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Research and Other Activities

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Staff whose specialism is RME/RMPS are currently researching Head Teachers' Views on School Ethos. This research project, sponsored by the Curriculum Studies Department aims to ascertain:

• a shared definition of the term ‘school ethos’
• the key characteristics of a school with a good ethos
• exemplar strategies and activities that facilitate these characteristics
• the aspects of ethos that are currently a developmental priority for Head Teachers and schools
• current educational initiatives which Head Teachers feel are aiding the development of good school ethos
• problems or limitations that Head Teachers/schools face in the creation and sustaining of a good school ethos and suggestions for overcoming them.

During 1998-99 an innovative project called 'TeleLearning in RMPS' was successfully run by staff now based in Curriculum Studies. This project had two aims:

1. Using computer conferencing, to facilitate collaborative curriculum development between a group of geographically distant teachers.
2. To research the viability of such collaboration on a larger scale and to highlight benefits and needs.

The project report, written in November, 2000, is available from the department.

In September 2002, the department hosted a conference for pupils who are studying Higher Level RMPS. This was organised and run jointly with the University's School of Divinity and Religious Studies. The conference, the first of its kind, involved mini-lectures, workshops and an open forum with members of faith communities. A second such conference is being hosted by the Department of Curriculum Studies in association with the School of Divinity and Religious Studies in September 2003.