ERIC Number: EJ1150121
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0141-6200
EISSN: N/A
Building Bridges Rather than Walls: Research into an Experiential Model of Interfaith Education in Secondary Schools
McCowan, Tim
British Journal of Religious Education, v39 n3 p269-278 2017
This paper examines research findings from an experiential model of interfaith education called the Building Bridges through Interfaith Dialogue in Schools Programme (BBP). The BBP has been operating continuously in Melbourne, Australia since 2004. In the research, participating students were interviewed and surveyed to assess the effect of this experiential interfaith education programme on their knowledge, attitudes, perspectives and behaviour toward those from different religious and cultural backgrounds to them. Some of the data from those interviews are included in this article. The findings identify that the programme promoted religious literacy, (including improved knowledge, understanding and appreciation for different religious and cultural traditions and their practices), dismantled prejudice from ignorance and overly generalised stereotypes of others, and promoted social inclusion and cohesion.
Descriptors: Secondary School Curriculum, Intergroup Relations, Experiential Learning, Interviews, Student Surveys, Student Attitudes, Student Behavior, Knowledge Level, Cultural Differences, Religious Cultural Groups, Attitude Change, Teaching Methods, Models, Educational Practices, Religious Education, Foreign Countries, Qualitative Research, Grounded Theory
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A