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Students in Australian Catholic schools live in a multi-cultural and multi-faith society where pluralisation, de-traditionalisation and individualisation are becoming increasingly prevalent. Given this context, religious education (RE) teachers face the challenge of implementing a pedagogical approach that is both culturally plausible and explicitly engages with the Catholic faith tradition. A recontextualising pedagogy seeks to meet this challenge. This investigation sought to ascertain the perspectives of RE teachers and leaders as to their understandings of recontextualisation and its application in the RE classroom. A qualitative approach utilising semi-structured interviews (distinguished by broad, general and open-ended questions) was employed to capture these perspectives. Whilst participants found it difficult to articulate what recontextualisation is, a key finding from this research was that they believe it is about making the Catholic faith tradition relevant to the lives of contemporary students. A second key finding was that certain strategies facilitated recontextualisation. These include: supportive, knowledgeable Religious Education Leaders (RELs); a trusting staff environment; using Scripture as Narrative; student-centred and active learning: toward a Pedagogy of Encounter; diversity; and reference to Catholic Social Teaching. It was also found that teachers' limited understanding of the Catholic Tradition and the lack of adequate resourcing that facilitates recontextualised learning are key barriers to recontextualising in the RE classroom. This research makes a significant contribution to an understanding of the purpose and challenges of recontextualisation, and some key strategies and barriers to its implementation.

The aim of this research was to get a better understanding of the work of school-based religious education leaders (SBREL) by examining the issues and challenges they face as well as how they are supported. SBREL were surveyed and interviewed, and they took part in focus groups. SBREL, in general, felt supported in their role. A major issue identified by SBREL was the implications of the changing demographics of Catholic schools, marked by growing numbers of non-Catholic students and weakening religious affiliation. Several challenges were identified. These included making Religious Education (RE) more engaging, the need for more practical assistance in delivering the RE curriculum, and providing better ongoing formation for teachers to better equip them to teach RE.

Exemplary religious education (RE) teachers were identified by school based RE leaders and interviewed as part of an ongoing study of the implementation of a new senior high school religious education program in Catholic schools in NSW, Australia. Contextualisation was provided by examining dominant social influences utilising Dobbelaere's concept of multi layered secularisation and Pollefeyt's notion of teachers as witness, specialist and moderator (WSM). The worldview of teachers in this study was not closely aligned with a secularised personal religious identity. They displayed a high level of religious salience. Participants did, however, display characteristics that were in keeping with a framework of skilled RE as WSM. A range of implications of this study were discussed including the need for; a closer examination of the pedagogical strategies used by exemplary RE teachers, a better understanding of teacher formation, further examination of the life journey of exemplary RE teachers in Catholic education.

The importance of religious questioning in establishing and maintaining religious affiliation is well recognised. Questions and how teachers respond to them is also a critical aspect of strong pedagogy and is an important part of teacher training and formation. Many curriculum documents in religious education assume that student questions are an important part of the teaching and learning process. This study seeks to examine the questions that students in Catholic schools raise in religious education class. This has been overlooked in the research literature and it is hoped that work will generate further interest in the topic. The study utilises a mixed methodology incorporating interviews with religious education coordinators as well as focus groups of experienced teachers. Results are discussed for infants (K-grade 2), primary (grades 3-6) and for secondary students (grades 7-12). For secondary and primary students, questions are categorised under three descriptive headings; metacognitive; thematic content; 'Why does the Church … ?' Infant questions are described using different categories. A range of implications are drawn from the findings including how to better prepare teachers to facilitate, encourage and respond to questions and the demands the student questions place on those involved in teacher formation and in the ongoing support of teachers.

This paper examines the experiences of six teachers from a regional, Australian diocese who attended World Youth Day (WYD). It also reports on aspects of their worldview and their experience working in Catholic schools. Overall participants were very positive about working in Catholic schools, and though not connected in an ongoing way with parish communities, they were happy to support the religious dimension of Catholic schools and were often involved in parish-based programmes when there was a connection with school activities. Their worldview could be characterised as having much in common with dominant cultural paradigms that sees religion in moral terms along with a deistic sense of God. Established social networks supported them in these views. Teacher pilgrims reported that WYD gave them the opportunity to experience a broader, more diverse Catholicism as well as the experience of going overseas and being part of a large gathering. Participation in WYD may open up opportunities for reflective discernment on the part of teacher pilgrims and a result has implications for the formation of teachers working in Catholic schools.

