The Digital Era in Teaching Religious Education: An Empowering Perspective on Primary Education

ABSTRACT Background The way of teaching Religious Studies hasn't been modernized for several years while there are more effective and innovative teaching and learning strategies. Blended learning combines the traditional form of learning with new technologies and is known for its ability to improve learning. Objectives The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effect of didactic interventions through blended learning with the aid of Information and Communication Technologies in Education; concerning the Religious Studies course, and more precisely the teaching of modules from the textbook for the third grade of Elementary School “Narratives from the New Testament” and “Christian Celebration Days”. Methods This research employed quantitative planning, focusing on a quasi‐experimental design. The sample which participated was comprised of 10 identical classes, aged 8–9, attending the third grade of primary school in different schools of the prefecture of Heraklion, Crete. The sample was divided into two groups: five classes were the experimental group and the other five classes were the control group. The experimental group learned through a mix of traditional teaching and technology (blended teaching), with ICTs used as additional teaching aids. On the other hand, the control group followed the curriculum of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs of Greece. Results and Conclusions The findings indicate a noticeable enhancement in comprehension of the Religious Studies course in the experimental group in comparison with the improvement in the control group. This study suggests that blending traditional teaching with technology in education is necessary. The findings highlight the significant contribution of ICT to the Religious Education curriculum, showcasing its potential to profoundly impact learning outcomes and bolster students' engagement and enthusiasm for the lesson.