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Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title Religious, Ethics, Morals & Values Education
Module Code EDP1130 (ITS: ED2009)
Faculty DCU Institute of Education School Policy & Professional Practice
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Description

This module engages students with understanding and responding to complex moral and values issues including poverty, racism, inter-religious conflict, engagement and dialogue, human sexuality, beginning and end of life issues and bereavement, climate and sustainability issues and human rights. The exploration of these moral and ethical issues is underpinned by interfaith and interpath approaches. This module is intended to develop students’ insights into and approaches to education for global citizenship with a particular interfaith/interpath focus. It is also intended to develop heightened sensitivity and respect to work effectively and inclusively with parents, colleagues and the wider school community in an increasingly pluralist Ireland in line with the Teaching Council Code of Conduct.  

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically engage with key moral and ethical questions in Irish society including global justice, climate and sustainability, poverty, racism and marginalisation, inter-religious conflict, attitudes towards diverse sexualities and different types of families, and beginning and end of life issues.
2. Discuss the values, beliefs and responses to moral and ethical questions by those who are members of major world faiths and those who are humanists, atheists or not adherents of any organised religious group.
3. Outline the skills and qualities primary teachers need to develop in order to engage primary school children with moral and ethical issues, using both interfaith and interpath perspectives.
4. Examine appropriate narrative resources and pedagogical approaches for the primary classroom to engage children with exploring and responding to moral and ethical issues, using both interfaith and interpath perspectives.
5. Consider the five marks of mission of the Anglican Communion (encompassing social justice issues, care for the environment and service of others) and use the five marks to critically evaluate how Church of Ireland school ethos can address ethical and moral issues in a pluralist world.


Total Workload: 0
Section Breakdown
CRN10449Part of TermSemester 1 & 2
Coursework100%Examination Weight0%
Grade Scale40PASSPass Both ElementsN
Resit CategoryRC1Best MarkN
Module Co-ordinatorAnne LodgeModule TeacherJacqui Wilkinson
Assessment Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
PortfolioPortfolio of weekly reflections completed in Semester 2 worth 1500 words40%Week 28
Essay2000 word essay covering material addressed in Semester 160%Week 12
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.

* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Religions, Ethics, Morals and Values
Through their understanding of the core beliefs of major world faiths acquired in the B.Ed1 REMV module and their discussion of non-religious viewpoints, the students will engage with complex moral and values issues at both global and local levels. These include justice issues such as poverty, racism, slavery, climate justice, human sexuality, beginning and end of life issues and bereavement. They will use narrative approaches such as children's stories, graphic stories, video, recorded interviews and podcasts, photographs, case-studies and projects, walking debates and planning school assemblies - all suitable approaches for use in the primary years. The module will examine age and ability appropriate ways in which complex moral and ethical questions can be introduced to children throughout the primary years, studying suitable classroom resources. It will ask students to reflect on the skills, attitudes and approaches that teachers need to develop in order to explore these complex moral and ethical issues with primary school children. The module concludes with a series of workshops on handling bereavement, and global and local tragedies using a range of age-appropriate narrative and spiritual resources.

Indicative Reading List

Books:
  • Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O.: 2010, Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves., National Association for the Education of Young Children, Washington DC,
  • Connell, R. W.: 1993, Schools and Social Justice, 10, Temple University Press, Philadelphia,
  • Flowers, N.: 2009, Compasito: Manual on Human Rights Education for Children, 2nd edition, Council of Europe, Budapest,
  • Government of Ireland: 1998, Education Act, Stationery Office, Dublin,
  • Killick, S. & Coffey, J.: 2012, Building Relationships through Storytelling, The Fostering Network, England & Wales,
  • Z. Gross & E. Doyle Stevick: 2014, As the Witnesses fall silent: 21st century holocaust education in curriculum, policy & Practice, Springer, London, 185,
  • Lawson, H.: 2018, Primary school pupils’ attitudes towards and understandings of poverty, UCL Institute of Education, London,
  • Lodge, A.: 2020, But the Lord Looks on the Heart, United Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough Diocesan Office, Dublin,
  • R. Arshad, T. Wrigley & L. Pratt: 2020, Social Justice re-examined: Dilemmas and solutions for the classroom teacher, 2, Trentham press / UCL IOE, London,
  • Richards, A. & Mission Theology Group: 2017, The five marks of mission, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland,
  • Schweber, S. & Findling, D.: 2007, Teaching the Holocaust, Torah Aura Productions, Los Angeles, 17,
  • Teaching Council: 2012, Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers, Teaching Council, Maynooth,
  • T. Wrigley & L. Pratt: 2020, Social Justice re-examined: dilemmas & solutions for the classroom teacher, 5, UCL Press, London,


