Listening to the voices of religious education professionals: the relationship between technology and religious education

Across Europe, more or less simultaneously, the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated (and stimulated) the use and development of technology in education settings, as new ways of teaching and learning had to be created in response to practical constraints introduced by temporary school closures. Although a sizeable body of research has examined this phenomenon from a range of perspectives in education, considerably less research has been conducted in the context of religious education (RE). The current study aims to listen to 16 RE professionals in Europe as they reflect upon and critically consider their experiences of technology during the pandemic and its implications for both present and future RE. Content analyses identified eight inter-related areas of interest and concern for participants, which include technology and RE, alongside wellbeing, life questions, understanding RE, teachers’ situation, relationships, social aspects and wider context. Results show that the RE professionals held strong views about the use of technology in RE, including the challenges and opportunities presented in comparison with in-person teaching practices. Four areas of interest emerge, which are concerned with effects on relationships; potential for teaching and learning; attitudes to online settings; and (un)changed understandings of RE.