integrated curriculum

INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

"An integrated study is one in which children broadly explore knowledge in various subjects related to certain

aspects of their environment

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He sees links among the humanities, communication arts, natural sciences, mathematics, social studies, music, and art. Skills and knowledge are developed and applied in more than one area of study.

In keeping with this thematic definition, Shoemaker defines an integrated curriculum as ...education that is organized in such a way that it cuts across subject-matter lines, bringing together various aspects of the curriculum into meaningful association to focus upon broad areas of study. It views learning and teaching in a holistic way and reflects the real world, which is interactive.

What is integration?

Problem, concerns real to the student and real in the community.

Students and teachers work together to select the specific topic of interest to them and together they plan how, when, where, and why they will pursue it.

Active students participation and decision making.

Explore issue to understand and to propose a solution, suggestion a new direction and report the result.

Develop essential skills intrinsic to their learning.

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Key skill may be formulating questions, creating hypotheses, working out way to collect data, and report on what has been learned.

Subject content and knowledge comes into play after, rather than before, deciding what is to be studied and how.

Program which are genuinely integrative

Based on topic of substance and significance. Place on emphasis on seeing connection in

and purpose for learning. Develop big ideas that excite the imagination. Develop desire for the learning process. Develop skills and knowledge that are real to

student. Build on and extend knowledge and

experience. Develop sustained programmes or work.

Components of Integrated Curriculum

Focuses on basic skills, content and higher level thinking

Encourages lifelong learning Structures learning around themes, big

ideas and meaningful concepts Provides connections among various

curricular disciplines Provides learners opportunities to apply

skills they have learned

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Encourages active participation in relevant real-life experiences

Captivates, motivates, and challenges learners

Provides a deeper understanding of content

Offers opportunities for more small group and industrialized instruction

Accommodates a variety of learning styles/theories (i.e., social learning theory, cooperative learning, intrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy) and multiple intelligences

Characteristics of an Integrated Curriculum

Student directed real-world application. Researched based Usage of multiple resources Social skills improved Collaboration Problem-answer Find a authentic literature on a topic

The purpose of integration

appropriately constructed to meet the needs of two or more course units/VET units or endorsed programs find it better to deal with fewer teachers—where the same teacher is delivering two

Units and thus sees the students twice as often make the connections between the parts of the program and enjoy its variety

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Enjoy participating in partnerships with business, training organizations, and community

Groups and connect with wider community based activities like environmental projects

Steps of integrated curriculum

Selecting a themeCollecting texts and other materialsEngaging studentsGrouping studentsExpanding the themeAssessing student growth

Why is curriculum integration important?

Students see relationships among ideas and concepts as they plan and experience a theme-based inquiry.

Relationships between in- and out-of-school topics become obvious to students.

Communication processes become authentic as students engage in thematically based learning activities.

Students are encouraged to share ideas. As they listen to one another, their personal bases of ideas are expanded.

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Respect and cooperation among peers are expanded through interaction.

Students become more responsible for and engaged in their own learning.

The teacher assumes the role of facilitator rather than information dispenser.

A sense of community develops as cooperatively designed student projects and classroom displays are created.

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Many grouping patterns naturally emerge.

Assessment is continuous and related to learning endeavors

Principles of curriculum integration

Learning build , extends and expands a student’s personal knowledge and experience.

Open-ended and provide for a range of learning style .

Process of learning valued as the product of learning .

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Range of possible approaches to curriculum integration.

Making connections and seeing real purpose for their learning.

Based in topics of substance and significance.

Linked to problems and issues that are of personal and social concern to students.

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Learning experiences develop big ideas that excite and challenge the imagination.

Actively involved in negotiating the content and direction of their learning.

Knowledge, skills , values , and attitudes are all integrated

Approaches of integrated curriculum

Interdisciplinary Multidisciplinary Transdisciplinary Integration

Interdisciplinary

When teachers integrate the sub disciplines within a subject area, they are using an intradisciplinary approach. Integrating reading, writing, and oral communication in language arts is a common example

A good example of this is in a school wide grade 7–8 unit, four to six weeks long, developed by teachers .

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The focus of study was "survival in a changing world." All subject areas were involved in the unit, including a foreign language, agriculture, and life management. All teachers focused on problem solving, decision making, and communication, and selected the concepts that were most compatible with their course content. This approach lends itself very well to planning with standards and performance assessment because the standards for each discipline are clearly set out.

Multidisciplinary

In a multidisciplinary approach, two or more subject areas are organized around the same theme or topic. In elementary school, this often occurs when learning centers are utilized. The topic may be pioneers, and students rotate through a math center, language center, and visual art center. At each one they explore the topic of pioneers via an activity grounded in the curriculum subject area.

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In secondary schools, a common theme is often studied in various subject-based classrooms. For example, teachers of all subject areas at High School and have agreed to integrate the public health issue of physical activity into their lesson plans (Eckman, 2000).

  They undertook this integration in concert with the Social studies was to look at policymaking procedures, and English was to write editorials and public service announcements about the issue.

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In math class students learned

graphing, plotting, percentages, and ratios as they pertain to collecting health data. Sociology and psychology students were to implement and test planned intervention.

Transdisciplinary Integration 

In the transdisciplinary approach to integration, teachers organize curriculum around student questions and concerns. Students develop life skills as they apply interdisciplinary and disciplinary skills in a real-life context. Two routes lead to transdisciplinary integration: project-based learning and negotiating the curriculum.

Advantages

 Connections Variety within Learning    Classroom Culture    Curriculum Advancements

Disadvantages:

 Interest Issues Content Issues A Turn with Classroom Culture Inaccessible to some students due to

cultural, academic, or ability differences