Early Islam in British Higher Education

Abstract

In an educational environment where interest in Arabic and Islam is growing, I ask the place of revisionist/critical approaches to early Islam in Higher Education. This paper uses 15 semi-structured interviews with Lecturers in early Islam to investigate how they treat controversial subject matter in the classroom. The paper examines how the different approaches taken by lecturers are linked to different kinds of academic training, and asks what kinds of approach are suited to different student demographics. It concludes by suggesting how critical ways of teaching this subject are linked to new approaches in interfaith engagement, which acknowledge the political context for the development of Scriptures.     

新疆少数民族传统信仰中的生态保护意识

从20世纪50年代到90年代，人类学、宗教学、伦理学等学科相继出现了和生态学有关的交叉学科。寻求生态保护途径，似乎成了人类的一种未来选择。殊不知在历史上，生态保护早已是新疆各少数民族传统文化的已有之义。弘扬新疆少数民族生态保护意识将有助于人们重视信仰在环保中的协调作用，恢复保护生态的道德自律。     

少数民族大学生宗教信仰状况的调查研究——以中央民族大学学生为主要对象的报告

大学生对待宗教的心态与人生信仰的确立有着密切的关系。在对少数民族大学生宗教信仰心态进行调查分析的基础上制定相应的对策,是确保他们人生信仰正确并统领政治信仰的前提。笔者在中央民族大学通过发放问卷、抽样调查、比较分析等手法,对当代少数民族大学生对宗教信仰的认识、参加宗教活动的情况、获取宗教知识的途径等方面进行了较为深入的调查研究,由此总结出少数民族大学生宗教信仰的特点,提出了存在的问题及解决的思路与方法,并指出民族宗教理论与政策教育在新的形势下应该进一步深化、拓展、整合,同时要突出马克思主义民族观、宗教观、国家观、文化观、历史观教育。     

Simplified language materials—Their usage and value to teachers and support staff in mainstream settings

This paper examines the current use of simplified language materials (SLMs) by teachers and support staff across England. Drawing on a survey of Primary and Secondary schools it identifies the degree to which teachers and support staff use and produce SLMs. It explores both the contradictions and similarities between practitioners’ perceptions of the value of SLMs and the existing research base and policy and professional guidance. It focuses, in particular, on the significance of the perception that SLMs increase comprehension and improves access. It highlights the need to further examine SLM production so as to assess their value as an inclusive education tool.     

月亮与火的宗教意象之美--读夏洛蒂·勃朗特之《简·爱》

<简·爱>中多次出现了月亮与火的宗教色彩的描写,以多侧面、多角度的方式预示着主人公爱情的命运,从而为作品增添了神秘朦胧的色调.月亮与火这两个现实的物化体也在月亮的清冷与火的炽热中尽情地舒展着爱情的激荡与超越,诠释着现实与理想,地狱与天堂的希冀与升华,揭示着男女主人公受难-追寻-获致幸福的主题.从而在浓厚的宗教色彩的重幕下构成小说的主题意象,令作品意义更为厚重,拥有永恒魅力.     

Half a century of Islamic education in Dutch schools

During the second half of the twentieth century, faithful followers of non-Western religions immigrated into Western European countries. Their children were a challenge for the respective educational system in the host countries. In the Dutch context, the educational system consists of public and private schools in which religion is the most dividing factor. Private schools are largely denominational schools with, as main denominations, Roman Catholics and Protestants, while state schools are presented as religiously neutral. How did this dual system cope with the import of a relatively new religion like Islam? In our contribution, we describe half a century’s history of Islamic children in Dutch schools by addressing the following questions. In what way did state and denominational schools on the one hand and the government on the other hand try to include Islamic pupils (and their parents) and facilitate their integration into the Dutch educational system and by consequence into Dutch society? And, the other way around, how did these new comers adapt themselves to the Dutch educational system, and did they stimulate, directly or indirectly, reflection on religion and values? We come to the conclusion that the most influential initiatives came from both Christian and Islamic schools as a consequence of their focus on the importance of the formation of pupil identity and life orientation and that teachers’ knowledge about and attitude regarding (religious) diversity are pivotal in processes of learning about and from each other as a precondition for integration into a society characterised by diversity.     

Developing different forms of student feedback to promote teacher reflection: A 10-year collaboration

This paper describes a 10-year collaboration between a teacher educator and a high-school science teacher as they investigated different ways to gather student feedback to enhance teacher reflection. Four different procedures were developed during this time: (i) interviews by a teacher educator with students; (ii) learning logs written by students; (iii) observation schedules completed by students; and (iv) a survey completed by students and teachers. Of the four procedures, the most meaningful for teacher reflection was the student interviews because they were the most personal. However, other procedures for gathering student feedback may be more useful to initiate teacher reflection because they are less confronting.     

论教师个人教育观念的理论基础

为了深化有关教师教育观念的研究,我们应该进一步明确“教师个人教育观念”的概念及其所衍生的各种意义。提出和研究“教师个人教育观念’’的理论基础有：个体哲学的诞生与凸显;“前见”的合法性与积极意义：“认知图式理论”与“建构主义理论”的启示;知识观的转变与“个人知识”的提出。通过对这些理论基础的分析。以期为相关研究的深入提供某些方法论的启示。     

试析希罗多德的宗教迷信思想

传统观点认为希罗多德的史学思想中带有浓厚的宗教迷信色彩。实际上只要认真研读《历史》就可发现,希罗多德对神意并不是盲目崇拜,他所记载的历史,其中心是人事而非神事,他的历史观是宗教迷信思想掩盖下的人本史观。     

Metaphorical images of schooling: beliefs about teaching and learning among prospective teachers from the United States displaying different motivational profiles

This study focused on investigating the types of schooling beliefs (teaching and learning) expressed through metaphorical images by prospective teachers (PTs) from the United States. Participants (N = 215) rated 10 schooling metaphors illustrating the student–school–teacher relationships (i.e. Passenger–Bus–Driver; Student is a passenger, School is a bus and Teacher is a driver). Two main factors, a student-centred and a teacher-centred approach described the key schooling beliefs of PTs. Additionally, differences in PTs’ schooling beliefs across typologies/clusters of PTs were found. Further, qualitative data from interviews illustrated how each cluster specifically expressed their instructional views.