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Research

How do pupils understand the relationship between religion and science, and how should this affect RE teaching?

Jo Pearce, Alexis Stones, Michael J. Reiss & Tamjid Mujtaba

Research Summary

There already exists a large knowledge base about teaching and learning related to the origins, diversity and history of life on Earth. We know less about teaching and learning related to wider issues pertinent to both religion and science; so in this research, wider issues of student perceptions of religion and science were investigated. There were many instances where students used language that conveyed a misconception of the different bases of, or epistemic distinctions between, religion and science. The research shows that RE needs to attend to this problem – to help students develop what the researchers call epistemic literacy – so that students avoid misconceptions and develop insights into the specific knowledge forms manifested in religion(s).

Researchers

Jo Pearce, Alexis Stones, Michael J. Reiss & Tamjid Mujtaba

Research Institution

University College London, Institute of Education

What is this about?

  • Teaching and learning about religion and science.
  • ‘Epistemic literacy’ – how can teachers help students to understand that religion(s) and science have different bases for the claims that they make?
  • A series of lessons (6 RE, 6 Science) was developed and taught, with these aims in mind; the research is also about what these lessons contained, what students said when reflecting on them and how their own perspectives changed.

What was done?

  • There was a literature review on different accounts of the religion-science relationship (e.g. conflict, complementary).
  • 40 students in years 9/10 took part in interviews before and after a specially designed series of 6 RE and 6 Science lessons.
  • The interview data were analysed, conclusions drawn and recommendations for school and for RE practice identified.

Main findings and outputs

  • Most students’ views on the religion-science relationship changed; of these 21, 18 moved from a view that religion and science are incompatible to a view that they are compatible.
  • 8 within this group moved to a view that religion and science answer the same question in different ways.
  • 5 referred to what the researchers call ‘coalescence’, i.e. that there can be a ‘cross-section’ between ‘belief and evidence’.
  • 13 students expressed their appreciation of the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the natures of religion and science, and their relationship(s). Some mentioned that they did not usually get this opportunity in RE, and they considered the approach effective.
  • RE teachers already deal with religious difference, so are well placed to ask students to consider questions such as whether or not religion and science are competing for the same explanatory space.
  • In some ways. subject compartmentalisation does not help students to grasp these issues.

Relevance to RE

RE teachers could seek opportunities with science colleagues for cross-curricular collaboration, to follow up the ideas presented through the research. The researchers also recommend that the religion-science questions are addressed in more areas than the origins of life and the universe; e.g. medical ethics and artificial intelligence are good areas in which to consider the contributions of religion and science together. RE teachers could also work with students to identify criteria can be used to evaluate religious and scientific explanations, and offer students different models of the religion-science relationship to evaluate.

Generalisability and potential limitations

The sample of 40 students and number of 12 lessons are fairly limited, but evidently sufficient to generate interesting findings, which teachers are invited to follow up in innovative ways that should engage and challenge their students.

Find out more

Jo Pearce, Alexis Stones, Michael J. Reiss & Tamjid Mujtaba (2019): ‘Science is purely about the truth so I don’t think you could compare it to non-truth versus the truth.’ Students’ perceptions of religion and science, and the relationship(s) between them: religious education and the need for epistemic literacy, British Journal of Religious Education.

https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2019.1635434

 

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