Do they really believe that? Experiential Learning outside the Theology and Religious Studies...

Do they really Do they really believe that?believe that?

Experiential Learning outside the Experiential Learning outside the Theology and Religious Studies Theology and Religious Studies

ClassroomClassroom

Denise Cush and Catherine RobinsonDenise Cush and Catherine Robinson

Living Religion ProjectLiving Religion Project

Survey of experiential elements in TRSSurvey of experiential elements in TRS Increase opportunities for fieldwork Increase opportunities for fieldwork

placementsplacements Provision of on-line support materialsProvision of on-line support materials Encourage dialogue about religion as lived Encourage dialogue about religion as lived

experienceexperience

Cultural and Religious Cultural and Religious DiversityDiversity

Contested nature and relationship of ‘culture’ Contested nature and relationship of ‘culture’ and ‘religion’and ‘religion’

Wider Equality and Diversity agenda Wider Equality and Diversity agenda AgeAge GenderGender SexualitySexuality DisabilityDisability

Tensions between dimensions of Equality and Tensions between dimensions of Equality and Diversity agendaDiversity agenda

Survey of TRS DepartmentsSurvey of TRS Departments

19 responses from 40 departments19 responses from 40 departments 14 responses indicated some form of 14 responses indicated some form of

experiential elementsexperiential elements Four main typesFour main types

Day visitDay visit Study visit abroadStudy visit abroad Fieldwork placementFieldwork placement Vocational placementVocational placement

Bath Spa UniversityBath Spa University

Experiential elementsExperiential elements Day visitsDay visits Study visit abroad (South Korea)Study visit abroad (South Korea) Fieldwork placementFieldwork placement

Focus on day visits and fieldwork Focus on day visits and fieldwork placementplacement

Experiential LearningExperiential Learning

Direct encounterDirect encounter Reflection on experienceReflection on experience Embedded in student programmesEmbedded in student programmes Valuable learning opportunityValuable learning opportunity

(McGill & Warner Weil, 1989: 248; Moon, (McGill & Warner Weil, 1989: 248; Moon, 1994: 120)1994: 120)

Experience of Religions or Experience of Religions or Religious Experience?Religious Experience?

Theology cf. Religious StudiesTheology cf. Religious Studies Religious Studies ethos and experience of Religious Studies ethos and experience of

religionsreligions Religious experienceReligious experience Clash between understanding and Clash between understanding and

empathy on the one hand and believing empathy on the one hand and believing and endorsement on the otherand endorsement on the other

Learning in and outside the Learning in and outside the ClassroomClassroom

Cultural and Religious Diversity in the Cultural and Religious Diversity in the classroomclassroom Students, staff and visitorsStudents, staff and visitors Books, documentaries, etc.Books, documentaries, etc.

Cultural and Religious Diversity outside Cultural and Religious Diversity outside the classroomthe classroom HolisticHolistic ContextualisedContextualised

Day VisitsDay Visits

Defined as group visit to religious centres Defined as group visit to religious centres and places of worship led/accompanied by and places of worship led/accompanied by a tutor or lecturer but in which students a tutor or lecturer but in which students interact with members of faith communitiesinteract with members of faith communities

Most common experiential element Most common experiential element according to survey of TRS departmentsaccording to survey of TRS departments

Day Visit to BristolDay Visit to Bristol

Day Visit to GlastonburyDay Visit to Glastonbury

Representation and RealityRepresentation and Reality

Baba Balaknath Mandir – Hindu or Sikh? Baba Balaknath Mandir – Hindu or Sikh? (Geaves, 1996)(Geaves, 1996)

Hinduism – textual or anthropological? Hinduism – textual or anthropological? (Narayanan, 2000)(Narayanan, 2000)

Increased use of ethnography (e.g. Increased use of ethnography (e.g. Wuthnow & Cadge, 2004: 363)Wuthnow & Cadge, 2004: 363)

Student ResponsesStudent Responses

Advantages of day visitsAdvantages of day visits First-hand direct experienceFirst-hand direct experience Encounter with believersEncounter with believers Going beyond two dimensionsGoing beyond two dimensions Authenticity of insiderAuthenticity of insider


