EDRE514 to EDRE529

EDRE514 Religious Education Curriculum Studies                                                                               10 cp

Students will become aware of the various images of God, of church, of religious education, and how these impact on the religious educator. They will explore the links between life experience and education in faith. Students will develop knowledge and skills for the integration of Scripture in religious education lessons, and learn and practice skills appropriate to the preparation of lessons in religious education. They will also learn and practice skills appropriate to the planning and leading of classroom prayer, rituals and liturgies.

EDRE515 Principles of Religious Education                                                                                         10 cp

This unit explores issues foundational to religious education in the school as well as the parish or other settings. It situates religious education in a historical, social and cultural context. It describes the nature and purpose of religious education and analyses the philosophical, theological and educational assumptions that lead to distinct perspectives.

EDRE516 Religious Education Curriculum                                                                                            10 cp

This unit focuses on developing and extending the students’ understanding of the principles and processes of religious education curriculum. It applies curriculum development theory to planning in religious education. It examines a range of resources and strategies appropriate to religious education.

EDRE517 Liturgy and Prayer in Religious Education                                                                            10 cp

The unit introduces students to some approaches to teaching prayer and Christian worship. It provides opportunities for students to develop skills in preparing and implementing liturgies, both sacramental and non-sacramental, based on principles drawn from official Church documents. The unit explores issues of readiness and context for prayer. It highlights the link between liturgical participation and Christian life.

EDRE518 Professional Practice in Religious Education                                                                        10 cp

This unit provides the opportunity for students to extend their competence and confidence in the practice of religious education. It requires students to plan, implement and evaluate religious education programs in a specific context. The practicum draws upon studies undertaken in the preceding units of the course and the particular interests and needs of the individual student.

EDRE519 Religious Education and Values                                                                                           10 cp

This unit explores the personal, spiritual and moral dimensions of education. It examines the distinctiveness of areas such as personal development, citizenship, self-esteem and values and moral education as they contribute to the full personal and spiritual education of people. It investigates the nature, rationale and curriculum implications of these areas together with their relationships with religious education.

EDRE520 Religious Education Seminar                                                                                                10 cp

This unit provides the flexibility to make use of the occasional presence of visiting lecturers or provide special study arrangements for additional topics that contribute to the objectives of the Graduate Certificate/Diploma course but are not covered within the existing units. It will be developed and advertised for specific topics at different times.

EDRE521 Teaching Religion Studies                                                                                                    10 cp

This unit is designed to provide a basic introduction to teaching Religion Studies at post compulsory school level. It gives a brief account of the historical and philosophical background to the development of Religion Studies courses in Australia and the United Kingdom. It introduces teachers to topics and themes found in Religion Studies courses and provides a starting point for further studies in these areas. It also explores ways in which these topics can be resourced and taught.

EDRE522 Leadership in Religious Education                                                                                       10 cp

This unit is designed to provide an exploration of contemporary theories and practice of leadership in religious education. It will introduce coordinators and others who are called upon to exercise leadership in religious education, to contemporary theories of leadership; and their implications for the field of religious education; and to the skills needed to implement these in their own context.

EDRE523 Religious Education and Social Justice                                                                                10 cp

This unit assists students to explore the Catholic Church's tradition of social justice and apply it to their own context of religious education. Biblical, ecclesial, educational and contemporary cultural resources are examined. These resources are used to develop themes and concepts relevant to issues of social justice.

EDRE524 Religious Education in Early Childhood                                                                                10 cp

This unit is designed for those involved in the care and education of young children. The unit introduces students to some of the literature, issues and themes that arise when considering the religious dimension of early childhood. Students will explore the role of family as the primary experience of religious education. Church documents on catechesis and religious education will be examined for their insights and relevance for early childhood religious educators. The contribution of a range of educational agencies to the religious development of young children will be a major focus of this unit.

EDRE525 Personal Development and Religious Education                                                                  10 cp

This unit explores the interface between personal development education and religious education. It examines the distinctive contribution of areas such as personal development, sexuality and relationships education to the full personal and spiritual education of the person. It investigates the nature, rationale and curriculum implications of these areas together with their relationships with religious education.

EDRE527 Religious Education Curriculum and Teaching Studies 1                                                     10 cp

This unit is an introduction to Religious Education in Catholic or other Christian secondary schools. Key aspects of the unit are: theories about the nature and purpose of Religious Education in secondary schools and evaluation and critique of these various approaches; approaches to Religious Education in relevant diocesan curricula/guidelines; the development of basic teaching and learning strategies for secondary Religious Education.

EDRE528 Religious Education Curriculum and Teaching Studies 2                                                     10 cp

This unit is designed to extend the knowledge and skills developed in Curriculum and Teaching: Religious Education 1. Key aspects of the unit are: further curriculum development and evaluation processes applied to the teaching of major areas of the Catholic faith tradition; historical and contemporary approaches to Religious Education; the multi-faith and multi-cultural classroom in Religious Education; the teaching of State religious studies courses in Catholic secondary schools; moral/values education, and the Religious Education curriculum beyond the school.

EDRE529 Teaching the Catholic Tradition                                                                                            10 cp

For religious educators working in Catholic schools and parishes, a broad overview of the Catholic Church is a required foundation. This unit provides religious educators with a survey of the Catholic Church, its foundations, historical development, key teachings and sacramental and liturgical expressions. The unit will focus particularly on those aspects relevant to the work of Catholic religious educators, namely the Church’s teachings on social justice, the development of the Church in Australia with particular reference to Catholic education and the preparation of prayer, sacramental and liturgical experiences.