Research Question Is Religious Education a devalued subject

Research Question: Is Religious Education a devalued subject within non-religious schools? Task Description Proposed Research Questions • Do children appreciate and understand the need for Religious Education especially in the current climate? • Are schools devaluing Religious Education in favor of other subjects? • Are religious teachers feeling as though they are undervalued by other members of staff? TIME PLAN FOR RESEARCH Shadlea Machat – 22621555 Generate a working research question and begin Literature Review Target Date February 2016 Generate resources for collecting data i. e questionnaires and interview questions April 2016 Begin research within schools on the second year of placement May 2016 Collect information from research completed on placement and ensure that they are correctly analyzed July 2016 Review and modify research strategies July 2016 Begin writing dissertation Hand in dissertation Completed Research Methods I will be using both styles of research methods as I feel as though it would give me the best overall view of my research. I will be using the qualitative method in the form of interviews and focus groups. I will us the quantitative method in the form of simple questionnaires. Data Analysis As I am using both qualitative and quantitative methods of collecting my data I will analyzing my data in a variety of ways. • For the interviews and focus groups I will ensure that it is recorded though note taking which will then be used to identify common themes. • For the data collected through questionnaires I will build graphs ad pie charts in order to bring clarity on the results. March 2017 May 2017 Key Literature When conducting research for my literature I came across several journals and newspaper articles looking into the public opinion on the value of Religious Education. • The first key piece of literature found was a research paper titled Where have all the flowers gone? An investigation into the retention of religious education teachers. This journal focuses on the reasons so many newly qualified religious education teachers end up leaving the profession. The paper discusses three key reasons for teachers leaving the profession: “devaluing of the subject”, “devaluing subject by colleagues” and “the devaluing of the subject by pupils and parents”. • I found an article in the Telegraph which was titled Religious education subjected to 'rank discrimination’. The article highlights the key points surrounding the nature of non qualified teachers teaching religious education. It attacks at the root of the problem, with the government not giving the same amount of grants to religious education trainees compared to maths and English trainees. • I found another article also on the Telegraph titled Religious education classes 'should be optional'. This article suggests that students should be able to choose whether they learn about religion or not. I would be interested in using this article as a stimulus to gain an insight into whether teachers and pupils agree with this statement. If the teachers or pupils agreed with the premise, then I would be interested in discussing why that same argument can not be posed for subjects like maths and English. References • Beckford, M. , (2016). [online] Available at: http: //www. telegraph. co. uk/educationnews/10656555/Religious-educationsubjected-to-rank-discrimination. html [Accessed 28 Mar. 2016]. • Dadley, E. and Edwards, B. (2007). Where have all the flowers gone? An investigation into the retention of religious education teachers. British Journal of Religious Education • Paton, G. , (2016). [online] Available at: http: //www. telegraph. co. uk/educationnews/10656555/Religious-educationsubjected-to-rank-discrimination. html [Accessed 28 Mar. 2016]. Research Ethics With any professional practice it is important to conduct the research in a ethical manner. That is why I will ensure the highest level of ethical guidelines when conducting my research. I can do this in several ways including • Ensuring the participants understand what the research is for and sign an agreement • Safeguarding the participants identities and informing of them of the information I have used from my research in my dissertation.