Principles of Curriculum Integration

Drake and Burns (2004) define curriculum integration as making connections between learning areas and real life situations. It is inventive way of teaching children to gain understandings of ideas and concepts that are connected to different learning areas. Child-centred integration enables students with the opportunity to participate in the decision making through the discussing and choosing of themes, questions and areas of interest (Brough, 2008). Students work with the teacher to construct their learning and learning outcomes of their investigation. Drake and Burns (2004) have identified three approaches to curriculum integration. These approaches offer a starting point for understanding curriculum integration and the different approaches towards integration. The approaches are multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary.

Multidisciplinary approach focuses on a theme approach where teachers create learning outcomes from a range of disciplines or learning areas to fit with the theme. There are different ways to create a multidisciplinary curriculum according to Drake and Burns (2004); they can range from teachers integrating many subjects within one learning area to theme-based units where teachers plan a unit in which three or more subject areas are involved. Fraser (2000) also talks about the multidisciplinary approach. She calls it thematic units and argues that thematic units are very much different to curriculum integration as thematic units centre on a particular topic usually chosen by the teacher. This topic is then considered through the lens of each learning area, which is planned by the teacher rather than the children.

Fraser (2000) believes that curriculum integration is often based around ...

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...ration for example the myth, the real world is not organized around subject areas. Schug and Cross (1998), argue that to some extend this is true children need to be able to think creatively, communicate and solve problems effectively. However, there are many jobs that require specialized knowledge such as law, engineering and accounting. Schug and Cross (1998), also discuss the myth that curriculum integration enables teachers more time for all subject areas. Schug and Cross argue that during curriculum integration important areas of the curriculum are simply left out or not presented well during integration leading to fewer learning opportunities. Curriculum integration is a way of organizing the knowledge and skills that we wish for children to learn, but as teachers we need to be sure that the learning is meeting outcomes from all the learning areas included.