Articles:
  • Allen, A. M. A.: 1997, ‘Creating space for discussions about social justice and equity in an elementary classroom’, Language Arts, 74, 4, 1, 50918
  • 2013: ‘Preparing teachers for social justice advocacy. Am I walking my talk?’, Multicultural Education, Winter 2013, 33, 50919, 1
  • ‘Does teaching children about human rights, encourage them to practice, protect and promote the rights of others’?’: International journal of primary, elementary and early years education, 3, 13, 16, 50920, 1, Dever, M.T., Sorenson, B. & Broderick, J.
  • Social Studies and the Young Learner: 18, 1, 18, 50921, 1, Hossain, K., 2017
  • Fall 2017: 35, 50922, 1, Keogh, D., Ruane, B. & Waldron, F, 2006, ‘Is slavery history? Slavery in historic and contemporary societies’
  • 17: 50923, 1, Lucas, A. G., 2009, ‘Teaching human rights in the elementary classroom using a book A life like mine’, The Social Studies
  • 50924: 1, Mallett, R. & Shaw, T, 2018, ‘Pragmatic theology: the Anglican diocese of Southwark working for the common good’, Practical Theology, 11, 3, 231,
  • 1: Picower, B., 2012, ‘Using their words: sex elements of social justice curriculum design for the elementary classroom’, International journal of multi-cultural education, 14, 1, 1,
  • Ramarajan, D. & Runnell, M.: 2007, ‘Confronting Islamophobia in education’, Intercultural Education, 18, 2, 87, 50927
  • 2003: ‘Holocaust education in the primary school: some reflections on an emergent debate’, London Review of Education, 14, 2, 139, 50928, 1
  • ‘Teaching or preaching? The holocaust and intercultural education in the UK’: Intercultural Education, 14, 2, 139, 50929, 1, Walker, D.
  • Journal of Anglican Studies: 9, 1, 100, 50930, 1, Duffy, M., Feeney, M. & Lodge, A., 2020
Other Resources