Catholic Studies is a religious education course used in senior high schools in New South Wales, Australia. The course is not counted for university entrance but meets the requirement for students to undertake religious study whilst in catholic schools. This paper examines the perceptions of teachers on why students take the course and what parts of it they find most and least engaging. In addition, the perceptions of teachers about the course are also reported. The results are discussed in the context of the wider literature of effective teacher student engagement. It argues that two aspects of effective teaching are the capacity of teachers to deal with the content of a course and also the ability to understand and engage with the learning needs of students. One conclusion is that for teacher and student learning in Catholic Studies to be improved, more focused support for teachers needs to be provided. This support would include specialized classroom resources as well as the opportunity for teachers to engage with their peers in a supportive learning community.

Religious education always takes place within a cultural context. In recent decades, this context has changed significantly and Catholic schools now engage with a world that is very different from the immediate post-Vatican 2 era. This changed cultural context shapes the views, beliefs and practices of students in Catholic schools. One way of exploring this contextualisation is to describe the worldviews of young people and to discuss some of the major features of these. This paper reports on an ongoing study of students in Catholic schools. It records how they see themselves, their involvement in Church and their religious expression. Results indicate nuanced responses that invite sophisticated analysis of young people and worldview. One clear trend to emerge is the changing perception of students as they progress through the school system. This finding is in accord with a view that describes religious engagement of young people reaching a plateau at a relatively early age. Some of the implications of this study for religious educators in Catholic schools will be drawn out and discussed with a number of recommendation made for practitioners.

The much documented sociological and cultural developments which offered significant challenges to Catholic education in recent decades have played no small part in changing the composition of the Catholic teaching force. A weakening of religious practices and an increase in more personalised understandings of spirituality are now especially prominent in the younger generations of Catholics. As this is the pool from which Catholic teachers of the future will come, it is vital to look afresh at the way we offer support and faith formation. More formal Catholic teacher education processes have to address these challenges by making a commitment to thorough theological education in a range of institutions which are both academically rigorous and pastorally supportive.

Students in Catholic schools make up a significant sub group of the Australian population. As such, studies of this group provide valuable information about the religious beliefs and practices of some Australian youth. Many students in Catholic schools express traditional religious views and have relatively high levels of religious behaviours. Over time these levels diminish but in a fashion that invites careful analysis and comparison with standard theories of secularisation. An important finding suggests that student responses are indicative of a loosening of religious affiliation rather than a complete disengagement. These results suggest a more nuanced view of students in Catholic school be adopted with implication for the conduct of Catholic schools in secular cultural contexts.

This paper seeks to gain a better understanding of religious education coordinators (RECs) in contemporary Catholic schools. This is done by using life history narratives to explore how participants came to be RECs. This study takes place in a wider cultural context that sees strong religious commitment, manifested by taking leadership positions in Catholic schools, as becoming increasing contested.

Religious education (RE) in Catholic high schools in Australia and Canada is compared by examining some of the underlying structural factors that shape the delivery of RE. It is argued that in Canadian Catholic schools RE is diminished by three factors that distinguish it from the Australian experience. These are: the level and history of government funding which in turn leads to a relative lack of autonomy of Catholic schools to control their own RE curriculum; external political and social influences on the RE curriculum which is apparent in the popular election of Catholic school trustees; and most decisively, the absence of strong, ongoing bureaucratic support of RE.

This article sets out to discuss the impact that urban living has had on the lives of young Indigenous people. It will seek to discover some of the problems that occur when there is a meeting of two cultures, in this case the Indigenous culture of Australian Aboriginal people and the mainstream culture that has been derived largely from west European traditions which, in turn, was born out of Western Christian perspectives. As well, it will explore the challenges faced by minority groups who live in pluralist contexts when they attempt to hand on their ways to their young people, in particular, the difficulties faced by urban Indigenous Australians who try to ensure that their young people will develop knowledge about their cultural and spiritual heritage. Finally it will examine how the rights of young Indigenous people need to be protected so that they can continue to develop their particular identity and at the same time take their place with pride and integrity in the pluralist social context that defines Australia today. "Many Australians understand that Aboriginal people have a special respect for nature. The identity we have with the land is sacred and unique. Many people are beginning to understand this more. Also there are many Australians who appreciate that Aboriginal people have a very strong sense of community. All persons matter. All of us belong and there are many more Australians who understand that we are people who celebrate together. What I want you to know about is another special quality of my people. I believe it is most important. It is our most unique gift. It is perhaps the greatest gift we can give to our fellow Australians. In our language it is the quality called "dadirri". It is inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness. "Dadirri" recognizes the deep spring inside us. We call on it and it calls to us. This is the gift that Australia is thirsting for. It is something like what you call 'contemplation'". (Ungunmerr, 2003)

