Listening to the voices of Religious Education professionals: the relationship between technology and Religious Education

ap Sion, T., Cullen, S., Danner, S., Kappelhoff, B. and Kodácsy-Simon, E. (2025) Listening to the voices of Religious Education professionals: the relationship between technology and Religious Education. British Journal of Religious Education. ISSN 0141-6200 (In Press)

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Abstract

Across Europe, more or less simultaneously, the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated (and stimulated) the use and development of technology in education settings, as new ways of teaching and learning had to be created in response to practical constraints introduced by temporary school closures. Although a sizeable body of research has examined this phenomenon from a range of perspectives in education, considerably less research has been conducted in the context of Religious Education. The current study aims to listen to 16 Religious Education professionals in Europe as they reflect upon and critically consider their experiences of technology during the pandemic and its implications for both present and future Religious Education. Content analyses identified eight inter-related areas of interest and concern for participants, which include technology and Religious Education, alongside wellbeing, life questions, understanding Religious Education, teachers’ situation, relationships, social aspects and wider context. Results show that the Religious Education professionals held strong views about the use of technology in Religious Education, including the challenges and opportunities presented in comparison with in-person teaching practices. Four areas of interest emerge, which are concerned with: effects on relationships; potential for teaching and learning; attitudes to online settings; and (un)changed understandings of RE.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is an author accepted manuscript of a paper accepted on 16th April 2025 by Taylor & Francis for publication in Rural Theology. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy.
Keywords:	Technology, Religious Education, Qualitative survey
Divisions:	School of Humanities
Depositing User:	Tania Ap Sion
Date Deposited:	30 Jun 2025 08:41
Last Modified:	30 Jun 2025 08:41
URI:	https://bgro.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/1242

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