  • Book: Abells, C. B., 1987, The children we remember, London, MacRae,
  • Website: Alfred-Kamara, M., 2013, Teaching Slavery: tips for tackling the issues in the classroom., https://www.history.org.uk/primary/resource/2811/teaching-slavery
  • Website: Anti-defamation league, 2006, Confronting anti-Semitism: myths, facts about Jews, https://www.adl.org/media/2133/download
  • Book: Courtauld, S., 2007, The Story of Slavery, London, Usborne,
  • Website: Equaliteach, 2018, Faith in Us: educating Young people about Islamophobia., https://www.equaliteach.co.uk/faith-in-us/
  • Book: Faruqi, S., 2019, Meet Yasmin!, Minnesota, Picture Window Books,
  • Book: Harman, A., 2019, Human rights: I’m a global citizen, London, Franklin Watts,
  • Book: Heuchon, C. & Shukla, N., 2020, What is Race…and other big questions., London, Wayland,
  • Website: Fr Simon, The five marks of mission and your school, https://www.frsimon.uk/the-five-marks-of-mission-for-children-and-your-school/
  • Website: Anglican Church of New Zealand, 4th mark of mission resources, https://anglicanschools.nz/4th-mark-of-mission/
  • Website: RE with Soul, Five Marks of Mission, http://www.rewithsoul.co.uk/about-us/partners-2/five-marks-mission/
  • Book: Islam, B., 2020, Amazing Muslims who changed the world, London, Puffin,
  • Book: Kerr, J., 2019, When Hitler stole pink rabbit/Bombs on Aunty Dainty/A small person far away., London, Harper Collins Children's Books,
  • Website: Interfaith editorial team, 2016, Building bridges through interfaith dialogue, https://www.aplaceformission.org/interfaith-dialogue/
  • Website: Kidsmatter.ed.au, Five ways to address racism, https://www.cherbourg.org.uk/class_page/five-ways-to-address-racism/
  • Book: Lacey, J., 2019, Dealing with Racism, London, Franklin Watts,
  • Sample school project: Lawlor, G., 2017, Concentration Camps. 6th class project, KPS,
  • Book: Milner, K., 2019, It’s a no-money day, Edinburgh, Barrington Stoke,
  • Book: Milner, K., 2017, My Name is not Refugee, Edinburgh, The Bucket List,
  • Education Resource: PDST, 2020, Children's Books for Wellbeing, Dublin, PDST,
  • Book: Penfold, A. & Kaufman, S., 2019, All Are Welcome, London, Bloomsbury,
  • Education Resource: Trocaire, Primary school teachers’ resource – food poverty in Rwanda, Maynooth, Trocaire,
  • Book: UNICEF/Dorling Kindersley, 2002, A Life Like Mine, London, Dorling Kindersley,
  • Book: Williams, M., 2019, Children who changed the world, London, Walker Books,
  • Book: Zullo, A. & Bovsun, M., 2016, Survivors: True stories of children of the holocaust, London, Scholastic Inc,
  • Book: Hoffman, M. & Asquith, R., 2010, The Great Big Book of Families, London, Frances Lincoln Children's Books,
  • Educational Resource: INTO, Respect!, Dublin, INTO,
  • Book: Oelschlager, V., 2010, A Tale of Two daddies, Ohio, Vanita Books,
  • Book: Oelschlager, V., 2011, A Tale of Two Mommies, Ohio, Vanita Books,
  • Book: Purtil, S., 2020, Its okay to be different, Ontario, Dunhill Clare Publishing,
  • Book: Rooney, R., 2019, My Body is Me, Transgender Trend, https://www.transgendertrend.com/rachel-rooney-reads-my-body-is-me-2/
  • Book: Sanders, J., 2018, Let’s talk about body boundaries, consent and respect. A book to teach children about body ownership, respectful relationships, feelings and emotions, choices and recognizing bullying behaviours., Victoria, Australia, Upload Publishing,
  • Website: Schooldays.ie, How to talk to your children about first menstruation, https://www.schooldays.ie/articles/How-to-talk-about-first-menstruation-with-your-children
  • Book: Steward, R., 2019, The Autism-Friendly Guide to Periods, London, Jessica Kingsley,
  • Book: Stynes, Y. & Kang, M., 2020, Welcome to your period, London, Stripes Publishing,
  • Book: Taylor, S. R., 2018, The ultimate puberty book for girls. Celebrate your body (and its changes too)., Emeryvale CA, Rockridge Press,
  • Book and website: Taylor, J. & Shrive, J., 2020, The Primary School and Home School Guide: Ethical sex and relationships education for young children, VictimFocus, www.victimfocus.org.uk
  • Book: Saunders, J., 2011, Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept, Victoria Australia, Educate2Empower,
  • Book: Hill, M., 2021, My Period!, London, Hatchette Children's Books,
  • Book: Booth, A. & Usher, S., 2016, Refuge, London, Nosy Crow,
  • Book: Cole, E., 2021, Our Diversity Makes Us Stronger, USA, Elizabeth Cole,
  • Book series: Wilkinson, J., Follow Me, Dublin, General Synod Board of Education,
  • Book: Casson, A., Hulbert, S., Woolley, M. & Bowie, B., Let's talk about death (School and Church), Canterbury, NICER & Canterbury Christ Church University,

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