What is Religious Studies about?
In conversation with
Lisa Jenkins
Andrew Murray
Transcript below:
I suppose there's the introduction of big ideas, which obviously is a different concept for the achievement Standards. And the introduction of assessment and learning matrices. Plus we've got some really important inclusions for students with a consistency, knowing what credits they're going to have every year. How there's 60 for every year.
For me, what I'm seeing is some deeper learning experiences for our students. The ability to go deeper. It's not about the assessment any longer. It's about the skills. The other thing which I'm seeing is an exploration of who we are as a people. Development of local curriculum. An examination of our faith as New Zealanders and the way that we can explore that in terms of our students moving forward into the workforce. Keeping in mind that whole idea of education to employment and these new Standards are giving our students that opportunity to be people of New Zealand.
Perhaps by no fault of anybody what was seen previously is, this is the curriculum, and then this is the Māori bit, which is going to be added, I see a real weave. Not only do I see this weave, it's a reflection of who we are as a nation now. It's also something that there's a connectivity, I suppose. Between each level, where there's a foundation, a building at that first level. And there's that weave all the way through, so those connections can be made by our students.
The thing that is really on top for me is that it's not about karakia in the classroom, it's not about singing a waiata. It's about a reflection that these things are who we are as New Zealanders. I think our students, our teachers, our communities are going to have a greater understanding of that. I think, when we worked as a SEG, we very much wanted that to be weaved in. That was a really good analogy to use, because that's how I feel we've ended up with it. Even though that is one particular big question that's really dedicated to that, it doesn't stop there. It does feed through and it is an opportunity for students to come back to. And self-reflect, and include in any of the assessments that are there for the internals or externals.
What I loved about being part of the SEG is it was real inquiry. There were no right or wrong answers, and we had the ability to get it wrong. We had the ability to get it right, which you'll see in the products that we've finally produced. There was that ability to have deep conversations. What I've talked about with our students is that ability of inquiry and deep learning. That was modeled really well by the SEG. There was room for deep conversation amongst a diversity of our teachers, who deliver religious studies in New Zealand.
But don't you think also that it wasn't just about the teachers? That we also had such big diversity within the SEG? That we incorporated a lot of other RE specialists? I don't know about how you felt, but I really felt the weight, and the challenge of our sector on our shoulders. I must congratulate Ministry on their openness to add people to the team. Early on when we had discussions and we had that voice that was perhaps missing, Ministry were really open to saying, Andrew, who do we need to add? And we had that discussion, and we added people.
Advice to teachers, I think, be open. Be open to inquiry. Be open to deeper learning experiences. Be open to taking the best of what was and reinvent the best of the new. It's not simply fitting in what we've done into the new. Because what we're seeing coming through with our tamariki is a new type of student. A new student that's used to learning different things in the classroom. It's a different learning experience. Let's be about the learning experience, not the content.
I agree. I think that the one thing I feel empowered about is making a really fun experience. My advice for teachers would just be, enjoy it, and do things, and make innovative changes that perhaps you felt you weren't able to do before. I think it's an amazing opportunity to get away from being in any formal setup. Like you said, the 21st century learner is going to come away from formal examinations, and be more about different forms of assessment.
Religious Studies explores the historical and contemporary significance of religious and spiritual beliefs. In this subject, ākonga will learn about how religions and their characteristics have developed over time.
They will look into how historical, cultural, and social contexts inform the development of religious or spiritual communities and narratives. They can consider how humans have constructed religious and spiritual narratives, rituals, and practices over time to help navigate questions about the origins and meaning of life, and humanity's place within the cosmos.
Religious Studies ākonga can explore a range of ways to classify religion, whether that be according to time and place (such as world religion or indigenous religion), or who or what is held to be divine (such as polytheism or animism), or some other interpretation.
Ākonga can develop understanding of how Māori and Pacific peoples’ knowledges and contexts influence the expression and experience of religious and spiritual beliefs in Aotearoa New Zealand, Pacific Realm nations, and the wider Pacific region. They can explore the nature of religious and indigenous belief systems in local and global contexts, and gain insight into religious communities' diverse perspectives on different events and issues.