Religious communities have an obvious interest in passing on their beliefs and practices to future generations. Many traditional churches, however, report major difficulties in retaining the interest and involvement of adolescents. This paper seeks to explore some of the beliefs and values of Australian core Catholic youth (14- to 15-years-old). Fifty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with adolescents with a pre-existing connection with parish communities. Most adolescents interviewed expressed either strong or weak familial pattern of church attendance and predicted a likely decrease in their future participation. The experience of older siblings, reported religious beliefs and a lack of supportive social networks either at school or in the wider community will be commented on. (Contains 1 table.)

This paper reports on research on the attitudes of a differentiated sample of students to Catholic schools in general and religious education in particular. Core Catholic youth are described, following Fulton "et al." (2000: "Young Catholics at the New Millennium", Dublin, University College Press), as individuals who have an existing connection with the parish community. Some results that emerge from 58 in-depth interviews with 14- and 15-year-old core Catholics are that they value their time in Catholic schools, feel that they are in a safe environment and are not well networked with others of a similar background. Attitudes to religious education by core Catholic youth are described as weak positive. Religious education is not unpopular but is not seen as a discipline that helps resolve some of the difficulties that they experience as young Catholics. These difficulties relate to trying to reconcile what they see as the conflict between the scientific and religious view of creation and many supernatural religious claims.

Religious communities have an obvious interest in passing on their beliefs and practices to future generations. Many traditional churches, however, report major difficulties in retaining the interest and involvement of adolescents. This study seeks to explore attitudes to a key indicator of traditional practice, church attendance, amongst Australian core Catholic youth (14-15 years of age). Fifty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with adolescents with a pre-existing connection with parish communities. Most adolescents interviewed expressed either strong or weak familial pattern of church attendance and predicted a likely decrease in their future participation. This, coupled with the experience of older siblings' reported views about the significance of the Eucharist and a lack of supportive social networks either at school or in the wider community, suggests that many core Catholic adolescents are likely to become less involved in church life in the future.

In 2002 a paper entitled "Writing Church-sponsored Religious Education Textbooks" by Engebretson was published in the "British Journal of Religious Education". This paper reported on and analysed some aspects of the development, by the Catholic Archdiocese in Melbourne, Victoria, of a series of religious education textbooks to be used in all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese. The paper contextualised the series, entitled "To Know, Worship and Love", in the field of literature on textbooks in the classroom. It discussed some local issues that had led to the decision to produce religious education textbooks, explained and justified the choice of content for the middle secondary books, and discussed the presentation of the books. In the final section of the paper, it was indicated that future papers would report on the evaluation of the series and its implementation, as a three-stage research project was completed. The first stage of the research project collected responses from teachers and Religious Education Co-ordinators (RECs) to the Years 7 and 9 books, that is those books written for students of 12 and 14 years respectively. This paper discusses a significant finding that emerged from this stage of the research, that is the relationship between textbook use and level of qualifications and experience in the teaching of religious education. This major finding is of interest in relation to a range of educational issues in religious education, including the role and use of resources, the mandation of resources by Church hierarchies, creativity and flexibility in teaching religious education, teacher confidence and experience and the important issue of content knowledge. Further papers will explore evaluations of the Years 8 and 10 books, and overall issues that have emerged from this Archdiocesan curriculum project.

Religious education (RE) in Catholic high schools in Australia and Canada is compared by examining some of the underlying structural factors that shape the delivery of RE. It is argued that in Canadian Catholic schools RE is diminished by three factors that distinguish it from the Australian experience. These are: the level and history of government funding which in turn leads to a relative lack of autonomy of Catholic schools to control their own RE curriculum; external political and social influences on the RE curriculum which is apparent in the popular election of Catholic school trustees; and most decisively, the absence of strong, ongoing bureaucratic support of RE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]