Benefit of Integrated Curriculum

 

Readings:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103011/chapters/What-Is-Integrated-Curriculum%C2%A2.aspx

http://www.itlresearch.com/images/stories/reports/21cld%20learning%20activity%20rubrics%202012.pdf

Videos:

http://www.edutopia.org/integrated-studies-overview-video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34ANC5jBZOg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFlwkl7wzQI

Kokcharov. (May 26 2015) Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skill#/media/File:KokcharovSkillHierarchy2015.jpg

Incorporating the information from articles and videos reviewed this week. Identify some of the benefits to an integrated or interdisciplinary approach to teaching.

Some of the benefits to an integrated or interdisciplinary approach to teaching is that it appears students can absorb more of the information through project-based learning and integrating subjects. The Edutopia video demonstrates the idea that students better learn through the completion of projects, and that way when it comes time for a test, they recall more of the information. By integrating the subjects, students learn to collaborate with one another and learn leadership skills as well. It is also said that students learn more if you integrate bits and pieces of information from the subjects and combining them to create something greater than learning the subjects and parts separately. This is a tactic to get students to absorb the information better. Integrating subjects and taking on an interdisciplinary approach also teaches students how to collaborate and contribute their strengths in the classroom and group setting. But it goes beyond classroom because of the aim for real-world problem-solving and innovation aspect. We want students to move away from just solving a problem. We want them to be able to come up with a design process that shows how we can create a solution to the problem. The aim is also to incorporate real-world problems, and finding ways to implement their solutions. Finally, there is a push to integrate technology into the classroom. This is not just for teachers, but rather, we want to see if students are incorporating technology into their learning, and if they are, how are they using it for learning? The goal here is to also create a product that will last longer than the deadline of their projects, so that it can be used outside of the classroom for the globe to reference. By incorporating these skills, students will be prepared for the workforce, as they will carry these skills that they learned in the classroom setting, and apply them to real-world scenarios.

For anyone wishing to have a copy of the 21C Skills Framework Rubric from the ITL Intro Video, this is a copy of it:

Rubrics: 21C Skills Framework:

Rubric	Key Questions
Collaboration	Are students required to share responsibility and make substantive decisions with other people?
Knowledge Construction	Are students building new knowledge? Is that knowledge interdisciplinary?
Use of technology for learning	Do students use technology to support knowledge construction? Is ICT necessary to that knowledge construction?
Self-regulation	Are clear learning goals and expectations shared? Do students have opportunities to plan and revise their own work?
Skilled communication	Are students creating effective communication?
Real-world problem-solving and innovation	Does the learning require solving authentic, real-world problems? Are students’ solutions implemented in the real world?

This is the push we are seeing, to approach teaching through an integrated and interdisciplinary lens. The rubric above shows the skills that students will be learning and questions that teachers need to be asking to ensure the best possible outcome for their students. Overall, integrating the subjects together can be beneficial for students learning because it can create higher student achievement, as it was demonstrated that students across the globe respond positively to this way of learning, which reflects on their grades and overall learning.