Posted: August 14th, 2022

Evaluating Religious Literacy and Attitudes among College Students

# Evaluating Religious Literacy and Attitudes among College Students

Religion is a pervasive and influential social force that shapes the beliefs, values and behaviors of individuals and societies. However, many college students lack the knowledge and skills to engage with religious diversity in a respectful and constructive way. This blog post will explore the importance of religious literacy and interfaith dialogue for college students, and present a research project that aims to assess the pedagogical impact of an introductory world religions course on students’ religious literacy and attitudes.

## What is religious literacy and why does it matter?

Religious literacy can be defined as the ability to understand and analyze the basic teachings, practices, history and diversity of major religious traditions, as well as their interactions with culture, politics and society. Religious literacy also involves recognizing the role of religion in one’s own life and worldview, and developing the skills to communicate and collaborate with people of different religious or non-religious backgrounds.

Religious literacy is important for several reasons. First, it helps students to appreciate the richness and complexity of human cultures and experiences, and to develop a global perspective that values diversity and pluralism. Second, it enables students to critically examine the sources, claims and implications of religious ideas and narratives, and to distinguish between facts and opinions, myths and realities, stereotypes and nuances. Third, it fosters students’ ethical awareness and civic engagement, as they learn to respect the rights and dignity of others, to challenge prejudice and discrimination, and to promote peace and justice in their communities.

## How can college courses enhance students’ religious literacy and attitudes?

College courses on world religions can provide students with opportunities to learn about different religious traditions in a systematic and comparative way, using academic methods and sources. Such courses can also expose students to diverse perspectives and experiences of religious practitioners, through readings, media, guest speakers or field trips. Moreover, college courses can facilitate interfaith dialogue among students, by creating a safe and respectful space for sharing personal stories, asking questions, expressing opinions and addressing conflicts.

However, not all college courses on world religions are equally effective in achieving these goals. Some courses may focus too much on factual information or abstract concepts, without connecting them to real-world issues or personal relevance. Some courses may adopt a biased or superficial approach to certain religions, without acknowledging their diversity or complexity. Some courses may neglect the opportunities or challenges for interfaith dialogue among students, without providing adequate guidance or support.

Therefore, it is important to evaluate the impact of college courses on world religions on students’ religious literacy and attitudes, using valid and reliable measures. Such evaluation can help instructors to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their courses, to improve their teaching methods and materials, and to enhance their students’ learning outcomes.

## What is the research project about?

The research project is a quasi-experimental study that aims to measure the changes in religious literacy and attitudes among college students who take an introductory world religions course, compared to those who do not take such a course. The study will use a pre-test/post-test design with two groups: an experimental group that will enroll in the course, and a control group that will not enroll in the course. The study will also use a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews.

The study will address the following research questions:

– How does taking an introductory world religions course affect students’ knowledge of different religious traditions?
– How does taking an introductory world religions course affect students’ attitudes towards different religious traditions?
– How does taking an introductory world religions course affect students’ skills for interfaith dialogue?
– How do students perceive the benefits and challenges of taking an introductory world religions course?

The study will use the following instruments:

– A religious literacy quiz that tests students’ factual knowledge of eight major religious traditions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Daoism and Confucianism. The quiz will consist of 40 multiple-choice questions (five per tradition), based on a standardized test developed by researchers at North Carolina State University .
– A religious attitude scale that measures students’ respect for different religious traditions, openness to learning from different religious traditions, commitment to bridging religious divides, appreciation of common values across religions, willingness to challenge religious extremism
and support for religious freedom. The scale will consist of 30 Likert-type items (five per dimension), based on a survey developed by researchers at Interfaith Youth Core .
– A interfaith dialogue scale that assesses students’ confidence in communicating with people of different religious backgrounds, interest in engaging with people of different religious backgrounds,
awareness of one’s own religious identity and worldview,
recognition of commonalities
and differences across religions,
and ability to handle disagreements or conflicts related to religion. The scale will consist of 25 Likert-type items (five per dimension), based on a survey developed by researchers at Ohio State University .
– A semi-structured interview that explores students’ experiences and perceptions of taking an introductory world religions course, including their motivations, expectations, challenges, achievements, insights and suggestions. The interview will consist of 10 open-ended questions, based on a protocol developed by the researchers.

The study will follow the following procedure:

– At the beginning of the semester, the researchers will recruit a sample of students who are enrolled or not enrolled in an introductory world religions course at four northeastern universities. The sample size will be determined by a power analysis, based on the effect size and alpha level of previous studies. The researchers will obtain informed consent from the participants, and assign them to either the experimental group or the control group, using a stratified random sampling method that ensures the balance of gender, race, religion and academic major across the groups.
– At the beginning and end of the semester, the researchers will administer the religious literacy quiz, the religious attitude scale and the interfaith dialogue scale to both groups of participants, using an online platform. The researchers will ensure the validity and reliability of the instruments, by conducting pilot tests, factor analyses and Cronbach’s alpha tests. The researchers will also ensure the confidentiality and anonymity of the participants, by using codes and encryption methods.
– At the end of the semester, the researchers will conduct semi-structured interviews with a subsample of participants from both groups, using a video conferencing tool. The researchers will select the subsample using a purposive sampling method that ensures the representation of different levels of performance and engagement in the course. The researchers will also ensure the trustworthiness and rigor of the interviews, by using audio recording, transcription, member checking and peer debriefing methods.
– After collecting the data, the researchers will analyze them using descriptive and inferential statistics for the quantitative data, and thematic analysis for the qualitative data. The researchers will use SPSS software for the quantitative analysis, and NVivo software for the qualitative analysis. The researchers will also use triangulation and integration methods to combine
the findings from both types of data.

## What are the expected results and implications?

The study expects to find that taking an introductory world religions course will have a positive impact on students’ religious literacy and attitudes, as well as their skills for interfaith dialogue. The study also expects to find that students will perceive taking an introductory world religions course as a valuable and meaningful learning experience, that enhances their personal and professional development.

The study has several implications for theory and practice. For theory, the study will contribute to
the literature on religious education and interfaith dialogue in higher education, by providing empirical evidence on
the effectiveness of college courses on world religions in fostering students’ religious literacy and attitudes. For practice,
the study will provide feedback and recommendations for instructors and administrators who are involved in designing
and delivering college courses on world religions, by identifying
the best practices and challenges for enhancing students’ learning outcomes.

## References

: Rockenbach A.N., Mayhew M.J., Correia-Harker B.P., Dahl L., Morin S., Associates (2018). *IDEALS: Interfaith Diversity Experiences & Attitudes Longitudinal Survey*. Chicago: Interfaith Youth Core.

: Eck D.L. (2006). *Religious literacy: The key to religious pluralism*. Harvard Divinity Bulletin 34(2), 4-9.

: Patel E., Baxter A., Silverman L. (2013). *Interfaith leadership: A primer*. Chicago: Interfaith Youth Core.

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