A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE TRADITIONAL AND INTERACTIVE LEARNING IN ISLAMIC RELIGION CLASSES

The aim of this research was to make a comparative analysis of traditional and interactive learning in Islamic religion classes, based on the results of testing students' knowledge and analyzing the students' and teachers' attitudes. We hypothesized that there would be a difference between traditional and interactive learning in Islamic religion classes, that the test results would be better in the group of students involved in interactive learning, and that both, the students and the teachers, would consider interactive learning better. We used a method of theoretical analysis, a descriptive-analytical survey method and testing. The following instruments were used: 1) a test measuring the knowledge of Islamic religion; 2) a survey exploring the students' and teachers' attitudes about religious education; 3) a survey investigating the teachers' attitudes about interactive learning in religious education. The research sample comprised students (30) and teachers (75): 15 sixth grade students attending NMS 2 Villah elementary school and 15 sixth grade students from NMS 3 Villah elementary school (Carinthia, Austria); 60 Islamic religion teachers from the Tuzla Canton, the Zenica-Doboj and the Sarajevo Canton (B&H) and 14 Islamic religion teachers from Carinthia (Austria). The final test results showed that the students from the experimental group involved in interactive learning achieved better results compared to the control group learning in the traditional way. The results of the students’ attitude analysis revealed that the students consider Islamic religion classes highly interactive, but that they are not thrilled by the way in which interactive learning is implemented, due to the strong presence of the characteristics of teacher behavior and students’ feelings immanent to the traditional learning and teaching. The analysis of the teachers’ attitudes indicated that the teachers consider themselves partially ready for the changes in the methodology of learning, and that collectively they feel even less ready; that there are substantial differences in the state and conditions of learning in schools between Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a democratic organization dominating in Austria and autocratic in Bosnia and Herzegovina.