The diploma thesis "Teacher-Pupil Relation in Religious Education and Catechesis" presents some aspects of relations in religious education and catechesis. In the first part of the thesis, some general characteristics of teacher-pupil relation are described from the perspective of pedagogy and psychology and some ethic aspects of this relation are outlined. The second part deals with the specific features of the relations developed in religious education and catechesis. The subject and aim of catechesis (which is the growth of the catechised's faith) and of the religious education (the developement of mature and responsible attitude towards religious belief and Christianity) both imply the conclusion, that the teacher-pupil relation is much closer and more personal than in other school subjects teaching. This relation should be, above all, based on mutual love and respect. This proximity can become the source of mutual enrichment, but it also brings a considerable risk of failure and abuse. The damages caused this way have grave consequences for the personal developement of the catechised, their relation towards themselves, other people and God. The responsibility in such cases always lies upon the catechist (teacher). The healthy relation between the subjects of catechesis presumes high level of...

Denna studie är riktad till verksamma och blivande lärare för att uppmärksamma de utmaningar som kan uppstå i det heterogena och mångkulturella klassrummet i religionsundervisningen. Vi vill även belysa den interkulturella pedagogiken som ett förhållningssätt lärare kan använda för att bemöta utmaningarna. Syftet med denna studie är alltså att undersöka om denna pedagogik kan vara ett möjligt alternativ för framtida och aktiva lärare att använda för att skapa ett bra klassrumsklimat som stärker inkluderingen.    Denna studie kommer att besvara frågeställningarna:  Vilka utmaningar möter religionsundervisningen i det heterogena och mångkulturella klassrummet? Kan läraren använda sig av ett interkulturellt förhållningssätt för att bemöta dessa utmaningar?   Vi har satt vår undersökning i ett större sammanhang genom att presentera tidigare forskning som utförts på området, såväl svensk som internationell. Vi redogör även för relevanta ämnesdidaktiska teorier som det sociokulturella perspektivet och interkulturell pedagogik. Tillvägagångssättet för denna uppsats grundar sig i kvalitativ metod, där vi valt att använda semistrukturerade intervjuer. Utifrån tidigare forskning och det empiriska resultatet har vi kunnat framställa att det finns flertal utmaningar som religionslärare möter i undervisningen i det heterogena och mångkulturella klassrummet, som bland annat att skapa en ömsesidig förståelse mellan elevers olika åsikter, samt mediers påverkan på elevernas inställning och attityd till de olika religionerna. Utifrån det empiriska resultatet har vi kunnat se att det interkulturella förhållningssättet inte har en central roll i läraryrket, men utifrån tidigare forskning som vi undersökt kan vi konstatera att interkulturell pedagogik kan bemöta utmaningar som uppstår i religionsundervisningen, samt ett förhållningssätt som skapar ett gott klassrumsklimat som stärker inkluderingen. / This study is aimed at active and aspiring teachers to draw attention to the challenges that may arise in the heterogeneous and multicultural classroom in religious education. We also want to highlight the intercultural pedagogy of an approach teachers can use to meet the challenges. The purpose of this study is thus to investigate whether this pedagogy can be a possible alternative for future and active teachers to use to create a good classroom climate that strengthens inclusion.   This study will answer the questions: What challenges does religious instruction face in the heterogeneous and multicultural classroom? Can the teacher use an intercultural approach to meet these challenges?  We have placed our study in a larger context by presenting previously conducted research in the field, both Swedish and international. We also account for relevant subject didactic theories such as the socio-cultural perspective and intercultural pedagogy. The approach for this essay is based on a qualitative method, where we have chosen to use semi-structured interviews. Based on previous research and the empirical results, we have been able to present that there are several challenges that religion teachers face in teaching in the heterogeneous and multicultural classroom. Examples of such are creating a mutual understanding between students 'different opinions, media influence on students' attitudes and attitudes to the different religions. Based on the empirical results, we have been able to see that the intercultural approach does not have a central role in the teaching profession, but based on previous research that we examined, we can state that intercultural pedagogy can meet challenges that arise in religious education, and an approach that creates a good classroom climate that strengthens the inclusion.

