Reengineering the religious education curriculum for Cabanatuan forum for Catholic education in secondary level

• Main Author: Nilo, Richmond V.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2006
• Subjects: Catholic Church > Education; Religious education > Study and teaching(Secondary); Curriculum planning; Educational Leadership
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/155; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_doctoral/article/1154/viewcontent/CDTG004242_P.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

The study was conducted to assess and analyze the status of religious education curriculum of the Cabanatuan Forum for Catholic Education based on the four components of the Curriculum. This assessment will eventually result to the process of reengineering the religious education curriculum of the C-FORCE member schools. The research covered the senior secondary students of the six participant schools. Data was gathered through questionnaire, informal interviews with the teachers and students and focused group discussions. The criticoanalytical qualitative approach was used in this study. The first part of the analysis involved the comparisons of the four components of the current religious curriculum of the six participant schools followed by a descriptive statistics of the students responses to the questionnaires. The criteria used in assessing the current religious education are the four components of a curriculum. The results of the study showed the strengths and weaknesses of the current curriculum. Both the students and iv teachers are satisfied with the content of the current curriculum. However the students noted the lack of clear cut objectives for the whole curriculum. The objectives are not clear and sometimes vague. The scope and sequence is not indicated. Hence the teachers are having hard time formulating learning experiences that will truly respond to the needs of the students. Lastly, because the objectives are not clear then evaluation will be difficult to handle. In terms of the teachings of the church, both universal and local, the current curriculum fell short. The declarations and exhortations of the universal church were not properly integrated in the curriculum but in fairness you can see a tinge of the teachings of the universal church regarding the importance of Christian education in the life of the society. However, the local pronouncements, both national and diocesan, were not given sufficient attention in the manner they formulate the four components of the curriculum. Based on the students and teachers ratings as well as the teachings of the church both universal and local, the current curriculum needs an overhauling major change that will affect everything related to it. The students and teachers rating coupled by the pertinent church documents regarding religious education point to the fact on the dire necessity to reengineer the current v religious curriculum for the benefits of the students, society and the church. Careful study must be given attention in the formulation of objectives taking into serious considerations all the necessary data that are needed for these to be effective. From the objectives selection of content will follow taking into account the scope and sequence of each theme or topic and the learning experience that will enhance the content of the curriculum. Evaluation will be effective if the objectives are clear and precise. The feedbacks of the stakeholders during a gathering which the researcher hosted the stakeholders reiterated on the need to show to the students the connections of the lessons learned in the classrooms with their daily life. Hence, there is really a need to come up with objectives, content, learning experiences and evaluation that complement each other for us to come up with a coherent curriculum. Coherent curriculum means that the students are able to see the relevance of the lessons to their lives. An action plan was developed to ensure the smooth implementation of the proposed reengineered curriculum. Five areas of concerns were given attention for the action vi plan to be effective. These are content, teaching strategies, evaluation strategies, facilities and supervision.