April 23, 2016

Radice Defense

Ms. Lindsay Radice presented her dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy on Wednesday, April 20, 2016. Her disseration titled "A Mutiple Case Study Investigation into the Instructional Methodologies utilized by Catholic School Religion Teachers to Implement the 'Doctrinal Elements of Curriculum Framework for Young People of High School Age'".

For the Final Examination of
Lindsay Radice
for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
2:30 p.m., Caldwell Hall, Room 125

ABSTRACT:

A Multiple Case Study Investigation into the Instructional Methodologies utilized by Catholic School Religion Teachers to Implement the "Doctrinal Elements of Curriculum Framework for Young People of High School Age"
Directors: Dr. Merylann J. Schuttloffel, Ph.D.
& St. Margaret Schreiber, S.T.D.
In 2008 the USCCB published a curriculum framework for high school religious education curricula entitled Doctrinal Elements of Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age (Framework). Since the Framework's release, publishers have adapted its doctrinal tenants to textbooks and catechetical materials for use within high schools and parishes. Those textbooks and catechetical materials that the USCCB have found to be in conformity with the teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church are in the process of being adopted and integrated into the religious education curricula of Catholic high schools across the country. Since its publication, little research has been conducted to find out how curriculum based on it has being implemented, and where religion teachers draw inspiration for developing their instructional methods with which to teach its contents.
This multiple case study investigation provides a rich description of the instructional methodologies Catholic high school religion teachers use to implement the Framework and seeks to uncover whether there is any commonality among the cases. The study compares both the instructional methods and the influences religion teachers attribute for developing instructional methods. Three specific influences are examined in this study: formal education, professional development, and school environment. The instructional methods observed during this study were analyzed drawing from both catechetical and educational scholarship, and when compared across cases, reflect that the most commonly observed instructional methods rely on technology, and utilize group learning or human experience. In order to develop these instructional methods religion teachers relied primarily on their formal education. As a result, this study concludes that religion teacher participants contribute a wealth of resources for implementing the Framework, but could be better supported through formal education designed specifically to support the Framework's overarching goals.
More About Radice
Lindsay M. Radice was raised in the Philadelphia suburb of Sicklerville, New Jersey. At the age of 18 she moved to Burlington, Vermont to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies at Saint Michael's College. After graduating in 2007, she returned to the Philadelphia area to continue her education at Temple University. While there, Mrs. Radice divided her time between her studies, working in Human Resources at the University of Pennsylvania, and serving as an adjunct instructor at Temple University.
In 2009, Mrs. Radice moved to Baltimore, Maryland to work as a high school religion teacher at Archbishop Spalding High School. That same year she also began pursuing her doctoral degree at The Catholic University of America in the areas of Religious Education and Catechetics. After three years at The Catholic University of America, Mrs. Radice was selected for a teaching fellowship as part of the university's First Year Experience program.
Between 2012 and 2016 Mrs. Radice taught Catholic theology and religious studies courses at The Catholic University of America. In 2014 she was awarded the Center for the Advancement of Christian Education Research Grant and worked as an assistant to Dr. Merylann J. Schuttloffel on her book entitled, Report on Catholic School Leadership: Ten Years Later. She also presented at several national conferences hosted by organizations such as the American Academy of Religion, Religious Education Association and National Catholic Educational Association. Several of these presentations also led to scholarship published in the Journal of Teaching and Learning, Momentum, and an upcoming article in The Journal of Catholic Education.
Mrs. Radice currently resides in Annapolis, Maryland with her husband, a professor at the United States Naval Academy and their one year old son, Dominic. Upon graduation, she is planning a career in Catholic education, and is pursuing opportunities through the Archdiocese of Baltimore and Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Summary of Coursework
TRS         751C      History and Theory of Catechetics II
TRS         751D      Issues in Religious Education and Catechetics
TRS         751F       Foundations of Religious Education and Catechetics
TRS         727         Introduction to Medieval Theology
TRS         780A      Introduction to the Study of Religion
TRS         799         Proseminar for New Doctoral Students
TRS         743A      Liturgical Catechesis
TRS         897         Directed Research
TRS         751I        Adult Faith Formation
TRS         751A      Teaching and Learning: Focus on Religious Education and Catechetics
SPAN      500         Reading for Comprehension
EDUC      702         Advanced Foundations of Education
TRS        731E       Sermon on the Mount: Exegesis and Theology
FREN     500         Reading for Comprehension
EDUC     765         Principles of Curriculum
TRS         599D      Doctoral Comps
TRS         996B      Doctoral Dissertation Guidance

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