"Motivation in Religious Education"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how O'Grady's work presents a model of dynamic curriculum development that uses action research to integrate the insights of interpretative, constructivist and 'existentialist' approaches to pedagogy in religious education. The paper also discusses how, although this is an approach that RE teachers will find attractive and exciting, it is one whose value is likely to remain theoretical rather than practical.

From the Paper:

"Research may be defined as the attempt to derive new knowledge that can be generalised, by addressing well-defined questions using methods that are valid and reliable. To uphold the validity of the research process is to reduce the possibility of systematic deviation from the truth - otherwise known as bias. To uphold the reliability of the research process is to reduce the risk of random deviation from the truth. A key purpose of a research design is therefore to ensure validity and reliability by reducing or eliminating the twin dangers of systematic and random error (cf. De Vaus, 2002). In terms of this conservative definition of research, O'Grady's choices regarding the framing of his question, literature review, sampling, data collection, analysis and final presentation indicate the presence of both systematic and random error throughout. Nonetheless, O'Grady would defend his approach, with some success, by reference to action research as a paradigm which contests many of the assumptions of traditional research models. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Cooling, T. (2000), The Stapleford Project: Theology as the Basis for Religious Education, in M. Grimmitt (ed), Pedagogies of Religious Education (Great Wakering: McCrimmons):153-69.
• Crotty, M. (1998), The Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective in the Research Process (London: Sage).
• Delgado-Rodriguez, M. & Llorca, J. (2004), Bias. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 58(8):35-641.
• De Vaus, D. (2002) Analyzing Social Science Data. Chapter 4: How to check that the Right Thing is being Measured. London: Sage. Pages 25-32.
• Elliott, J. (1991), Action Research for Educational Change (Milton Keynes: Open University Press).

More papers on "Motivation in Religious Education":

• Research Paper # 67367 : "Choice-based Education Reform"
• Argumentative Essay # 147070 : "Home Education: Legal and Beneficial"
• Term Paper # 116430 : "Why Hate Crimes Occur"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: