Year
2022Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitPrerequisites
Nil
Unit rationale, description and aim
In its document tradition, the Catholic Church continues to affirm the partnership that exists between parish, families, and schools (Second Vatican Council, 1965; Congregation for Catholic Education, 1977, 1988). In this unit, students study the history of parish – school relationships and the importance of the parish as the “pre-eminent place of catechesis” (Pope John Paul II, 1979, para 67). From this perspective, the unit explores the relationship between catechesis and religious education and examines the contemporary context in which parishes and schools work together in advancing the mission of the Church. The aim of the unit is to make concrete the relationship between school and parish and for students to generate programs which enhance partnerships between school and parish.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
LO1 - Identify and describe the stages in the history of catechesis within the Christian community (GA5; APST HA 6.3)
LO2 - Compare and analyse distinctions and links between catechesis, religious instruction, religious education and evangelisation to improve content selection and organisation of learning activities in religious education in school and parish contexts (GA8, GA10; APST Lead 2.2)
LO3 - Investigate and critically analyse some contemporary examples of partnerships between the Catholic school and the parish, particularly in relation to the celebration of the Sacraments (GA8; APST Lead 7.3)
LO4 - Investigate, apply and critique insights from educational and psychological theory in order to generate appropriate and responsive aims and processes of education in faith and worship at different stages of life including childhood, adolescence and adulthood (GA8; APST Lead 1.1)
LO5 - Demonstrate specialised knowledge and skills in planning and facilitating programs in faith education and experiences of liturgy and worship that reflect a high regard for equity and human rights in the context of a broad understanding of globalisation in a variety of settings including family, parish and the wider community (GA5, GA10; APST Lead 1.3)
Graduate attributes
GA5 - Demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession
GA8 - Locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information
GA10 - Utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Lead
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards:
1.1 Lead colleagues to select and develop teaching strategies to improve student learning using knowledge of the physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students. |
1.3 Evaluate and revise school learning and teaching programs, using expert and community knowledge and experience, to meet the needs of students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. |
2.2 Lead initiatives that utilise comprehensive content knowledge to improve the selection and sequencing of content into coherently organised learning and teaching programs. |
7.3 Identify, initiate and build on opportunities that engage parents/carers in both the progress of their children’s learning and in the educational priorities of the school. |
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Highly Accomplished
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards:
6.3 Initiate and engage in professional discussions with colleagues in a range of forums to evaluate practice directed at improving professional knowledge and practice, and the educational outcomes of students. |
Content
Topics will include:
- evaluation of terms, including religious education, religious instruction, catechesis, evangelisation;
- the roles and responsibilities of the school and parish as partners through reference to Church documents;
- developments in Christian theology and their relationship to catechetical theory;
- the contribution of developmental theory to understanding human needs and abilities at different life stages;
- contemporary understandings of the aims of education in faith at different stages of life;
- pedagogy and programs for facilitating education in faith throughout life.
- partnerships within and beyond the religious education classroom.
- parish based sacramental programs influenced by the RCIA process.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The learning and teaching strategy in this unit is informed by various principles that are enunciated in the University’s Strategic Plan (2020 – 2023). In particular, the unit adopts a “student-centric approach that ensures every student has the opportunity and support they need to succeed and graduate at ACU” (Australian Catholic University, 2020, p. 7) (Priority 2.5).
EDRE639 is taught in numerous modes (i.e. face to face, intensive, online, mixed) and involves 150 hours of focused learning. This consists of lectures and tutorials in the face-to-face mode, and recorded lectures (for asynchronous use), videoconferencing and webinars in the online mode. The remaining hours are reserved for private research and cooperative learning through forums and reflective journals, leading to the completion of the required assessment tasks.
