What we study

The Research Group for Religious and Worldview Education and Philosophy Education studies themes related to

• Worldview subjects in general education (religious education and secular worldview education)
• The teaching and learning of philosophy
• Worldview education in early childhood education and pre-primary education
• Diverse worldviews
• The equality of citizens
• Human rights and global education

Our group is responsible for teaching on the didactics in worldview subjects and philosophy as well as on worldview pedagogy in early childhood education at the Faculty of Educational Sciences. The group also provides doctoral education in the field.

Our topical research themes include the implementation of religious and secular worldview education in a diverse society, issues related to the professional competence of worldview education teachers both at school and in early childhood education as well as human rights and citizen education.

Our recent scholarly publications have explored, among other things, the integrated teaching of worldview education; Islamic religious education; language-, culture and worldview-aware education; human rights; diversity and social justice; and radicalisation and the prevention of extremism.

Based on research, pedagogy centred on the diversity of worldviews as well as the utilisation of various learning environments have been developed in worldview education in early childhood education. Currently, the spearhead project of the research group is the development of a partly integrated worldview education development project at teacher training schools.

In addition to research, the group produces material to support the teaching of worldview subjects at schools and worldview education in early childhood education as well as worldview- and culture-aware teaching. It also participates generally in research and development activities related to education.

We cooperate in a multidisciplinary manner with scholars in various disciplines and fields. Our group has extensive networks with both academic and practical operators. The research group closely collaborates internationally with researchers in Nordic universities, in particular. For example, we collaborate with the International Seminar on Religious Education and Ethics and Nordisk Fagdidaktisk konferens research communities.