I denna kunskapsöversikt har vi samlat forskningsartiklar för att besvara våra frågor kring det mångreligiösa klassrummet i ett sekulärt land som Sverige. Vi har även sökt forskningsartiklar för att se vilka didaktiska utmaningar det kan finnas i ett mångreligiöst klassrum och vilka didaktiska redskap en religionslärare kan använda sig av för att arbeta inkluderande. Vi har uteslutande använt oss av engelska forskningsartiklar som vi funnit på sökmotorer såsom Libsearch, Education Research Complete, ERC och ERIC via EBSCO. I översikten märkte vi bland annat att det finns flera olika redskap, åsikter och tillvägagångssätt som olika pedagoger och forskare ansåg vara det mest effektiva och lämpliga sättet. Syftet handlade om att pedagogerna ville motarbeta polarisering mellan religiösa och icke religiösa. Det fanns även ett syfte att informera studenter om religion och andra levnadssätt då många inte hade någon vidare erfarenhet av religion, de plattformar eleverna fick sin information ifrån var endast i skolan och media. Den mediala bilden av religion tenderar ofta att vara negativ. Vi kunde även utläsa hur lärare lyfte upp det sekulära som en norm för det svenska samhället, implicit menar man med andra ord att det religiösa inte hörde hemma i ett modernt samhälle. Explicit framgick det även gång på gång hur det religiösa var något man gjorde innan i Sverige, men inte längre idag. Det framgick dock tydligt att många elever i dagens skola i Sverige fortfarande är religiösa. Det handlar med andra ord inte enbart om en religiös bakgrund eller en traditionell syn på det religiösa. Vi uppmärksammade även att elever upplever att de ofta blev missrepresenterade i klassrummet. Det fanns även en önskan från religiösa elever att diskutera mer kring det andliga och övernaturliga upplevelser. Avslutningsvis kom vi fram till att det finns fortfarande stora utmaningar för religionsundervisningen, men att den är oerhört viktig då för många är det kanske den enda informationskällan som inte är medial. Dessutom i det polariserade samhälle vi befinner oss i idag då alla människor blir matade med nyheter från flera olika medieplattformar är även religionsundervisningen viktigare än någonsin. Vi är även medvetna om att Sverige är ett sekulärt land, men vi kom fram till att man som pedagog kanske bör akta sig för hur man använder och värderar ordet sekulärt. Även om Sverige är sekulärt finns det även en mångfald av olika individer med olika religiösa bakgrunder. Att då likställa den religiösa identiteten som omodern är problematiskt.

Thesis advisor: Hosffman . Ospino / Catholic theological education in the United States of America in the year 2019 (and beyond) must confront the realities of racism and ethnocentrism, and understand how racist and ethnocentric epistemologies intrude into the classroom. These epistemologies interfere with the ways that theological educators are able to teach about and through an anthropology of the imago Dei that demands an equitable valuation of people of color, both socially and theologically. Yet a history of a “white savior complex” pervades Catholic theological education in the U.S. and stands in the way of cherishing the theological agency and contributions of people of color. Such a complex can be addressed through the use of antiracist and intercultural pedagogies that allows the scholarship and experiences of people of color, both students and academics, to achieve equitable impact in theological education and that leads all students to reflect on the development of their racial, ethnic, and cultural identities. The use of four distinct antiracist and intercultural pedagogical pillars are developed and illustrated through vignettes pulled from the experiences of theological educators teaching about racism and ethnocentrism in Catholic colleges and universities in the U.S. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2019. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

The aim of this study was to quantitatively measure refutation text's power for conceptual change while qualitatively discovering students' preference of refutation or expository text structures. This study also sought to examine if religious interest levels predict conceptual change. Participants for this study were 9th, 10th-, 11th-, and 12th-grade seminary students from the private religious educational system of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The study was conducted in two sessions. Session 1 involved pretesting, interventions, and posttesting. Session 2 involved delayed posttesting and participant interviews. Results were predominately measured quantitatively with some qualitative interview analysis added to enrich the study. This research study provides insight into the refutation text effects in LDS religious education. Results of the study showed significant differences in conceptual change between participants reading refutation texts and those reading expository texts. In every case, the refutation text group performed higher on posttests than did the expository group. Results also showed participant preference toward refutation text structures. Furthermore, the study found significant correlations that verify topic interest as a possible predictor of conceptual change. Insights are valuable in aiding curriculum developers in implementing effective ways to teach doctrinal principles by utilizing refutation text interventions. The advantages of this research study add to educational research and identify areas for improvement and exploration in further research. This study of refutation text effects in religious education also broadens researchers' understanding of refutation text's power for conceptual change in subjects outside of K-12 science. Results of this study are of interest to researchers, teachers, curriculum writers, and LDS seminary teachers and administrators.

This qualitative study examined the relationship between Utah public high schools and Latter-day Saint (LDS) released-time seminaries through the perspectives and practices of principals from both institutions. The study followed methods consistent with phenomenological research. Data were analyzed through a theory of social exchange. Sites and participants were purposefully selected using a criterion phenomenal variation strategy. Sites included six Utah public high schools with LDS seminaries adjacent. Participants included the public school and seminary principals at those sites. The overarching question that guided the study was: How is the professional relationship between the public schools and LDS seminaries in Utah perceived and practiced by principals of both institutions? The three subquestions used to support the central question were: (1) What are principals’ perceptions of the relationship? (2) How is the relationship maintained? (3) Why is the relationship maintained? Findings from the study suggested that public school and seminary principals, for the most part, perceived the public school-LDS seminary relationship to be: (a) working well; (b) valuable and mutually beneficial; and (c) equitable. Findings further suggested that the relationships were maintained: (a) through reciprocal efforts to accommodate, support, and show appreciation for each other; (b) by following historically established norms; and (c) by being sensitive to legal parameters established for the relationship. Findings also suggested that the relationships were maintained because: (a) each institution has become dependent upon the other; (b) the relationship benefits both parties; (c) the benefits received outweigh any challenges that result from the relationship; (d) the relationship has become an expectation and ingrained part of the culture of the state; (e) positive emotions result from the relationship; and (f) the relationship is beneficial to the students.

This qualitative study investigates how leadership is embodied within the role of seminary principals in released-time seminaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This study utilized a grounded theory approach and constant comparative analysis while triangulating the data obtained from personal interviews, participant observations, and analysis of documents. The primary sources of data came from the personal experiences and perspectives of four principals, eight teachers, and one area administrator that are analyzed through biographical interviews. Analyses of the data were completed to determine common themes of leadership that were embodied by principals in released-time seminaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Results included the importance of: (a) principals as trainers, (b) a lack of training for seminary principals, (c) principals as a reflection of higher administration, (d) principal's influence on faculty unity, (e) principal's focus on assisting the struggling student, (f) ensuring faculty professionalism, (g) personal satisfaction and growth, and (h) managerial organization. Recommendations from this study help provide a framework of leadership practices for current and future seminary principals, as well as those who oversee seminary principals within the Church Educational System.

The main purpose of this essay is to investigate the role of teachers of religious education in the proactive work against violent extremism and radicalization. Furthermore, the ambition is to raise awareness of how these five teachers of religious education in the Swedish upper secondary schools and primary schools in the subject of religious studies work with and implement the school's democratic mission, and to find structures to teach about radicalization, fundamentalism, pro-violence extremism and terrorism. To obtain a result, five semi-structured interviews with active religious education teachers in the upper secondary schools and the primary schools were conducted.To show the extent to which the school's democratic mission in the proactive work against radicalization and violent extremism is carried out, the collected empirical material has been analyzed based on Paulo Freire's awareness-raising pedagogy as a theoretical framework which indicates whether the interviewed teachers of religious education work according to what Freire calls the bank view or the liberating teaching. The study shows that all interviewed teachers work according to both these models. The teachers believe that it is inevitable to ignore the teaching of facts but prefer the liberating teaching. This is because all interviewed teachers believe that through dialogues and discussions, a critical thinking is created in the students. Furthermore, it appears that all teachers find it essential to create a good and open classroom climate where there is mutual acceptance of dissent. Thus, a long-term effort to create students as source-critical thinkers is fundamental.

Purpose. This study collected data that was used to determine whether principals' instructional leadership behaviors that researchers have determined to affect the teachers and students in the public school system can also be applied to the seminaries in the Church Educational System. It was hypothesized that where high incidents of instructional leadership behaviors were found in the seminary principal, teachers will perceive a more positive classroom environment, and more students will enroll, a lower percentage of students will be removed, and a higher percentage of students will complete the school year. Methodology. The research was descriptive and comparative. The study examined the relationships among three different variables: (1) The perceived behaviors of the principals were measured by administering the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale, (2) The teachers' perceptions of the classroom environment were measured by administering the Classroom Environment Scale, (3) The enrollment totals, removal rates, and the completion rates were obtained from each seminary. Findings. This study concluded that the principals' instructional leadership behaviors that were identified in the public school system to significantly relate to a positive classroom environment and higher student outcomes did not relate significantly with seminaries in the Church Educational System. Of the 412 correlations produced by the analysis, only 26 were found to have coefficients $\ge$.30. Of the 120 possible independent variables that were regressed, only 17 significantly predicted the three dependent variables at the.10 alpha level. Each time the principals or the teachers perceived a leadership behavior it had a negative impact on the teachers' perception of friendship, innovation, and student involvement the classroom. Recommendations. Additional research could be conducted to determine: (1) Why each time the teachers or the principals perceived an instructional leadership behavior it had a negative impact on the teachers' perceptions of the classroom environment, (2) Whether new instruments that better reflect the uniqueness of the seminary classroom could determine any principals' behaviors that relate to teacher and student success measures, (3) What variables affect the seminary students' propensity to enroll, remain, and complete a full year of seminary more than the behaviors of one principal.

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