Religious Studies ākonga can develop understanding of significant people and ideas associated with different religious and spiritual beliefs. They can explore how spirituality and belief in deities has been present throughout human history, and why this is important.
Engaging in this subject will enhance learners' ability to make sense of why societies and communities have developed in a particular way over time, and get a better understanding of the interactions between diverse belief systems and cultures.
Religious Studies ākonga can attain knowledge and skills that can lead to diverse future pathways, including work and study in community services, academia, government, international relations, law, and policy.
Big Ideas and Significant Learning
This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each Religious Studies Big Idea.
The Social Sciences Learning Area curriculum, including its Whakataukī, inform this subject's Significant Learning – learning that is critical for students to know, understand, and do in a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts students should encounter in their education. The Learning Area's Whakataukī is:
Unuhia te rito o te harakeke kei whea te kōmako e kō? Whakatairangitia – rere ki uta, rere ki tai; Ui mai koe ki ahau he aha te mea nui o te ao, Māku e kī atu he tangata, he tangata, he tangata!
Remove the heart of the flax bush and where will the kōmako sing? Proclaim it to the land, proclaim it to the sea; Ask me, “What is the greatest thing in the world?” I will reply, “It is people, people, people!”
The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Level 6. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the ‘not to be missed’ learning in a subject. There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix within each level. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that students are particularly interested in. This context or topic must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.
There are four Big Ideas in Religious Studies:
Identities and experiences are influenced by internal and external forces, including interactions with and within diverse cultures and belief systems. These forces include the introduction of new beliefs through religious migration and colonisation, which impacted - and continues to impact - individual and collective identities in Aotearoa New Zealand, Pacific Realm nations and the wider Pacific region.
While no two religious groups are the same, some characteristics, such as rituals and symbols, are commonly found in many religious traditions. These characteristics can change over time. They can serve as a window into the historical experiences of a religious tradition. Exploring the meaning of some of these characteristics can allow learners to understand what people believe and why.
Significant narratives and texts are an integral part of how individuals and communities organise and communicate ideas and messages. Significant narratives and texts can communicate profound symbolic ideas and give an account of a religious belief's origins. Many narratives and texts about religious beliefs and messages can be interpreted as guidance on moral and ethical conduct in daily life. The diverse interpretations of these narratives and texts about conduct can influence how people express religious beliefs and how the beliefs are exhibited through informal or structured practices.
An individual's, and community's, approach to ethical issues can be informed by their religious beliefs and understandings. This can include diverse perspectives on the ethics of a historical event or issue, as well as a range of views on contemporary issues and events that raise ethical questions and dilemmas. For instance, Catholic teaching might focus on humanity's relationship with the environment as one where it is a gift from God to be nurtured, while an indigenous Pacific view of the environment might be that the land, sea, mountains, and other aspects of the natural landscape are themselves gods or ancestors. Both narratives can influence the experiences and expressions of the other.
A religious understanding may be used by a person or a group to tie narratives, texts, and teachings together to help them make sense of an ethical issue. This may in turn inform how or why that individual or community communicates their viewpoint on the issue. Tensions can arise as to how an individual or community applies their social and cultural understandings to their perspective on an ethical issue, as well as their religious understanding.
Key Competencies in Religious Studies
Learning in Religious Studies provides meaningful contexts for developing Key Competencies from The New Zealand Curriculum. These Key Competencies are woven through, and embedded in, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning. Students will engage with critical thinking and analysis, explore different perspectives through Religious Studies and develop their understanding of the role of Religious Studies in society.
Thinking
Students of Religious Studies will:
- explore how and why religions and religious beliefs could be identified and classified
- understand different interpretations of 'religion', and why people are religious
- learn to think critically about a range of internal and external forces that influenced the origin and development of religious beliefs and traditions
- gain insight into diverse perspectives and attitudes relating to religious beliefs and their influence on society, cultures, and the environment.
Using language, symbols, and texts
Students of Religious Studies will:
- learn to identify and analyse religious language, symbols, and texts
- develop the capacity to interpret religious information
- develop a discipline-specific vocabulary for talking about peoples' conceptualisations of belief
- gather information and ideas, ask questions, and examine current issues.
