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Special Interest Group

Religions, Values and Education

Building Bridges of Faith and Values: Cultivating Religious and Moral Education for All

Our Special Interest Group (SIG) is dedicated to fostering a vibrant and dynamic community of researchers, educators, and scholars who are deeply passionate about the critical intersection of Religions, Values, and Education. Our primary aim is to provide a dedicated platform within BERA for researchers to share their valuable insights, exchange ideas, and engage in meaningful discussions surrounding the important field of religious and moral education. Through our SIG, we strive to create an environment that encourages collaboration and the exploration of diverse perspectives. By doing so, we aim to facilitate the dissemination of innovative research findings and contribute to the broader academic community’s understanding and appreciation of the significance of religious and moral education within the realm of educational research and practice. We pride ourselves on adopting an inclusive approach that values and embraces multidisciplinary perspectives. We recognize that religious and moral education is a complex and multifaceted domain that intersects with various disciplines, cultures, and contexts. Additionally we work collaboratively with other SIGs includingEducational Technology, Sexualities and Gender, Race, Ethnicity and Education, and Philosophy of Education.

Research interests:

  • Curriculum Development
  • Religious Identity and Pluralism
  • Moral Education and Ethical Development
  • Teacher Education and Professional Development
  • Interdisciplinary Perspectives
  • International and Comparative Studies
  • Assessment and Evaluation
  • Policy and Practice
  • Prevent Policy, Anti-terrorism and Radicalisation

SIG aims:

  • Foster a Research Community: Creating a platform within BERA for scholars of Religions, Values, and Education to collaborate, share findings, and inspire innovative ideas.
  • Amplify Key Topics: Promoting greater visibility and significance of issues pertaining to Religions, Values, and Education across the British Educational Research Association and the wider academic landscape. 
  • Champion Research Engagement: Facilitating the acknowledgment and exploration of research in these domains through our annual conference, hosting seminars, and promoting research papers in esteemed journals like BERJ and other relevant publications.

SIG Convenors

Profile picture of Sally Elton-Chalcraft
Sally Elton-Chalcraft, Professor

Professor of Social Justice in Education at University of Cumbria

Sally Elton-Chalcraft is Professor of Social Justice in Education, and is Director of the Learning Education and Development Research Centre in the Institute of Education at the University of Cumbria. She teaches and supervises on Doctoral, MA,...

Profile picture of Esther Cummins
Esther Cummins, Ms

Student at University of Manchester

Esther is a part-time PhD student at the University of Manchester, researching the relationship between values, ethos, and policy in faith majority settings. She is keen to partner with other researchers in this field. Esther is the former...

Profile picture of Heather Marshall
Heather Marshall, Dr

Course Leader RE PGCE and Senior Lecturer at Edge Hill University

Senior lecturer and RE PGCE Course Leader at Edge Hill University. Currently preparing for my EdD viva. Wide range of research interests.

Content associated with this SIG

BERA Conference 2023

12 September 2023 to 14 September 2023Aston University/ Conference Aston

The BERA Conference 2023 was held on the 12th-14th September 2023 at Conference Aston/Aston University. Keynote speakers included: Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith. The conference ended with three...

Past conference12 Sep 2023

Teaching for Digital Citizenship

What is Digital Citizenship anyway? Where does it fit in the curriculum – is it Computer Science, or is it Citizenship & PSHE? Where does it sit in the wider life of the school, whether in the...

kids computer

Past event22 May 2023