2. Introduction I N T R O D U C T I O N Interdisciplinary integration as defined by Wikipedia is a method or methods, used to teach a unit across different curricular disciplines. Simply put it is a way to incorporate a topic or subject throughout different classes. For example if a sixth grade class is learning about WW2 in their social studies class their teacher would work with the English teacher who would then have the class read Anne Frank. Interdisciplinary teaching has proven to be very successful. Throughout this research I hope to adequately introduce this idea in hopes that you will get a good enough understanding to formulate your own opinion of its educational worth.
3. T Y P E S O F I N T E G R A T I O N inTradisciplinary (within subject area) Multidisciplinary (Between subject areas) • Arrangement of knowledge and skills within one subject area. • Respects the subjects distinct conceptual structures. • Aim is to integrate the subject’s knowledge and skills in to comprehensible whole. •Knowledge and skills within one subject area are connected from grade-to- grade. •Subject areas are independent of one another. • Teachers plan ahead and coordinate the timing and method of teaching of related topics. •Teachers DO NOT attempt to draw together different subject area’s perspectives. •Note: Before teachers attempt drawing a correlation between subjects intradisciplinary integration should be established.
4. B E N E F I T S O F I N T E G R A T I O N In times of change, learners shall inherent the earth while the learned are beautifully equipped for a world that no longer exists. – Eric Hoffer • Focuses on helping students learn to fully use their brains. • Assists students in making learning connections between disciplines. • Allows students to participate as active problem creators and solvers. • Creates responsible and creative learners and gives students the opportunity to explore their interests and needs within the curriculum standards.
5. CHALLENGES WITHIN INTEGRATION • Changing the curriculum can be very difficult. It requires collaboration and the acceptance of change by teachers, parents and administrators. • Some teachers and students may have a hard time adjusting to new expectations and role definitions. • Resistance by those who have found success within the old curriculum structure.
6. Curricular ConnectionsElements of Integration in the classrooms This article found on the Manitoba Education website was very informative. It was the only source that explained the different types of integration and the different way that they can be characterized in three main types of circular connections: within one subject, between two or more subjects and beyond the subjects. This article also distinguished the difference between intradisciplinary,” the arrangement of the knowledge and skills within one subject area” and multidisciplinary or pluridisciplinary , where “ subject areas are independent of one another.” I really liked the fact that this article provided several different examples. One such example was: “The mathematics teacher focuses on graphing skills, while the science teacher had students carry out experiments where results are presented in graph form.”
8. TURNING CLASSROOMS INTO PLAYGROUNDS FOR SUCCESS: INTERDISCIPLINARY TEACHING THROUGH PHYSICAL EDUCATION This article begins by using a story as an example of a scenario where interdisciplinary education could have easily been incorporated as a transition into a lesson. It approaches the subject of interdisciplinary education as a simple addition to a traditional curriculum and not something that requires a complete instructional overhaul. The article also explains that the use of interdisciplinary integration is much easier to implement in an elementary setting where one teacher is responsible the correlation between subjects.
9. DISSOLVING BOUNDARIES: TOWARDS AN INTEGRATIVE CURRICULUM This was by far the longest and most informative source. Seeing as it was a book I did not read the whole thing from beginning to end but scanned and read all the parts that were relevant to my research. The book is conveniently divided into three sections. The first explains the what and why’s of integration: 1• Process for curriculum improvement. 2• Reason for curriculum integration. 3 • The curriculum continuum. The body of the book includes seven different integration success stories that provide great examples of how interdisciplinary integration works and can be a very useful educational tool. Finally the last part of the book or the conclusion discussing what measures would have to be taken to successfully transition from the traditional curriculum to an integrative curriculum. The final part of the conclusion reflects on the practicality of integration by presenting different schools successful practicing of integration.
10. C O N C L U S I O N Like any new idea that requires a lot of change to put in place, interdisciplinary integration has been faced with many obstacles. All teachers must be on board and be ready to incorporate a new curriculum. To fully incorporate a new system old ways of teaching and previous lesson plans must be abandoned, this is not an easy thing to ask of educators, especially ones that have been teaching for a long time. In the elementary setting where a class of students usually have a few teachers at most it is much easier to incorporate integration. The teacher has the opportunity to make correlations between any and all the subjects in the classroom. I hope that I have provided a little insight into interdisciplinary integration. I know that within this research I barely scratched the surface of what it really entails but if you would like to know more please visit the sources I provided earlier.
11. Bibliography 1. “Dissolving Boundaries: Toward An Integrative Curriculum”, a book by Edward N. Brazee and Jody Capelluti. Brazee, Edward, and Jody Capelluti. "Dissolving Boundaries: Toward An Integrative Curriculum." ERIC – World’s largest digital library of education literature. NMSA, n.d. Web. 8 Aug. 2010. <http://www.eric.ed.gov>. 2. An article entitled “Elements of Integration in the Classroom” found on the Manitoba education website. "Elements of Integration in the Classroom." Education and Literacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Aug. 2010. <http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca>. 3 . “Turning classrooms into playgrounds for success: Interdisciplinary Teaching Through Physical Education” an article found on the CBS Interactive Business Network website. Purcell Cone, Theresa , Casey Miller, and Peter Werner. "Turning classrooms into playgrounds for success: Interdisciplinary Teaching Through Physical Education." Find Articles at BNET | News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Aug. 2010. <http://findarticles.com>.
