This thesis examines non-confessional religious education and upper secondary school teachers' experiences in this context. The purpose of the study is to explore how five teachers in five different upper secondary schools in Sweden interpret and implement non-confessional principles in teaching religious studies in today's society. The research addresses the following questions: How do secondary school teachers interpret the policy document's speech on non-confessional teaching? How is teaching practice in the subject of religion affected based on a non-confessional approach? What challenges emerge in the assignment of being non-confessional in religious education? The study gathers data trough five interviews with upper secondary school teachers from various regions in Sweden and is based on qualitative method with semi-structured interviews. The result of the thesis has been analyzed using thematic analysis. A theory used in this thesis is intercultural religious didactics. This theory emphasizes the importance of cultural diversity and interactions between different religious traditions. The result, which is based on the study's research questions, shows that the informants largely share a common understanding of a non-confessional education that emphasizes neutrality and objectivity without promoting specific religious or secular positions. The impact on teaching practices is reflected in a more tolerant classroom environment that promotes understanding of different cultures and perspectives. Challenges identified show that different religions are understood in different depths and that it is sometimes difficult to balance students' different opinions which can lead to discussions and conflict if the teacher is not providing new perspectives on the students' opinions. In conclusion, a non-confessional approach in school's religious education allows all religions and worldviews to be treated equally. Despite challenges arising from diverse student backgrounds, success lies in reflecting on teaching impact and fostering an open and tolerant classroom environment.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:hj-62407 |
| Date | January 2023 |
| Creators | Fiallos, Annie |
| Publisher | Jönköping University, Högskolan för lärande och kommunikation |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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