Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 1999. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The revised norms and standards for teacher education requires an understanding of the beliefs, values and practices of the main religions of South Africa. However, many preservice teachers have emerged from backgrounds of monoreligious education, or from schools where Religious education was discarded from the curriculum. This situation implies that pre-service teachers may lack the knowledge and skills to cope within a religiously pluralist school environment. This study argues therefore that the attitudes and perceptions of pre-service teachers towards Religious education in particular and religions in general will be positively influenced by means of a programme of intervention. The main aim of this study is to examine strategies for teaching religion to pre-service teachers to equip them for the religious and cultural diversity of South African classrooms. F euerstein' s theory of Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) is examined as a vehicle for initiating new and creative ways of thinking about religions. Ten criteria for MLE are implemented within a context of co-operative small group learning on the grounds that learning about religions should take place in a constructivist paradigm. The potential influence of a tutor/mediator on the perceptions and attitudes of pre-service teachers towards religions other than their own is therefore a significant theme in this study. The influence of a programme of intervention on student attitudes towards religion and Religious education was determined within an action-enquiry research model. The empirical research indicates that active participation in the learning process not only enhanced student participants' knowledge and understanding of religious concepts, but also fostered the value of an unbiased, positive approach to the study of religions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hersiende norme en standaarde vir onderwysersopleiding verg 'n kennis van die geloof, waardes en praktyke van die hoof religiee van Suid-Afrika. Nietemin kom baie studentonderwysers uit 'n monoreligieuse opvoedingsagtergrond of van skole waar religieuse onderrig van die kurrikulum verwyder is. Hierdie situasie impliseer dat studentonderwysers nie die nodige kennis dra, of die nodige vaardighede het, om in 'n pluralistiese religieuse skoolomgewing aan te pas nie. Hierdie studie argumenteer dat die houdings en persepsies van studentonderwysers teenoor religieuse onderrig in die besonder en religie in die algemeen positief be"invloed kan word deur middel van 'n intervensieprogram. Die hoofdoel van die studie is om verskillende strategiee in religieuse onderrig VIr studentonderwysers te ondersoek om hulle toe te rus vir die religieuse en kulturele diversiteit in Suid-Afrika. Feuerstein se teorie van Bemiddelde leerervaring (Mediated Learning Experience, MLE) word ondersoek as 'n middel waardeur nuwe kreatiewe denkmetodes oor religie ge"inisieer kan word. Tien kriteria van MLE word ge"implementeer binne 'n konteks van kooperatiewe leergroepe op grond daarvan dat religiee binne 'n konstruktivistiese paradigma moet plaasvind. Die potentiele invloed van die fasiliteerder op die persepsies en houdings van studentonderwysers teenoor ander religiee is dus 'n belangrike tema van die studie. Die invloed van 'n intervensieprogram op studentehoudings teenoor religiee en religieuse onderrig was bepaal deur middel van 'n aksienavraag navorsingsmodel. Die empiriese navorsing motiveer die feit dat aktiewe deelname in die leerproses nie net die deelnemende studentonderwysers se kennis en begrip van religieuse konsepte verdiep het nie, maar ook 'n onbevooroordeelde positiewe benadering tot die studie van religiee gekweek het.