Relating to others
Students of Religious Studies will:
- develop an understanding of what people believe and what they deem important
- consider the ways that people make decisions and participate in social actions
- learn about how individuals and communities might balance religious beliefs with social and cultural understandings in their approach to ethical issues.
Managing self
Students of Religious Studies will:
- reflect on their own beliefs, practices, and codes of conduct
- reflect on how their personal and whānau identities might have been influenced by religious beliefs and practices
- think about how their perspective on an issue or event might be informed by religious beliefs.
Participating and contributing
Students of Religious Studies will:
- participate and contribute in communities of practice, whether that be as an active participant or outside observer
- gain insight into the social and cultural function of religious communities.
This section of The New Zealand Curriculum Online offers specific guidance to school leaders and teachers on integrating the Key Competencies into the daily activities of the school and its Teaching and Learning Programmes.
Introduction to Sample Course Outlines
Sample Course Outlines will be produced in 2022 to help teachers and schools understand the new NCEA Learning and Assessment Matrices. Examples will be provided of how a year-long Religious Studies course could be constructed using the new Learning and Assessment Matrices.
More detailed sample Teaching and Learning Programmes will be developed during piloting.
Assessment Matrix
Conditions of Assessment for internally assessed standards
This section provides guidelines for assessment against internally assessed Standards. Guidance is provided on:
- appropriate ways of, and conditions for, gathering evidence
- ensuring that evidence is authentic
- any other relevant advice specific to an Achievement Standard.
NB: Information on additional generic guidance on assessment practice in schools is published on the NZQA website. It would be useful to read in conjunction with these Conditions of Assessment.
The school's Assessment Policy and Conditions of Assessment must be consistent with the Assessment Rules for Schools With Consent to Assess. These rules will be updated during the NCEA review. This link includes guidance for managing internal moderation and the collection of evidence.
For all Achievement Standards
Internal assessment provides considerable flexibility in the collection of evidence. Evidence can be collected in different ways to suit a range of teaching and learning styles, and a range of contexts. Care needs to be taken to offer students opportunities to present their best evidence against the Standard(s) that are free from unnecessary constraints.
It is recommended that the design of assessment reflects and reinforces the ways students have been learning. Collection of evidence for the internally assessed Standards could include, but is not restricted to, an extended task, an investigation, digital evidence (such as recorded interviews, blogs, photographs or film), or a portfolio of evidence.
It is also recommended that the collection of evidence for internally assessed Standards should not use the same method that is used for any external Standards in a course, particularly if that method is using a time-bound written examination. This could unfairly disadvantage students who do not perform well under these conditions.
A separate assessment event is not needed for each Standard. Often assessment can be integrated into one activity that collects evidence towards two or three different Standards from a programme of learning. Evidence can also be collected over time from a range of linked activities (for example, in a portfolio). This approach can also ease the assessment workload for both students and teachers.
Effective assessment should suit the nature of the learning being assessed, provide opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all students, and be valid and fair.
Authenticity of student evidence needs to be assured regardless of the method of collecting evidence. This needs to be in line with school policy. For example: an investigation carried out over several sessions could include teacher observations or the use of milestones such as a meeting with the student, a journal, or photographic entries recording progress etc.
Students should have opportunities to work on this assessment both in and out of class time.
Teachers may assist students by guiding the student's selection of the religious or spiritual community to be used for the Assessment Activity, and by monitoring and guiding the early direction of the student’s work. This includes teacher guidance on the appropriateness of the selected community, and whether there are any cultural or personal safety issues that could arise from focusing on that community for the assessment.
Students must conduct research into the religious or spiritual community and should consider both primary and secondary sources (if available). Students must submit a reference list as part of this assessment, which lists all sources used for their research. Students should use at least five sources for this assessment.
Students may research and gather information for this assessment individually or in groups.
Students should have opportunities to work on assessments both in and out of class time.
Teachers may assist students by guiding the student's selection of the significant religious narrative and the cultural context or religious tradition to be used for the Assessment Activity, and by monitoring and guiding the early direction of the student’s work.
Students will need to provide a reference for their chosen significant religious narrative.
Students may research and gather information for this assessment individually or in groups.