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Interdisciplinary Unit: Integrated Curriculum
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| Interdisciplinary Unit: Integrated Curriculum
Posted by Irene Jensen, 4/25/04 at 6:07:25 PM.
An Integrated Curriculum is to make connections and
make learning meaningful for students through curriculum
mapping. The movement towards an integrated curriculum is
based on explosion of knowledge that is taken place in today˙≠s
society. Learning best occurs when knowledge connects to
previous knowledge, which is one key factor of an integrated
curriculum. In an integrated curriculum one subject blends with
another. This helps students find connections which is key to
student learning. These connections can be from previous learning
or to the outside world. Integration is a more realistic view on
how we use time in the real world.
Curriculum mapping helps teachers map the
curriculum to show the teacher where he/she is going and what he/she is
actually teaching. Curriculum mapping does not only show what a teacher
is going to teach but what he/she is not going to teach. A
curriculum map is what teachers are actually able to examine. The
objective, for curriculum mapping, is for teachers to design a
curriculum that works for them. There are methods on how to
incorporate integrated leaning which move from: Disciplined field base
to Parallel disciplines, Multidisciplinary approach, Interdisciplinary,
and Integrated day. Disciplined field base divides disciplines
and put them into time frames. Parallel disciplines is what is
taught and what is not taught and when connection with another teacher
can be made. Multidisciplinary approach is when two or three
disciplines complement and each are integrated to a joint unit of
study. Interdisciplinary looks at all units of study or a wide
range of studies and then focus on a theme to combine them in a joint
focus. An integrated day focuses on the interests and experiences
of the students and this develop programs based on those interests.
Interdisciplinary teaching and integrated
curriculum has many strengths. Today there is an explosion of
knowledge that a teacher can use. One positive feature is the
connecting of many disciplines. One subject blends together to
another subject and also it can have a relationship with real
life. Teachers should take advantage of obvious connections
because this helps students comprehend material more. This blend also
keeps the interest in students. Also, students will make
connections themselves by asking questions that are an interest to them.
Even though there are many strengths to
interdisciplinary teaching, there are also weaknesses. The greatest
problem that teachers face is that there is too much to teach.
There is so much knowledge out in the world that teachers can not teach
it all. There are many risks for an integrated curriculum.
One risk is a teacher can lose strength, or dilute their content
area. There must be a balance between blending material and the
content area. This is why interdisciplinary teaching should not
have a totally integrated curriculum. Also, not all kinds of
specializations can be integrated together.
Looking at this interdisciplinary teaching, I have
found that this model, Integrated curriculum, can aid me as a
teacher. One of the most positive things on integrated curriculum
is that the teachers talk and work together. Each teacher works
together on how to place certain material so one lesson and merge with
another classroom. This helps students make connections with one
classroom and the other. I know as an art teacher that I can
integrate almost all areas of specialization. This will help me
get through my students on the importance of other classrooms and
art. As a future teacher, I agree with this type of
instruction. In the past, I have experienced integrated
curriculums in elementary school and in high school. When I
experience this, I find the learning more fun and I grasp knowledge
quickly. By that note, I too, want to use an integrated
curriculum.
Integrating Curriculum Notes
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