TY - BOOK
T1 - An Investigation of Non-Muslim Religious Educators’ Attitudes, Perceptions and Experience in Relation to Teaching about Islam
AU - Crain-Welsby, Helen
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - AbstractNon-Muslim educators who teach about Islam in programs of religion faceparticular challenges due to the influence of distortions,misrepresentations and stereotypes of Muslims in the media on theirstudents’ understanding and perspectives about Islam and Muslims. Thetendency to conflate the religion of Islam with the ideology of Islamismposed certain epistemological and pedagogical issues which teachers in thisstudy were keen to address by advancing counter narratives about Islamand Muslims.This study has addressed a gap in the literature in the Australianeducational context concerning the influence of non-Muslim religiouseducators’ experiences and sources of learning on their perceptions,attitudes and pedagogy in teaching about Islam.Drawing on the knowledge theory and ‘Ways of Knowing’ thesis of JürgenHabermas, this study interviewed fifteen teachers working in differentprograms to investigate the types of learning represented in educatorexperience and the cognitive interests which were reflected in the types oflearning which teachers reported. The study investigated the ways in whicha participant’s knowledge base, including pedagogical content knowledge,and unique religious (or non-religious) positionality influenced his or herpedagogical approach.Themes which arose from the data highlight the importance which non-Muslim educators attached to teaching about Islam adequately,authentically and with integrity. A key theme was the value whicheducators placed on sourcing and presenting authentic examples of thelived practice of Muslims and Muslim perspectives, especially fromMuslims themselves or Muslim voices. A second theme concernededucators’ disposition to advance a perspective of openness and respectfor Muslims and their religion and a disposition of fraternal interest andappreciation. A third theme concerned educator advocacy for promotingrenewed ways of knowing about Islam and Muslims, often arising from their own experiences of meeting and talking to Muslims and self-reflectionleading to questioning prior ways of thinking and understanding.Educators who had interrogated their own assumptions or those of theirlifeworld displayed a disposition to make a difference to others’ ways ofunderstanding and appreciating the religion of Islam.The evidence demonstrated the value which educators place onopportunities for dialogue with knowledgeable Muslims and supports theargument and recommendation for the provision of targeted, relevantprofessional in-service learning opportunities to enhance educator self-efficacythrough deeper encounter and dialogue with Muslims and self-reflectivityon one’s own understanding and appreciation of Islam as a livedreligion.Although this study did not set out to investigate the role of curriculum ineducation about Islam, the findings demonstrate the significance andnecessity of strong curriculum goals and learning objectives to ensure thateducation about Islam is sound, rigorous and relevant and not marginalisedwithin the religion program. Further research in this area of professionalpractice is highly recommended.
AB - AbstractNon-Muslim educators who teach about Islam in programs of religion faceparticular challenges due to the influence of distortions,misrepresentations and stereotypes of Muslims in the media on theirstudents’ understanding and perspectives about Islam and Muslims. Thetendency to conflate the religion of Islam with the ideology of Islamismposed certain epistemological and pedagogical issues which teachers in thisstudy were keen to address by advancing counter narratives about Islamand Muslims.This study has addressed a gap in the literature in the Australianeducational context concerning the influence of non-Muslim religiouseducators’ experiences and sources of learning on their perceptions,attitudes and pedagogy in teaching about Islam.Drawing on the knowledge theory and ‘Ways of Knowing’ thesis of JürgenHabermas, this study interviewed fifteen teachers working in differentprograms to investigate the types of learning represented in educatorexperience and the cognitive interests which were reflected in the types oflearning which teachers reported. The study investigated the ways in whicha participant’s knowledge base, including pedagogical content knowledge,and unique religious (or non-religious) positionality influenced his or herpedagogical approach.Themes which arose from the data highlight the importance which non-Muslim educators attached to teaching about Islam adequately,authentically and with integrity. A key theme was the value whicheducators placed on sourcing and presenting authentic examples of thelived practice of Muslims and Muslim perspectives, especially fromMuslims themselves or Muslim voices. A second theme concernededucators’ disposition to advance a perspective of openness and respectfor Muslims and their religion and a disposition of fraternal interest andappreciation. A third theme concerned educator advocacy for promotingrenewed ways of knowing about Islam and Muslims, often arising from their own experiences of meeting and talking to Muslims and self-reflectionleading to questioning prior ways of thinking and understanding.Educators who had interrogated their own assumptions or those of theirlifeworld displayed a disposition to make a difference to others’ ways ofunderstanding and appreciating the religion of Islam.The evidence demonstrated the value which educators place onopportunities for dialogue with knowledgeable Muslims and supports theargument and recommendation for the provision of targeted, relevantprofessional in-service learning opportunities to enhance educator self-efficacythrough deeper encounter and dialogue with Muslims and self-reflectivityon one’s own understanding and appreciation of Islam as a livedreligion.Although this study did not set out to investigate the role of curriculum ineducation about Islam, the findings demonstrate the significance andnecessity of strong curriculum goals and learning objectives to ensure thateducation about Islam is sound, rigorous and relevant and not marginalisedwithin the religion program. Further research in this area of professionalpractice is highly recommended.
KW - non-Muslim religious educators, Islam in Religious Studies, Islam in Religious Education, Habermas, and Ways of Knowing, pedagogy in teaching about Islam, interfaith education, interreligious learning, media misrepresentation of Islam and Muslims
M3 - Doctoral Thesis
PB - Charles Sturt University
CY - Australia
ER -