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The purpose of this study is to examine the dimensions and intercultural approach that abound on the teachers workingplace and  as affect the work of the subject teachers and their didactics approach in the subject of religious studies at the Swedish and Scandinavian schools abroad. The survey is based on religion teachers' thoughts and experience of these phenomena at work in schools located in different countries in Europe with students and various professionals from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds. The methods used in the study is based on a qualitative approach as written interviews. The study results show that the intercultural approach and dimensions that are created and realized in foreign schools can be seen in relation to several aspects such as school composition of cultural diversity as well as the school's cultural relationship with the community of which the school is located in. The opportunities for an intercultural approach are obvious to the teachers and all teachers are unanimous that foreign schools is attributed to pursue a different school culture and a completely different approach to both knowledge and learning.

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This study examines how an analysis of lyrics can be used as a didactic tool when teaching religion at upper secondary school and some pros and cons that may arise. Because this study considers and analyses the experiences and reflections from both teachers and students, qualitative interviews were conducted with five teachers and six students. The result of the study shows that using lyric analysis as a didactic tool in religious studies is a somewhat unexplored field among teachers in northern Sweden. The interviewed teachers and students have positive attitudes towards lyric analysis in religious education. There are some negative aspects that can be seen, for example teachers’ knowledge about music. However, there seems to be more advantages with lyric analysis in religious education, such as viewing religion from different viewpoints and being an enjoyable and enriching way to teach with the interests of students in mind. The study therefore concludes that with flexibility and exploration, there are numerous ways to include lyric analysis in religious education that will broaden students understanding of the complexity and individuality of religion in practice.

This qualitative case study examined early adolescent students’ perceptions of their service-learning program experiences at one Catholic elementary school in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (ADLA). The purpose of the study was: (a) to understand how the powerful tradition of the Church related to doing works of social justice and outreach was experienced by students in one ADLA Catholic elementary school in the form of experiential service learning, and (b) to explore whether associations exist between the students’ perceptions of their Catholic identities and their service-learning experiences. This study gathered research from student voice and work samples and utilized Carver’s (1997) agency, belonging, and competence (ABC) framework. The findings indicated that study participants experienced feelings of satisfaction, connectedness, and optimism while participating in their service-learning program. The study findings may be of interest to Catholic elementary school leaders faced with increasing levels of student disengagement and/or declining enrollment, both of which may benefit from strengthening their students’ understanding of their Catholic identity and developing their sense of agency, belonging, and competence through experiential service-learning programs.

Young people who are on the verge of maturity today have come of age during a period of rapid social change. The impact of such changes on personal values and attitudes raises the question as to whether these young people have lost formerly accepted social values, have retained them in part or whether they are in the process of discovering new ones... The purpose of this study is to analyze some prevailing attitudes toward the Church and some of its activities among college students. This analysis of attitudes toward the Church is part of a larger undertaking of the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station which is studying country life trends in Virginia from 1900-1950. The Church section of the large study carries forward a bulletin published in 1929 / Master of Science

This study examines the portrayal and representation of Islam in Swedish textbooks for religious education in grades 4–6. Through both a quantitative and qualitative image analysis, the aim is to investigate how five textbooks in religious education at an elementary school level present Islam. A qualitative analysis is conducted on the first image in each chapter of every textbook, which is supplemented by a quantitative survey of the remaining images. The research questions addressed in this study are: How are the different aspects of gender, clothing, and environment of Islam portrayed and represented in Swedish educational materials? Are there any similarities and differences in how Islam is portrayed in the various educational textbooks? Are there any specific Images or stereotypes about Islam that educational materials can contribute to reinforcing through Orientalist perspectives?  The results have shown that more men are portrayed than women in the analyzed textbooks. Additionally, women are consistently portrayed in oriental clothing which are completely covering, as well as wearing veils, and hijabs. The men tend to wear a more balanced style between Western clothing and occasionally, but less frequently, oriental clothing. Furthermore, the results indicate that the Eastern world is the dominant environment portrayed in all textbooks, with the Western world appearing significantly less. All five textbooks were vastly similar in this regard, with only a few differences, such as one textbook portraying men in oriental clothing to a greater extent than Western clothing. Apart from this instance, there were mostly similarities between the textbooks. This indicates that these textbooks may contribute to the reinforcing of stereotypes about Islam through the representations they provide of gender, clothing, and the environment of Islam. In this study, I will mainly base my analysis on Edward W Said’s theory of Orientalism.

This study endeavors to delve into the utilization of field trips by secondary school teachers as an educational tool within religious education. Our aim is to explore teachers' approaches and attitudes towards both virtual and physical field trips in this context, filling a gap identified in existing research. Through a comprehensive review of national and international literature, it became evident that the teacher's perspective on this matter has been relatively understudied. To address this gap, qualitative interviews were conducted with teachers, either in-person at their school or via remote platforms like Zoom. The interviewed teachers were based in the southern region of Sweden, spanning both urban centers and rural areas. Our approach during interviews involved posing open-ended questions, providing teachers with the opportunity to freely articulate their perspectives, ensuring an authentic expression of their opinions. The interview results highlighted a wide array of factors influencing the utilization of field trips by teachers in their educational practices. It became apparent that both physical and virtual field trips present distinct advantages and challenges, with common as well as unique considerations identified by the teachers. While approaches to incorporating field trips varied among the educators, there was unanimous agreement on their value as a resource in religious education.

This dissertation explores the dynamic instructor and student experiences inherent in the evolving modalities of higher education. The first article synthesizes qualitative research about the challenges and successes faced by instructors transitioning to online learning environments, especially in their interactions with content and learners. Emphasizing the importance of support for instructors and institutions, it sets the stage for understanding the nuanced experience of online teaching. The second article presents an exploratory case study of a religious education professor teaching across four modalities. His experience emphasized adaptive strategies and underscored the pivotal role of instructor preparation. Findings revealed the instructor's proactive engagement with varied teaching methods and highlighted the significance of aligning pedagogy with student needs across modalities. The third article employs basic qualitative research to delve into the lived experiences of religious education students in different modalities, focusing on their spiritual formation and religiosity outcomes. The study offers insights into students' experiences across modalities and provides practical, pedagogical insights to help instructors consider the nature and determinants of spiritual impact in any given modality. Collectively, these studies offer valuable insights into the complexities of teaching and learning across different higher education modalities. They highlight key challenges and successes, offering practical guidance for instructors and institutions navigating modality transitions. By examining both instructor strategies and student experiences, this dissertation provides actionable principles for enhancing pedagogy and fostering student engagement in diverse learning environments.