To what extent should RME teachers engage with research in RE?
There are countless ways to answer this question. At first glance it might seem like a workload issue: teachers simply don’t have time to engage much with research. Some see opportunities for viable engagement with research through forms of practitioner enquiry: teachers forming data as part of their professional practice. Shouldn’t we admit, though, that educational research often doesn’t seem all that relevant to practice? While I think this view is often overstated, it reflects the problem that educational theory and practice are not well linked. Moreover, we need to consider what it means to engage with research: does it involve teachers producing their own primary data or is it more a case of keeping abreast of developments by reading the latest research articles (sometimes framed as scholarship in contrast to research)?
When speaking more specifically about research in RE, we need to consider context: whether we are talking about international RE research, RE research from the UK, or research that focuses on RE (RME/RMPS) in Scotland? This is partly to do with how the fields of research are conceptualised (i.e. assumptions about the nature of RE) but also, of course, how historical, social and political forces influence the nature and context of the research by placing certain questions on the agenda (e.g. the rise of forms of non-religion has certainly influenced research in RE across the UK generally). There are also considerations of scale: the RE community (and practitioners and researchers) in England is large enough to sustain a significant degree of influence not only across the UK but also across Europe. The fact is that the world of Scottish RME is relatively small and consequently primary research here comparatively scarce. Does that mean RME teachers should ignore RE debates south of the border? Or are those debates central to Scottish RME?
In short, any expectation that RME teachers should engage with research begs a host of questions. Of course this does not mean that such an expectation is misguided. We could argue that the call to engage with research is, in fact, a call for reflective practice. Reflective practice can be boiled down to thinking about our practice as educators. There are many ways this can be done: by discussing with others; by reading; by gathering primary data; by writing itself (the act of writing being a way to think through issues). I am tempted to say that we engage in a certain about of this reflection all the time. Maybe so, but nevertheless I think there are reasons to formalise reflection on practice (e.g.: through undertaking courses or CPD; having regular research seminars; undertaking higher studies like EdD).
I am exploring this because STARME has recently asked me to offer members a mechanism to keep abreast with research in our subject areas. That is a tall order and I am not quite sure how to approach this. Should I supply links to recently published articles? Should I summarise key findings, or offer periodic digests of the state of research? As a researcher myself, I know that there aren’t clear boundaries that tell me what is, or is not, relevant. I have my own interests, prejudices and blind spots. No doubt what I choose to report will not be of interest to all and won’t reflect all the kinds of work going on out there. So while I will endeavour to find interesting and relevant research to share, I am modest in my estimation of what I can offer.
I try to keep in mind that the call for teachers of RME (or any subject) to engage in research is ultimately driven by a desire to make for better teaching and learning and that, I believe, boils down to the all-too obvious idea of thinking about our practice: teaching is a reflective practice. Therefore, what and how I choose to share material through STARME will be driven by a determination to support reflective practice.
Any members that have research to share, or have ideas, questions or comments, are very welcome to get in touch:
David Lewin
Email: david.lewin@strath.ac.uk