Disadvantages of day visitsDisadvantages of day visits Bias or selectivityBias or selectivity Deviation from academic normsDeviation from academic norms Too briefToo brief


Learning by seeing and doingLearning by seeing and doing Concerns and sensitivitiesConcerns and sensitivities

How to ask questions without giving offence How to ask questions without giving offence and to observe the protocol and etiquette of and to observe the protocol and etiquette of communitiescommunities

How to cope with challenges to personal How to cope with challenges to personal beliefs and values and to enter into beliefs and values and to enter into constructive dialogueconstructive dialogue

Fieldwork PlacementsFieldwork Placements

Defined as an intensive or sustained Defined as an intensive or sustained experience, often residential, in which experience, often residential, in which students spend time in religious students spend time in religious communities and employ ethnographic communities and employ ethnographic methods in their studymethods in their study

Also found elsewhere according to survey Also found elsewhere according to survey of TRS departments of TRS departments

Examples of PlacementsExamples of Placements

Ethnography and ReligionsEthnography and Religions

Nature of ethnography (Brewer, 2000: 10)Nature of ethnography (Brewer, 2000: 10) Case for an ethnographic approach to Case for an ethnographic approach to

religions (Saliba, 1974)religions (Saliba, 1974) Significance and benefits of fieldwork Significance and benefits of fieldwork

combined with particular demands and combined with particular demands and difficulties (Geaves, 2007)difficulties (Geaves, 2007)

Engaged and ethical dimension (Knott, Engaged and ethical dimension (Knott, 1995: 209-210)1995: 209-210)


Should be required part of RS programme as Should be required part of RS programme as new and important form of learningnew and important form of learning Integral to broad-based study of religionsIntegral to broad-based study of religions Find out more than is possible from lectures and Find out more than is possible from lectures and

booksbooks Apply theory and method for oneselfApply theory and method for oneself See religious community in its everyday lifeSee religious community in its everyday life Learn how to interact with people from different Learn how to interact with people from different

backgroundsbackgrounds Develop both personally and academicallyDevelop both personally and academically


Possible challengesPossible challenges ‘‘Culture shock’Culture shock’ Balance between participation and Balance between participation and

observationobservation Interpersonal dynamicsInterpersonal dynamics Keeping an open mindKeeping an open mind Questioning own valuesQuestioning own values Independence and self-managementIndependence and self-management Interpretation and representativenessInterpretation and representativeness


Possible areas of controversyPossible areas of controversy Avoidance of ‘researcher effect’Avoidance of ‘researcher effect’ Hostility towards studentsHostility towards students Clash of valuesClash of values Implications of participation in religious Implications of participation in religious

activitiesactivities

Experiential Elements and Experiential Elements and Cultural and Religious Cultural and Religious

DiversityDiversity Actual rather than theoretical Cultural and Actual rather than theoretical Cultural and

Religious DiversityReligious Diversity Plurality within as well as across religionsPlurality within as well as across religions Complex interactions of religions and Complex interactions of religions and

culturescultures Tensions between respect for other and Tensions between respect for other and

integrity of selfintegrity of self Dialogue in differenceDialogue in difference

Skills AuditSkills Audit

Based upon TRS Subject Benchmarking Based upon TRS Subject Benchmarking Statement and Subject Centre Statement and Subject Centre Employability GuideEmployability Guide

Experiential elements facilitate Experiential elements facilitate development of skills including those development of skills including those relevant to Cultural and Religious Diversity relevant to Cultural and Religious Diversity and thus to controversy arising out of and thus to controversy arising out of conflicting beliefs and valuesconflicting beliefs and values


Examples from Benchmarking StatementExamples from Benchmarking Statement Representation of views other than one’s own Representation of views other than one’s own

with fairness and integrity and express own with fairness and integrity and express own identity without denigration of othersidentity without denigration of others

Awareness of the passions and claims to Awareness of the passions and claims to certainty in traditions with their positive and certainty in traditions with their positive and negative effectsnegative effects

Engagement with the convictions and Engagement with the convictions and behaviours of others with empathy and behaviours of others with empathy and integrityintegrity


Examples from Employability GuideExamples from Employability Guide Interpersonal sensitivityInterpersonal sensitivity QuestioningQuestioning Achievement orientationAchievement orientation Adaptability and flexibilityAdaptability and flexibility Tolerance of stressTolerance of stress

Ongoing Research and Future Ongoing Research and Future PlansPlans

Host community interviewsHost community interviews Host community templatesHost community templates Visits to partner University departmentsVisits to partner University departments Project websiteProject website

Case studiesCase studies Good practice guidesGood practice guides Curriculum and assessmentCurriculum and assessment

Anything else?Anything else?

