ABSTRACT

TITLE: AN ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGY MODEL IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION USING RELIGIOUS DRAMA
AUTHOR: PAULINO, PATRICK GERARD A.
ACC.NO:1029

ABSTRACT

PAULINO, PATRICK GERARD A., “AN ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGY MODEL IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION USING RELIGIOUS DRAMA.” (An Unpublished Dissertation, Aquinas University of Legazpi ,Professional Schools, Graduate School,Legazpi City, January 2014).

Key Words: Eduaction,Active Learning,Constructivism,Religious Education,Religious Drama,Religious Experience,Phenomenology,Grounded Theory,Foundational Research,pedagogy

Pedagogical practice encompasses a wide repertoire of methods, approaches, strategies and techniques designed to suit the needs of the developing learners. In religious education, although the same educational principle applies, a difference in the depth and value for religious education is noted that it expresses more the doctrine, morals and worship than other domains of learning. In order to deliver the truths of faith and achieve moral maturity and transformation of every learner, religious education stresses that as long as these are useful and not harmful to the unity of faith or contrary to the Gospel it shall work.

Aquinas University of Legazpi center for Religious Education Department utilizes drama as a learning activity for the students to understand better the theological and religious concepts. A learning activity dubbed as “ Sinagoga” was transformed and established as a permanent activity in the institution not only as a religious activity but to uphold its artistic, cultural and educational relevance.

With the aforementioned scenario motivated by the theories of Harold Ehresperer, Norman Bert and Victoria Rue, and guided by the tenets of active learning particularly constructivism as espoused by Jean Piaget,Lev Vygotsky and Michael Grimmitt,this researcher proposed a model on active learning in Religious education using drama. Thus, it sought to determine the following objectives:
1. To show “Sinagoga” (Religious Drama) as a religious activity and a religious experience;
2. To justify or warrant active learning as an ideal and real mode of learning for religious education;
3. To provide/construct a model on active learning in Religious Education using Religious Drama.

This research undertaking is a qualitative one, employing three methods namely: phenomenology, foundation
research and grounded theory. The data is treated and interpreted using phenomenology, meta analysis and constructivists approach.
This study took experience as the primary data particularly in the first objective, phenomenology therefore is considered as the suitable method. Husserl’s phenomenological method (bracketing,eidetic,transcendental) in particular is utilized in defining the very essence of the Sinagoga and to show that religious drama through the Sinagoga activity activates religious experiences among the student-performers and student-spectatotrs.These experiences were analyzed and interpreted to come up with an initial framework or model. Students who were involved in the drama for the past three years are selected purposively according to the nature of their involvement or the kind of role assumed during the pre and post production event. Thirty five individuals were purposively selected to be participants in a series of focus group discussion. They were distributed according to the year of involvement. The proceedings were recorded and transcribed. Students’ reflection paper, evaluation responses, photo and video documentations, scripts, post-production assessments are also considered as sources of data. These documents were retrieved from the files of the Center Religious Education and the Center for Community Involvement under the division of the Office of the Religious Affairs in Aquinas University of Legazpi.
The second phase which corresponds to the second objective of this research project focuses on active learning and constructivism as an ideal and real mode of learning in religious education. But to establish this, the various notions and theories of active learning and constructivism are reviewed, expounded and synthesized. After the connection between active learning and constructivism is established, a framework or model is constructed. Since the course of work in the second phase is merely expounding, reviewing and synthesizing the various related literature and studies, the method used is foundational research with meta- analysis as the approach for the analysis and interpretation.
The entire research process in objectives no.1 and 2 is synthesized in objective no.3 and that is the provision of an active learning strategy model in Religious Education using religious drama. In coming up with a model, the Grounded Theory method is utilized with constructivist approach.
The model centers on a particular learning process that a student may experience when engage in religious drama-play, either as a performer or as an audience, Keywords such as Encounter,experience,Exchange,Informative and Transformative are prominent in the model.
Two equilateral triangles were used to denote the “Encounter”, “Experience” and “Exchange” level or the 3E’s of religious experience and the “Informative”,”Formative”,and “Transformative” or the IFT Model of education respectively. They were compounded to form a hexagram or the Star of David, a Jewish symbol for the ancient Synagogue. The symbol itself is very significant to the model because it signifies knowledge and balance and the totality of human person. The 3E’s is considered the actual process of religious experience and the IFT Model is the conceptual educational process in religious drama. The sense of awe, wonder and curiosity of the students engaged in religious drama activity is provided with necessary knowledge through the “Informative “level. After getting informed, students have to immerse in the “Experience” to draw values. In this case, a student submits himself to a “Formative “process. The passage from formation to transformation is bridged by the “Exchange” level. This is the realization, recognition, desire, or the permeation phase towards change and renewal as a totally developed human being who is intellectually fit, morally upright and emotionally mature.