Why There Is a Place for Dialogue in Religious Education Today

Recognising the plural nature of classrooms in Australia, this article explores the importance of using dialogue within Religious Education classes. We explore the characteristics and learning styles of young people and provide students’ ideas about Religious Education gathered from small focus grou...

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Main Authors: Geraldine Larkins, Sian Owen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Religions
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/4/487
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author Geraldine Larkins
Sian Owen
author_facet Geraldine Larkins
Sian Owen
author_sort Geraldine Larkins
collection DOAJ
description Recognising the plural nature of classrooms in Australia, this article explores the importance of using dialogue within Religious Education classes. We explore the characteristics and learning styles of young people and provide students’ ideas about Religious Education gathered from small focus groups of students aged 10–18. We also provide students’ ideas about God, gathered from survey responses, that could be deepened through a dialogical approach. Finally, we explore ways for teachers to incorporate a dialogical teaching and learning approach within a catechetical, didactic curriculum.
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publishDate 2025-04-01
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series Religions
spelling doaj-art-de1c699be08c4afa8ca489a8a6b20e822025-08-20T03:13:55ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442025-04-0116448710.3390/rel16040487Why There Is a Place for Dialogue in Religious Education TodayGeraldine Larkins0Sian Owen1Faculty of Theology and Philosophy, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC 3002, AustraliaSisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, Auckland 1071, New ZealandRecognising the plural nature of classrooms in Australia, this article explores the importance of using dialogue within Religious Education classes. We explore the characteristics and learning styles of young people and provide students’ ideas about Religious Education gathered from small focus groups of students aged 10–18. We also provide students’ ideas about God, gathered from survey responses, that could be deepened through a dialogical approach. Finally, we explore ways for teachers to incorporate a dialogical teaching and learning approach within a catechetical, didactic curriculum.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/4/487dialoguereligious educationstudent voicepedagogy and curriculum
spellingShingle Geraldine Larkins
Sian Owen
Why There Is a Place for Dialogue in Religious Education Today
Religions
dialogue
religious education
student voice
pedagogy and curriculum
title Why There Is a Place for Dialogue in Religious Education Today
title_full Why There Is a Place for Dialogue in Religious Education Today
title_fullStr Why There Is a Place for Dialogue in Religious Education Today
title_full_unstemmed Why There Is a Place for Dialogue in Religious Education Today
title_short Why There Is a Place for Dialogue in Religious Education Today
title_sort why there is a place for dialogue in religious education today
topic dialogue
religious education
student voice
pedagogy and curriculum
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/4/487
work_keys_str_mv AT geraldinelarkins whythereisaplacefordialogueinreligiouseducationtoday
AT sianowen whythereisaplacefordialogueinreligiouseducationtoday