Teaching Islam in K–12 Schools: Possibilities for Curriculum Renewal When Academics and Educators Collaborate

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Studies have shown that young Muslim learners, particularly those in ‘Western’ contexts feel Islam is being taught in ways that are irrelevant to their needs and as a result their educational experiences are largely disengaging (Abdalla 2018, Sahin 2016, Merry 2007). The need for pedagogical and curriculum renewal is well recognised. However, most attempts at curriculum renewal are either initiated by individual schools or commercial textbook publishers and developed with limited academic rigour, scholarly support or learner input. Often, this results in curricular resources that are unable to address the changing needs of Muslim learners. This symposium presents perspectives on curricular and pedagogical renewal from a two-year collaboration between academic educational researchers and educators in the Islamic schooling sector.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Religion and Education

Chair

• Mariam Alhashmi, Zayed University

Papers

• Developing a Conceptualization of Shakhsiyah Islamiyah (Islamic Character) as a Dialogic Muslim Self Imbued With Agency - Farah Ahmed, University of Cambridge

• Toward an Islamically Relevant Framework for Human Development - Claire Alkouatli, University of British Columbia

• Renewal of Health and Physical Education in an Australian Islamic School - Dylan William Chown, University of South Australia

• Multiperspectivity and Curriculum Renewal of K–12 Islamic Studies - Nadeem Memon, University of South Australia

Discussant

• Michael D. Waggoner, University of Northern Iowa