Religion and Ethics Study Area Specification
1. RATIONALE
A sense of purpose and personal integrity are essential for participative and contributing members of society. This study area specification provides for a program of study that encourages students to explore their personal values and life choices and the ways in which these are related to their beliefs. The study area specification in Religion and Ethics helps students understand the personal, relational and spiritual dimensions of human experience. A search for meaning assists students from various cultural, social, linguistic and economic backgrounds to learn about and reflect on the richness of religious and ethical worldviews.
The study area specification enhances students’’ understanding of how personal beliefs, values and spiritual identity are shaped and influenced by factors such as family, culture, gender, race, class and economic issues. It allows for flexible programs of study that recognise the varied needs and interests of students investigating topics such as the meaning of life, spirituality, purpose and destiny, commitment, life choices, moral and ethical issues and justice, and how these topics are dealt with in various religious and ethical traditions. It supports students in developing the capacity to learn from spoken, written and visual texts and other sources including their family, friends and fellow students.
The terms religion and spirituality may be understood differently by various people. In the context of this document, religion is understood as a faith tradition based on a common understanding of beliefs and practice, and spirituality refers to a transcendent reality that connects a person with humanity and the universe. The term ethics refers to systematic approaches to making decisions for the good of the individual and society.
Within this study area, the focus is on students gaining knowledge and developing an ability to reflect on, critique and communicate this knowledge in relation to their lives and the world in which they live. The core of the Religion and Ethics Study Area Specification focuses on the personal, relational and spiritual dimensions of human experience. The elective topics selected for study should reflect the core dimensions and be developed in ways that suit students.
The learning experiences and assessment tasks of this study area specification should be practical and experiential in emphasis. As religion and ethics are social and cultural activities, students will interact with people individually and in groups. A program of study should recognise the benefits of networking within the community. Schools may consider involvement with religious communities, charities, welfare and service groups and organisations that deal with questions of ethics and justice. Therefore, it is important that students learn to respect and interact with members of the wider community who may have different beliefs. To attain these ends, teachers are encouraged to establish a collaborative learning environment.
The teaching and learning contexts of the study area specification also provide opportunities for the development of five of the seven key competencies: KC1, collecting, analysing and organising information; KC2, communicating ideas and information; KC3, planning and organising activities; KC4, working with others and in teams; KC7, using technology. In a course of study, students may independently plan their own research in order to collect, analyse and organise information about religion and ethics. A range of information technology, including audiovisual equipment, can be used in communicating their understandings.