In the unit, students study the changing contexts in which education occurs in the Christian community. The unit proposes several partnership models that can be used to underpin parish–school relations and provides students with opportunities to consider suitable models that can lead to lifelong education in faith communities by drawing upon local contexts.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed for students to progressively demonstrate their achievement of each learning outcome. For this reason, a range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. Such procedures may include, but are not limited to: essays, reports, examinations, student presentations or case studies. In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks and achieve an aggregate mark of at least 50/100.
Task 1 requires students to demonstrate familiarity with key terminology by comparing and analysing distinctions and links between key terminology such as catechesis, religious instruction, religious education and evangelisation (LO2). By drawing upon the Church document tradition and scholarly literature, students identify and describe the stages in the history of catechesis within the Christian community to propose a possible relationship between the Catholic school and parish in their local context (or one with which they are familiar) (LO1).
Based on their local context, Task 2 then requires students to investigate and critically analyse some contemporary examples of partnerships between the Catholic school and the parish, particularly in relation to the celebration of the Sacraments (LO3). Based on this analysis, students design a program that addresses the faith developmental of needs of participants at various stages of life. To do this, students are required to demonstrate specialised knowledge and skills in planning and facilitating programs in faith education that reflect an understanding of the diverse nature of the Christian community while also acknowledging the presence of students who may belong to different religious traditions (LO5). In designing their program, students are required to investigate, apply and critique insights from educational and psychological theory in order to generate appropriate and responsive aims and processes of education in faith and worship at particular stages of life that are relevant to their local context (LO4).
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes | Graduate Attributes |
|---|---|---|---|
A written paper describing and critiquing key terms utilised in faith education in school-parish contexts. | 50% | LO1, LO2 | GA5, GA8, GA10 |
The design of a program to address the faith developmental of needs of participants at various stages of life. | 50% | LO3, LO4, LO5 | GA5, GA8, GA10 |
Representative texts and references
Archdiocese of Brisbane. (2014). Collaborating for mission: The parish and the Catholic school. Collaborating for Mission Parish A5 Booklet_WEB.pdf (cec.qld.edu.au)
Bishops of NSW and the ACT. (2007). Pastoral Letter: Catholic schools at a crossroads. http://www.cec.qld.edu.au/publications/Documents/Collaborating%20for%20Mission%20Parish%20A5%20Booklet_WEB.pdf
Catholic Education SA and Office for Renewing Parishes. (2018). Being Church together: A theology, vision and guiding principles for the Parish - School Relationship. https://online.cesa.catholic.edu.au/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-31245.
East, T., Aguilera-Titus., Coll, C., RSM, Eckert, A M., Kehrwald L., Lansing., Sean., Martineau, M., Roberto, J., & Tholcke, C M. (2015). Leadership for Catholic youth ministry. Twenty Third Publications.
Engebretson, K (2014). Catholic schools and the future of the Church. Bloomsbury.
Mallon, J. (2014). Divine renovation: bringing your parish from maintenance to mission. Twenty-Third Publications.
Ryan, C., Fini, C., Hart, M., Hodge, J., Rhynehart, T., Koper, M., Hart, M., Sinclair, G., Salmon, P., Woods, P., Toohey, S., Gigacz, S., Pirola, T., Bennett, S., Hasham, S., & Woods, P., (2014). Australian Catholic youth ministry: Theological and pastoral foundations for faithful ministry. Garratt.
Rymarz, R. (2013). The new evangelisation: issues and challenges for Catholic schools. Connor Court.
Vatican Documents
Congregation for Catholic Education. (2007). Educating together in Catholic schools: A shared mission between consecrated persons and the lay faithful. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20070908_educare-insieme_en.html.
Congregation for Catholic Education. (2014). Educating today and tomorrow: A renewing passion. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20140407_educare-oggi-e-domani_en.html.
Congregation for the Clergy. (2020). Instruction: The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church. https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2020/07/20/200720a.html.
Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization. (2020). Directory for Catechesis. St Pauls.
Pope Francis. (2013). Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium the joy of the gospel. http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html.
Appropriate Journals and Websites
Journals
Australasian Catholic Record
Websites