From Indifference to Dialogue?: Estonian Young People, the School and Religious Diversity(v. 19 Religious Diversity and Education in Europe)

This case study contributes to discussions about religious education and its relation to young people's concerns and to social cohesion in Estonia. However, the book also makes an important contribution to the international debate about religions and education. It brings together empirical studies conducted in Estonia in the framework of a major European project, REDCo (Religion in Education: A contribution to Dialogue or a factor of Conflict in transforming societies of European Countries?) setting the research in the context of wider international debates. The mixed methods research investigates the attitudes of 14-16 years old Estonians towards religion and religious diversity, exploring their views on the role of the school in promoting dialogue and tolerance among representatives of different worldviews, and establishing the ways in which their experience of religious education affects their views on these issues. Dr. Schihalejev draws on three of her empirical studies, each utilising a different methodology. The qualitative and the quantitative studies investigate students' attitudes to religion and religious diversity, while two contrasting classroom-based studies of religious education explore patterns of interaction, both using video-ethnography and incident-analysis respectively to collect and interpret the data. Grounded in the findings of the empirical studies, the author explores dialogical pedagogies for non-confessional approaches to religious education and discusses policies for strengthening active tolerance in the school context.

Table of Contents:
1 Introduction; 1.1 Motivation, scope and structure of the book; 1.1.1 Relevance of the study in European context; 1.1.2 Personal motivation; 1.1.3 Structure of the book; 1.2 Terminology - keywords; 1.2.1 Tolerance; 1.2.2 Dialogue; 1.2.3 Religious Education; 1.3 Methodology; 1.3.1 Methodological framework; 1.3.1.1 Mixed methods' approach; 1.3.1.2 The framework of social constructivism; 1.3.1.3 The interpretive approach as a stimulus; 1.3.2 Methods of data collection and data analyses; 1.3.2.1 Views of students: qualitative study; 1.3.2.2 Views of students: the quantitative study; 1.3.2.3 Classroom interaction; 1.3.3 The time schedule of the research; 1.3.4 Ethical issues; 2 Religious education in Estonia; 2.1 Background factors for religious education; 2.1.1 The ethnic and religious landscape of Estonia; 2.1.2 The legislative framework and status quo of religious education; 2.2 Current developments; 2.2.1 Public debates about religious education; 2.2.2 The national syllabus for religious education; 2.2.3 Positioning of Estonian religious education in the European context; 3 Qualitative study with students; 3.1 Key information in an empirical study; 3.1.1 Questionnaire; 3.1.2 Sample and the procedure; 3.1.3 Quantity and quality of data; 3.2 Presentation of results; 3.2.1 Personal views on religion; 3.2.1.1 Associations with words 'religion' and 'God'; 3.2.1.2 Importance of religion; 3.2.1.3 Sources of knowledge; 3.2.1.4 Summary; 3.2.2 The social dimension of religion; 3.2.2.1 Religion as a topic of conversation with peers; 3.2.2.2 Experiences of religion; 3.2.2.3 Religious pluralism; 3.2.2.4 Summary; 3.2.3 Education about religion in school; 3.2.3.1 General attitude towards religious education in school; 3.2.3.2 Proposed contents of religious education; 3.2.3.3 Does the teacher have the right to be religious?; 3.2.3.4 Religious education; 3.2.3.5 Summary; 3.3 Reflections and conclusions; 3.3.1 Religion - perceptions; 3.3.2 Potentials of school; 3.3.3 Religious education changing attitudes; 4 Quantitative study with students; 4.1 Key information about the quantitative study; 4.1.1 Description of the sample; 4.1.2 General procedure of the fieldwork and comments of students; 4.2 General presentation of the results; 4.2.1 What role has religion in students' life and in their surroundings?; 4.2.1.1 Data description; 4.2.1.2 Data interpretation; 4.2.2 How do students see the impact of religion in a society?; 4.2.2.1 Data description; 4.2.2.2 Data interpretation; 4.2.3 How do students see religion in school?; 4.2.3.1 Data description; 4.2.3.2 Data interpretation; 4.3 Conclusions; 4.3.1 Answering the research questions; 4.3.2Reflections in the light of the research hypotheses; 5 Prospects for and obstacles to dialogue in religious education lessons; 5.1 Sample: Schools, teachers, and status of religious education; 5.1.1 School C; 5.1.2 School D; 5.2 Presentation of results; 5.2.1 Pool of incidents; 5.2.1.1 Open and closed questions; 5.2.1.2 The teacher's way to respond; 5.2.1.3 Results and conclusions; 5.2.2 Incident: Image of God; 5.2.2.1 Context of the incident; 5.2.2.2 Thematic level of the incident; 5.2.2.3 Interactive level of the incident; 5.2.2.4 Students' perspective; 5.2.2.5 The teacher's perspective; 5.3 Reflections and conclusions; 5.3.1 Hindrances; 5.3.2 Potentials; 5.3.3 Dialogical approaches and their adaptability to the Estonian situation; 6 Conclusions: a possible way forward for religious education in Estonia; 6.1 Triangulation of results from qualitative and quantitative studies on the views of students; 6.1.1 Impact of studies on personal beliefs and views about religion; 6.1.2 Impact of studies on views about religion in society and about respect; 6.1.3 Impact of studies on views about religion in school; 6.2 Hindrances and potentials for developing tolerance in the context of school; 6.3 Perspectives for future developments; 6.3.1 The status of religious education; 6.3.2 Teacher education

About the Author :
Dr. Olga Schihalejev is a researcher and a lecturer in the Faculty of Theology at Tartu University, Estonia. She has worked as a teacher of religious education and has written teaching-learning resources for students in Estonia. She is a board member of the Estonian RE Teachers' Association, actively involved in improving the national syllabus for RE and organising annual conferences for RE teachers in Estonia. She worked on the EC Framework 6 project REDCo (Religion in Education. A contribution to dialogue or a factor of conflict in transforming societies of European Countries). Within the REDCo Project her research was on how religion is perceived by young people in a secular context. Additionally she is interested in the perception of religion and tolerance by different ethnic groups in Estonia. Her current research interest is the study of the competences young teachers of different subjects have for implemeting values education.