Religion as agency: the impact of curriculum structure and teaching approaches on student learning in introductory religion modules.

Abstract

The approach to teaching Religious Studies (RS) in South African higher education has long been shaped by the World Religions Paradigm (WRP), a framework that categorises religious traditions into distinct, albeit often static entities. However, this pedagogical approach has been widely critiqued for its Eurocentric biases, lack of contextual relevance, and reinforcement of essentialist understandings of religion (Smith, 1978; Masuzawa, 2005; Owen, 2011; Fujiwara, 2016; Alberts, 2017). This study critically examines how RS is taught at tertiary level, specifically whether it fosters the students’ ability to engage critically with religious diversity, and explores alternative pedagogical approaches that may enhance and support student learning in a decolonial context. Drawing on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and framed within a constructivist pedagogical perspective, this research employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate the impact of different teaching methodologies on student engagement and learning outcomes. A comparative analysis of two consecutive cohorts of students—one taught using the WRP and the other through a thematic approach—highlights the pedagogical limitations of the former and the benefits of contextually relevant, student-centred learning. The study also incorporates insights from academics at various South African universities, examining broader disciplinary trends and the challenges exposed through the process of curriculum transformation within RS. The findings indicate that transitioning from the WRP to a thematic, comparative approach enhances student engagement, critical thinking, and religious literacy by enabling students to contextualise religious traditions within idiosyncratic historical, social, and lived experience frameworks. Moreover, this shift also aligns with broader decolonial imperatives, challenging dominant epistemologies and developing a more inclusive, reflexive, and dynamic study of religion. This study contributes to ongoing debates on curriculum transformation, pedagogical innovation, and the role of SoTL in RS. The study argues that the thematic approach not only facilitates student agency and intellectual growth but also offers a more sustainable and equitable model for teaching religion in South Africa’s diverse and often fragmented educational landscape.