Wider ContextWider Context

Future of TRS in Higher EducationFuture of TRS in Higher Education Place of religions in the public spherePlace of religions in the public sphere

‘‘Big Society’Big Society’ VolunteeringVolunteering Social enterpriseSocial enterprise Combating extremismCombating extremism

Equality and Diversity AgendaEquality and Diversity Agenda

BibliographyBibliography

Brewer, J.D. (2000) Brewer, J.D. (2000) Ethnography.Ethnography. Buckingham & Philadelphia: Buckingham & Philadelphia: Open University Press.Open University Press.

Geaves, R. (1996) ‘Baba Balaknath: An Exploration of Geaves, R. (1996) ‘Baba Balaknath: An Exploration of Religious Identity.’ Religious Identity.’ DISKUSDISKUS, 4 (2). [Online] available from: , 4 (2). [Online] available from: http://web.uni-marburg-de/religionswissenschaft/journal/diskus/geaves.html..

-- (2007) ‘Fieldwork in the Study of Religion.’ -- (2007) ‘Fieldwork in the Study of Religion.’ InIn: Chryssides, : Chryssides, G.D. & Geaves, R. G.D. & Geaves, R. The Study of Religion: An Introduction to The Study of Religion: An Introduction to Key Ideas and Methods.Key Ideas and Methods. London & New York: Continuum, pp. London & New York: Continuum, pp. 238-274.238-274.


Knott, K. (1995) ‘Women Researching, Women Knott, K. (1995) ‘Women Researching, Women Researched: Gender as an Issue in the Empirical Study of Researched: Gender as an Issue in the Empirical Study of Religion.’ Religion.’ InIn: King, U. : King, U. ed. Religion and Gender.ed. Religion and Gender. Oxford Oxford Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell, pp. 199-218.Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell, pp. 199-218.

McGill, I. & Warner Weil, S. (1989) ‘Continuing the McGill, I. & Warner Weil, S. (1989) ‘Continuing the Dialogue: New Possibilities for Experiential Learning.’ Dialogue: New Possibilities for Experiential Learning.’ InIn: : Warner Weil, S. & McGill, I. Warner Weil, S. & McGill, I. eds Making Sense of eds Making Sense of Experiential Learning.Experiential Learning. Milton Keynes: SRHE/Open Milton Keynes: SRHE/Open University Press, pp. 245-274.University Press, pp. 245-274.


Moon, J.A. (2004) Moon, J.A. (2004) A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning: A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning: Theory and Practice.Theory and Practice. London & New York: RoutledgeFalmer. London & New York: RoutledgeFalmer.

Narayanan, V. (2000) ‘Diglossic Hinduism: Liberation and Lentils.’ Narayanan, V. (2000) ‘Diglossic Hinduism: Liberation and Lentils.’ Journal of the American Academy of ReligionJournal of the American Academy of Religion, 68 (4), pp. 761-779., 68 (4), pp. 761-779.

Saliba, J.A. (1974) ‘The New Ethnography and the Study of Religion.’ Saliba, J.A. (1974) ‘The New Ethnography and the Study of Religion.’ Journal for the Scientific Study of ReligionJournal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 13 (2), pp. 145-159., 13 (2), pp. 145-159.


Wuthrow, R. & Cadge, W. (2004) ‘Buddhists and Wuthrow, R. & Cadge, W. (2004) ‘Buddhists and Buddhism in the United States: The Scope of Influence.’ Buddhism in the United States: The Scope of Influence.’ Journal for the Scientific Study of ReligionJournal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 43 (4), pp. , 43 (4), pp. 363-380.363-380.

Do they really believe that? Experiential Learning outside the Theology and Religious Studies...

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