An analysis of the teaching of belief in the afterlife in secondary schools Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge course in the context of curriculum, textbooks and teachers' views

This study aims to analyse the teaching of belief in the afterlife in Religious Culture and Ethics Knowledge (RCEK) curriculum and textbooks. In this context, firstly, the belief in the afterlife is examined theoretically, and then the teaching of belief in the afterlife has been analysed in various aspects in upper secondary level curricula and textbooks. Finally, the views of RCEK teachers working in upper secondary education on teaching the belief in the afterlife in the current curriculum and textbook are presented with different dimensions. Qualitative approach and case study design were used as a method in this research. In this context, interviews were conducted with 14 RCEK teachers working in science, anatolian and vocational upper secondary schools in Sakarya. Maximum variation sampling strategy was employed in the selection of the study group. Semi-structured interview form was applied to collect data; descriptive analysis was used in the analysis of the data. The findings suggest that the faith in the afterlife has an important place in divine religions, and that the idea of reincarnation appeals to a wide audience in today's world. In teaching the belief in the afterlife, from 1967 to the present, teacher-cantered doctrinal understanding in curricula and textbooks gave way to student-cantered, constructivist and inclusive understanding. According to the findings of the research, teachers find current upper secondary RCEK curriculum and textbook sufficient in terms of teaching the belief in the afterlife. However, it is understood that they do not generally see themselves as competent and they have difficulty in explaining some subjects of the belief in the afterlife. Teachers also indicated that students were interested and curious about the afterlife, but they, too, had difficulties in understanding some issues related to the afterlife. Teachers explain the different approaches of religions other than Islam and different interpretations within Islam to the belief in the afterlife when students ask questions, but they do not favour the inclusion of these issues in curricula and textbooks.