Professor Michael J Reiss

As well as being an Anglican priest, Michael is also professor of science education at the Institute of Education, University College London, where he is assistant director. As Chair of the Association for Science Education and proponent of the use of ‘Big Ideas’ in Science education, he has supported the development of Big Ideas for RE, acting as a key adviser from the start of the project, and in developing a specific scheme of learning based on the ‘Scopes Monkey Trial’ of 1925.

Dave Francis

Dave is an adviser for religious education and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, currently working with Dr Barbara Wintersgill and Prof Denise Cush on the Big Ideas for RE project. He was a teacher of RE for 14 years, including ten as Head of a Department of Religion, Philosophy and Social Education, and has since held advisory posts in several local authorities and, notably, as Lead Consultant for REonline.

Professor Denise Cush

Denise is Professor Emerita of Religion and Education, Bath Spa University. Her interests include Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and alternative spiritualities such as Paganism, as well as religious education. She taught Religious Studies at school and university levels, and RE in both primary and secondary teacher education. In 2016 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Uppsala, Sweden. She was a member of the REC Commission on RE, whose 2018 Report has been the foundation of current developments in producing a national plan for the subject. She is a member of the core team producing materials for the Big Ideas for RE website.

Philippa Hulme

Philippa was intimately involved with the development of the science components of our collaborative project commemorating the Scopes Monkey Trial, and was a key presenter of the material at the Association for Science Education’s national conference earlier this year. She has published a wide variety of school science resources, and created innovative activities bringing contemporary science into the classroom for the ASE, the European Union, Practical Action, Sheffield Hallam University, the British Council and Google Expeditions. As well as writing, Philippa now consults internationally on textbook development, working (mainly remotely) alongside Ministry of Education staff in Uzbekistan, The Gambia and – currently – Tonga.

Louisa Jane Smith

Louisa is the founder and producer of the RE Podcast, ‘the podcast for those of you who think that RE is boring’. There have been 15 series of the Podcast, during which Louisa has interviewed dozens of leading thinkers and practitioners in the RE world. She has been an RE teacher for nearly 25 years and is now an RE Consultant for the Harris Federation working with schools in London to improve outcomes for all children regardless of background. She is also a member of the NATRE executive and is undertaking the RE Leadership course with Culham St Gabriel.

Professor Beth Singler

Beth is the Assistant Professor in Digital Religion(s) at the University of Zurich. Prior to this she was the Junior Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence at Homerton College, University of Cambridge, after being the post-doctoral Research Associate on the ‘Human Identity in an age of Nearly-Human Machines’ project at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. Beth explores the social, ethical, philosophical and religious implications of advances in Artificial Intelligence and robotics.

Professor Rupert Wegerif

Rupert is a researcher and educator who focuses on the role of dialogue and technology in learning. He leads the Digital Education Futures Initiative and the Cambridge Educational Dialogue Research Group, and has published several books and articles on dialogic education. As well as his PhD in Education Technology, he has a PGCE specialising in RE from Bristol University.

Session 1: Big Ideas for Religion and Science in Education’ with Professor Michael Reiss, Dave Francis, Professor Denise Cush & Philippa Hulme.

Michael, Dave, Denise and Philippa will show how the ‘Big Ideas’ approach to curriculum planning works to support progressive learning in Science and Religion & Worldviews education. In particular they will showcase a scheme of learning produced as a collaborative project to develop depth in pupils’ learning about evolution and creation: ‘The Scopes Monkey Trial, 100 years on.’

Session 2: ‘Cultivating Curiosity: the value of Religious Education’ with Louisa Jane Smith

Louisa will explore what curiosity is, what it looks like and why it is so important particularly in the current climate and preparing our children for life in the 21st century. She will then explore how RE can cultivate curiosity through its unique substantive knowledge, skills and pedagogy. She will also look at how not to do it and suggest some next steps in making RE more engaging for all students.

Session 3: ‘Identities, Artificial Intelligence, Religion and Hope’ with Professor Beth Singler

Through an anthropological lens, how can we consider and understand the relationship between religion and AI, when one is often considered to be of the past, and one of the future? Beth will introduce examples from her ethnographic work, and consider what kinds of specific entanglements, uses, and imaginaries are involved when AI and religion meet, and what dreams (or nightmares) may come out of their interactions.

Session 4: ‘Artificial Intelligence, Worldviews and Dialogue: What is the future role of AI in (Religious) Education?’ with Professor Rupert Wegerif

In this talk, Rupert looks at some of the ways in which communications technology has always been central to both religion and education.  Looking at how the new AI-enhanced Internet differs from print literacy leads him to propose a new approach to education; education as induction into global dialogues supported by AI, which is also potentially a new approach to religion and to religious education (RE). He ends by proposing that we re-invent RE as induction into participation in an unbounded dialogue asking the question ‘what gives life meaning for you?’