why?Comments:Comments from females include:• The length! There are way too many topics to learn that most ofthe time we don’t get to go into detail – we just learn the essayand don’t discuss it between us which can take away from thefun e.g.The Search for Meaning andValues is the same amount ofmarks for Religion and Gender yet takes twice as long and itshould be a three hour exam.• I don’t like the myths and symbols section. I think it’s boring.• I find some of the information a bit repetitive.• A lot more time in the exam. It’s impossible to do an 80 markquestion in 30 minutes especially when it’s a course you cannotlearn off by heart.• I would make the course shorter as there is a lot in each section.• A short question section, not just essay style answers. Nocoursework – which would leave more time to study the coursein detail.• I would change the Coursework and make it more about theother aspects of R.E. such as philosophy or morality.• Making the Coursework book longer and worth more as a hugeamount of effort goes into it.• More choice in the exam for it.There are no short paragraphs.Weshould have more choice.Comments from males include:• I wouldn’t change anything.• Add a short question section to the exam. I feel it’s too essaybased.• I would like more focus on discussions, especially on the meaningof life and everyday relevant problems (drugs etc).• Morality section – I felt it was quite long compared to the restand didn’t really need to be so long.• Marking scheme – I don’t think it’s accurate enough.• I find there is very little choice in the LC exam.• The whole course because it’s very hard.• I’m completely comfortable with the course as it is.Q9: Please comment on how your beliefs / faith, spiritual or moraldevelopment have been affected by studying this course, if at all.Findings:• 14 students (11F, 3M) indicated improvement in their faith /spiritual development.• 10 students (8F, 2M) indicated that they had a betterunderstanding of issues / believers.• 13 students (3F, 10M) indicated no change in their faith / spiritualdevelopment.• 4 students – no response.• 5 students – other response.Comments:Comments from females include:• I have never been particularly religious (Catholic) but I haveacquired a new interest in the beliefs of religions, communities andindividuals.• My beliefs haven’t really changed at all but I have learned moreabout Christianity that I didn’t know before.• I have learned a lot more about my religion and in this I think it hasmade my faith stronger.• Before, I didn’t believe in God/s but now I do.• For me, my beliefs were questioned as was my faith. I enjoyedhearing so many theories and beliefs. My own beliefs becamestronger a s a result.• It has made me more spiritual I suppose and I have started toattend Mass more, maybe because I saw from my course thatMuslims devoted some time to their religion and so should I.• Helped me to ask more questions and think more about myreligion but also to appreciate it.• It really showed me how to think about other people and theirbeliefs.• Balanced views to all faiths/beliefs.• I have always been an atheist in my teenage years.This course hascertainly strengthened my belief, but has also given me a morespiritual aspect to my life with respect to people, nature and withinmyself. It has also changed my perspective on organised religions.I have more respect for other peoples’ beliefs. I have huge respect52 TEACHING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ISSUE FOUR SEPTEMBER 2009