About the course
This course provides students with opportunities to explore various world religions and belief traditions. Students will develop knowledge of the terms and concepts relevant to this area of study, will examine the ways in which religions and belief traditions meet various human needs, and will learn about the relationship between belief and action. They will examine sacred writings and teachings, consider how concepts of time and place influence different religions and belief traditions, and develop research and inquiry skills related to the study of human expressions of belief.
World Religions and Belief Traditions: Perspectives, Issues, and Challenges
Course Credit
1
Course Price
$ 550.00
Course Developer
My Learning Oasis
Prerequisite(s) (Text)
None
Course Code
Department Head & Contact Information
HRT3M
Ravi Sharma(ravi@mylearningoasis.com)
Course Type
University/College
Grade Level
Grade 11
Course Development Date
June 10th, 2021
Course Outline
Why Religion
In this unit students will explore why there are religions and how they influence society. They will look at ways to study and evaluate religion. They will inquire as to why humans have religious beliefs. They will explore the connection between science and religion. Students will explore the timeline for the origins of the great religions: As per the world atlas, Hinduism - 2300 BCE, Judaism - 640 BCE, Buddhism - 563 BCE. The timeline for the more modern religions will also be discussed.
Estimated Hours of Instructions: 2 hours
Religion, Cult and Culture
In this unit students will look at some of the various beliefs that are common and different between religions of various regions. They will explore the difference between a cult and religion. They will study the impact of culture on religion and the impact of religion on culture.
Estimated Hours of Instructions: 5 hours
Hinduism
In this segment, students will begin to explore the oldest religion in the world, Hinduism. They will explore the origins of many Eastern religions and how Hinduism serves as the basis of their origins. They will look at the strong connection between science and the ancient scriptures and the connections between ancient ideas and modern ideas. Students will look at how Hinduism has influenced the Western World and the reasons. Students will also begin their experiential learning assignment Sacred Spaces.
Estimated Hours of Instructions: 15 hours
Buddhism and Jainism
In this segment, students will investigate its origin and explore the rich histories of these great religions. Students will look at their concepts about theodicy, enlightenment, reincarnation, etc. They will draw parallels with Hinduism. Students will draw upon the origins of these religions to justify their similarities with Hinduism.
Estimated Hours of Instructions: 13 hours
Judaism
In this unit students will learn about the oldest Western religion. They will explore theodicy and the path to enlightenment as prescribed by Judaism. Students will study other important areas in Judaism. Students will explore how Judaism influences society.
Estimated Hours of Instructions: 13 hours
Christianity
Students will explore the origin of Christianity and look at some of its main philosophies and how they relate to Judaism. Students will look at its impact on different parts of the world and some of the facets that have been developed later on.
Estimated Hours of Instructions: 15 hours
Islam
In this unit students will look at the Islamic faith. Students will explore the roots of Islam and its connection with Abraham, the Patriarch of Judaism, thus sharing a belief in the same God as Christians and Jews.
Estimated Hours of Instructions: 15 hours
Sikhism
In this unit students will explore the origins of Sikhism. It is the newest of the world religions. It has its origin in Punjab which now falls into the present-day states of India and Pakistan. Students will explore the concept of enlightenment and theodicy in Sikhism.
Estimated Hours of Instructions: 15 hours
Aboriginal Spiritualities
In this unit students will explore the richness of Native/Aboriginal Spirituality - an integral part of North American history. This tradition is well planted in the “Balance Tradition” category which aims to maintain balance and connectedness within themselves, their communities and the natural world.
Estimated Hours of Instructions: 15 hours
Exam
This is a proctored exam worth 30% of your final grade.
Estimated Hours of Instructions: 2 hours
Total 110 hours
Resources
The course material (class notes and necessary handouts) will be provided by the teacher.
The students will be required to have:
● Access to a library or the Internet to do research
● Access to internet as well as electronic devices for note taking and communication for those taking the class online
Overall Curriculum Expectations
A. RESEARCH AND INQUIRY SKILLS
A1 explore topics related to world religions and belief traditions, and formulate questions to guide their research;
A2 create research plans, and locate and select information relevant to their chosen topics, using appropriate social science research and inquiry methods;
A3 assess, record, analyse, and synthesize information gathered through research and inquiry;
A4 communicate the results of their research and inquiry clearly and effectively, and reflect on and evaluate their research, inquiry, and communication skills.
B. APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF THE SACRED
B1 demonstrate an understanding of various reasons for the study of world religions and belief traditions;
B2 demonstrate an understanding of terms and concepts related to the study of world religions and belief traditions;
B3 demonstrate an understanding and assess the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches to the study of world religions and belief traditions.
C.RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL IMPULSE
C1 explain some of the ways people use religions and belief traditions to meet human needs;
C2 analyse ways in which various religions and belief traditions conceptualize the journey of life as a spiritual journey and quest for meaning.
D. SACRED TEACHINGS AND PRINCIPLES
D1 outline the central tenets, practices, and teachings of various religions and belief traditions;
D2 analyse the role of sacred writings and oral teachings in various religions and belief traditions;
D3 analyse how individuals with specific roles have influenced the development of various religions and belief traditions.
E. RITES AND OBSERVANCE
E1 demonstrate an understanding of the type of daily observances associated with various religions and belief traditions and of the role of these observances in the lives of adherents;
E2 demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which rituals and rites reflect the understandings and principles of various religions and belief traditions.
F. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS
F1 identify and analyse ways in which various religions and belief traditions are embodied in cultural forms;
F2 analyse the interaction between society and various religions and belief traditions;
F3 demonstrate an understanding of the challenges that adherents of various religions and belief systems experience in society;
F4 describe and analyse ways in which various religions and belief traditions are interpreted and adapted within civil society and popular culture.
