På spaning efter den professionalitet som flytt : En hermeneutisk intervjustudie om didaktiska utmaningar för ett religionsämne i förändring

Sammanfattning: This study seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of whether religion teachers, specifically teachers in Swedish year 7–9 and Gymnasium (Middle School and High School-equivalent), feel inhibited in their didactic development. In addition, this study seeks to provide an insight into how religion teachers define “teacher professionalism” on a theoretical level, as well as the attitude of religion teachers towards the implementation of new didactical methods and opportunities, exemplified by the concept of “wonder”. These purposes were achieved through the conducting of a series of qualitative semi-structured interviews with four teachers – two from year 7–9, two from Gymnasium. The content of these interviews, once thoroughly transcribed, was then categorised into “main themes” and “themes” using a hermeneutical perspective.The material was then hermeneutically analysed in relation to the established theoretical and prior research framework, which yielded the following results. Firstly, a majority of the interviewed religion teachers stated that they felt inhibited in their didactic development. In addition, the environmental circumstances described by the teachers as the cause for this inhibition were found to be of similar nature. This suggests that the cause of the inhibition lies within the school organisation itself, rather than the individual. Secondly, all of the interviewed religion teachers showed limited theoretical awareness of their teacher professionalism. Few of the teachers directly experienced their teacher professionalism as lacking in any specific aspect, however the analysis revealed themes within their answers that would imply the opposite. This would in turn suggest that the professionalism of the religion teachers might be under threat, due to teachers’ unawareness of it. Thirdly, all of the interviewed religion teachers showed interest and openness towards the concept of “wonder” and similar experience-basedlearning methods, seeing a purpose for it both in their lessons as well as the school itself. Furthermore, the religion teachers expressed ideas for religion education to expand towards a more personal and societal plane. The religion teachers found a practical approach as well as ethics, identity, and debates to be of higher interest and relevance for themselves and their students. The implications of this development are unclear however and might potentially lead to a further de-valuing of the acquiring of base facts and knowledge among Swedish students.