How can the creative process of filmmaking develop young people’s critical thinking about religious diversity, toleration and peace in the past and in the present?

 

 

The Docutube method supports young people’s active learning about religious diversity in the past and present through the creative process of making short documentary-style films (‘Docutubes’).  It has been developed by the Religious Studies team at the Open University as an innovative approach to promote critical and creative engagement with notions of religious toleration and peace. The research was initially funded by the European Commission through their H2020 programme, which enabled the RETOPEA team to run pilot workshops in the UK, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Estonia, North Macedonia, Finland and Poland. Since then,  through funding from Culham St Gabriel and the Open University’s Open Societal Challenges programme, we have been able further to pilot the approach in England and Northern Ireland, and in the Muslim majority countries of Albania and Jordan. The feedback from participating young people and from other stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive.

“The discussions we had opened up new thoughts about religious tolerance, and gaining different perspectives.”

“My views are the same but this has allowed me to express them better.”

“The research helped me to understand worldwide religious stereotypes, how conflict makes these worse, and elements of religious tolerance.”

The Docutube method supports young people to​:

• move beyond generalisations and stereotypes about religious diversity
• learn with history​
• make constructive and critical connections between past, present and their own experiences​
• think ‘outside of the box’ about religious toleration and peace
• develop cultural, religious and historical literacy
• work in teams, valuing each other’s perspectives and skills
• gain filmmaking skills

Partners currently include UK schools in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, organisations such as the Rose Castle Foundation, United Religions Initiative, the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies in Amman, Jordan and the Albanian NGO, Udhetim I Lire.

Click on the images to see recent examples of Docutubes made by young people in England, Northern Ireland, Albania and Jordan:

Bishop Douglass School London	Royal Institute of Interfaith Studies (RIIFS) Amman, Jordan	Royal Institute of Interfaith Studies (RIIFS) Amman, Jordan
Royal Institute of Interfaith Studies (RIIFS) Amman, Jordan	Udhëtim i Lirë – Liberi de Viaggiare Albania	Udhëtim i Lirë – Liberi de Viaggiare Albania
Rose Castle Foundation, Emerging Peacemakers Lake District Camp	Rose Castle Foundation, Emerging Peacemakers Lake District Camp	Mercy College Belfast
Mercy College Belfast	Forest School London	Forest School London

Boys Model School Belfast

Boys Model School Belfast

Llanishen High School Cardiff

Click here on the RETOPEA website to see examples of Docutubes made as part of the first phase of the RETOPEA project.

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How can creative ways of teaching religious toleration and peace be integrated into public policy?

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Online Resources

 

The Docutubes made by young people from the original RETOPEA project can be seen at  www.retopea.eu.

Badged Open Course

The  Docutube method aims to help young people think with history about religious diversity in the present day. The Docutube workshops provide a ‘safe’ and creative space where young people can discuss and work together to engage with complex and sometimes controversial topics, such as migration, prejudice, toleration and peace.

The RETOPEA team have developed an online collection of over four hundred accessible historical and contemporary sources. Young people are asked to engage with these critically through the process of making their short documentary-style films. The Docutube workshop usually take place over 14 hours (for example, over three days as part of a project week or over more extended periods integrated into regular classroom teaching). The material is appropriate for RE, History, Philosophy/Ethics or for civic education.

The OU team have produced a free online Badged Open Course that supports teachers, youth workers to use the Docutube method in their  own teaching

 

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Partnerships and Collaborations:

Belfast Boys Model School	Bishop Douglass School

The RETOPEA project is funded by:

For any further enquiries, click here to contact the Open University RETOPEA Team: Prof John Wolffe, Dr John Maiden, Dr Stefanie Sinclair, Dr Katelin Teller.