Special Accommodations
Only Some students are able, with accommodations, to be part of a regular course curriculum and to demonstrate independent learning. These accommodations allow access to the course without any dilution of the knowledge and skills the student is expected to demonstrate.
These required accommodations to facilitate the student’s learning will be identified in his or her IEP (see IEP Standards, 2000, page 11*). It is likely that IEP for many or all courses will reflect the same accommodations. The instructions and accommodations are geared to meet the diverse needs of learners.
The three types of accommodations that are going to be used are:
i) Instructional accommodations - changes in teaching/learning strategies facilitated by different styles of presentation; methods of organization; the use of technology and multimedia.
ii) Environmental accommodations - Certain classroom settings and preferential seating may benefit these students.
iii) Assessment: assessment procedures that enable the student to demonstrate his or her learning, such as Multiple Intelligence Theory, giving more time to complete tasks (see page 29 of the IEP Resource Guide, 2004, for more examples).
For students who require accommodations for only the mathematics courses, the assessment and evaluation of their achievement will be based on the appropriate course curriculum expectations and the achievement levels outlined in this document. The IEP box on the students’ Provincial Report Cards will not be checked, and no information on the provision of accommodations will be included.
* Taken from: Ministry of Education, Ontario. Extracted from The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: Social Sciences and Humanities, 2013; Pg 35-38 Date of extraction: date: Sunday, March 14, 2021
Program Considerations For English Language Learners
Students from a variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. For many of these students, English is not their spoken language. They may be coming from highly sophisticated educational systems, while others may have come from regions where access to formal schooling was limited. These students offer a rich addition to the classroom experience by way of their background knowledge and experience. All teachers will assist with their English- language development. In mathematics the teachers will include appropriate adaptations and strategies in their instructions and assessments to facilitate the success of the English language learners in their classrooms. Some of these strategies and adaptations are: modification of some or all of the course expectations so that they are challenging but attainable for the learner at his or her present level of English proficiency, given the necessary support from the teacher.
Teaching/Learning Strategy
The key learning strategy at My Learning Oasis Elite Private School is Constructivism. This format facilitates learning by many techniques, most or all of which will be adopted in the classroom. The most dominant of these is group learning. The facilitator places students of different backgrounds in the same group so that they can feed off each other. Each may bring to the table a different reasoning strategy to facilitate problem-solving. Now, each student becomes a learner and a teacher at the same time, as he/she has to communicate his/her solution. This builds the students' knowledge base and by default, increases their confidence to speak in a crowd, albeit a small group at the beginning. The famous educationalist, Vygotsky, proved that by placing students in a group they function at the upper level of their zone of proximal development, each one scaffolding the other.
This strategy is further enhanced by the teacher asking leading questions as opposed to giving the answer outright, then allowing for group discussion. The students are encouraged to make connections between what they have learnt and their life experiences, then share with the group. The effect of this strategy is intrinsic motivation and learning. Each student develops an expanded appreciation of the topic at hand by seeing how it applies in different settings around the world by way of listening to their group members.
This Constructivist approach will be further accentuated by implementing “fish-bowling”. There are many ways to implement this technique. The one that will mostly be used will be by dividing up the larger problem (technical, mathematics, science, or otherwise) into smaller bits and have each student thoughtfully master one part. That student then teaches the group and facilitates a discussion reflection about the strategy (computational or otherwise) used in the solution. Each student in turn does this.
The above techniques enable students to reflect on the material learnt, make real life connections, and develop problem solving skills. One important by-product of the technique of Constructivism is that each student develops an appreciation of each other’s culture. This cultivates healthy people’s skill, which is not only important for the professional world but for life itself.
Constructivism lends itself well to students whose first language is not the language of instruction and who is new to the class. While other strategies will be used for students having difficulty with the English Language, this technique will definitely be used to enhance their English skill.
Assessment And Evaluation
At My Learning Oasis, course facilitators do not wait for a quiz or exam to determine how well a student is doing. Here, evaluation is an on-going exercise. The pedagogical techniques (refer to Teaching and Learning Strategies) used at My learning Oasis are perhaps the best techniques suited for on-going assessment, hence, they being an integral part of our delivery methodologies. Concrete assessments are made through projects and assignments. However, the evaluation is based on “our flavor” of the Mastery Teaching technique.
This ensures that the emphasis is on the quality of learning and NOT grading. Students' projects and homework will continuously be evaluated and re-evaluated with appropriate guidance to meet the school’s and Ministry’s expectations. At My Learning Oasis, we will work with the students until the projects meet a minimum of a B-grade, unless in extreme circumstances where the willful negligence of the students force lower grades. While this is a lot more taxing on the facilitator, it does not matter because My Learning Oasis is a Learner-centered institution NOT a Grade-Centered nor a Teacher-Centered institution.
Four categories of knowledge and skills are outlined in the achievement chart - knowledge and understanding, thinking, communication, and application. Student’s work is assessed and evaluated with respect to these categories, and that achievement of particular expectations is considered within the appropriate categories. A final grade will then be recorded for this course and if that grade is 50% or higher, a credit is granted to the student and recorded for this course. The final grade for this course will be determined as follows:
● For material evaluated throughout the course, seventy percent of the grade will be assigned. This portion of the grade should reflect the student's consistency in his/her level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration should be given to more recent evidence of achievement.
● Thirty percent of the grade will be based on a final evaluation, which is administered towards the end of the course.
Final Exam 30%
Grading for all course work, projects, presentation, participation, interim quizzes and exams 70%"""
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