Presented and produced by Seán Delaney.
In this episode I speak to two experts on curriculum integration from Brock University in Ontario, Canada, Professor Susan Drake and Dr. Joanne Reid. Among the topics we discuss are the following:
Multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary connections among subjectsSAMPLE TOPICS FOR INTEGRATION: War, water, homelessness, food waste in the cafeteria, traffic patterns in a school, sustainability, patterns, change, conflict, trace origin of everyday item (Coffee, chocolate etc.), medieval fair.Finnish requirement that students do a phenomenon-based learning unit each year based around transversal competencies (21st century)Project-based learning examplesStudents present their work to an authentic audienceFinding themes for integration (look out your window!)Project-based learning on EdutopiaBuck Institute and Project-based learningBenefits of integration: more fun, students are engaged, fewer behaviour problems, social and emotional development, wellbeing, relevance, focus on whole person. Teachers who collaborate are more energised and creativeOECD Report: Curriculum Overload: A Way Forward.Student achievement and integrated curriculaObstacles to integration: textbooks, timetabling, subject-specific responsibilities,Origin of Integrated teaching and its relation to constructivism which is relevant, interactive, real-world, choice, inquiry-based.The Eight Year Study with Ralph Tyler, Hilda Taba and others. It was written up by Aikin.Balancing integration and disciplinary integrityCross-curricular and teaching to the big ideas compared to integrated curriculumExplanation of their curriculum framework: KDB: Know, Do, BeTwenty-first century competencies: Communication (reading, writing, oral communication, listening, media literacy), critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, global competency, design thinking, digital skills, data literacy, financial literacy.How they conduct research on integrated curriculumGordon Vars and research on integrated curriculum.Bluewater studyWhat happened when standards/accountability model arrived in schools in the 1990s.How the pandemic has impacted on assessmentAssessment and integration.Benefits of students seeing the value of their work in the wider world (having an audience outside the classroom).Finding out more about integrated curriculum and its history.John Dewey and William Heard Kilpatrick and The Project Method.James Beane.Twenty-first century life skillsHigh Tech HighGetting started with integration : Genius Hour. More here. Student-led teachingHow integrated curriculum is for students of all ages.bell hooksInside the Black Box by Paul Black and Dylan WilliamIn addition, Susan and Joanne compiled a list of resources with additional information about curriculum integration:
Drake, S. M. & Reid, J. L. (2020). How education can shape a new story in a post-pandemic world. Brock Education, 29(2), 6-12
Drake, S. M. & Reid, J. L. (2020). 21st Century competencies in light of the history of integrated curriculum. In “Rethinking what has been rethought consistently over the millennia: A global perspective on the future of education”. Frontiers in Education Journal, 5(122), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.00122
Drake, S.M. & Reid, J.L. (in press). Integrated curriculum In J. Flinders & P, Hiebowitsh (Eds.) Routledge Encyclopedia of Education. New York: Routledge
Drake, S.M. & Reid, J. L. (2018). Integrated curriculum as an effective way to teach 21st Century capabilities. Asia Pacific Journal of Educational Research, 1(1), https://doi.org/10.0000/APJER.2018.1.1.031
Drake, S.M. & Reid, J. L. (2018). Integrated curriculum for the 21st Century. In J. Miller, M. Binder, S. Crowell, K. Nigh and B. Novak (Eds). International handbook in holistic education (pp.118-128) New York: Routledge.
Drake, S.M. & Reid, J. L. (2017). Interdisciplinary assessment in the 21st Century.
file:///Users/sdrake/Desktop/IEJEE_57fa80bd928bb_last_article_57fa813187fad.pdfIn Steve Pec (Ed). Scholarship of teaching and learning Part 3 (pp. 1-8) Stuyvesant Falls, NY: Rapid Intellect Group. http://www.rapidintellect.com/AE/ec5771v14.pdf
Savage, M. & Drake, S. (2016). Living transdisciplinarity: Teachers’ experiences with the International Baccalaurete Primary years Programme. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education. (19), 1-19, file:///Users/sdrake/Desktop/IEJEE_57fa80bd928bb_last_article_57fa813187fad.pdf
Drake, S.M. & Savage, M. (2016). Negotiating accountability and integrated curriculum in a global context. International Journal of Learning, Teaching, and Educational Research, 15, 6. http://www.ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/view/639
Drake, S.M. (2015). Designing across the curriculum for “sustainable well-being”: A 21st Century approach. In F. Deer, T. Falkenberg, B. McMillan & L. Simms (Eds.). Sustainable Well-Being: Concepts, Issues, and Educational Practice (pp. 57-77). Winnipeg, MB: EWSB Press. http://www.eswb-press.org/uploads/1/2/8/9/12899389/sustainable_well-being_2014.pdf.
Drake. S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment Engaging students for the 21st century. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Drake S & Burns R. (2004). Meeting standards with integrated curriculum. Alexandria, VA:ASCD. Susan says “it is the easiest "how to" book” and Joanne agrees. It is almost like a manual. Very good even if it seems old now.
Project-based learning – sites for ideas
https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl
https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/project-based-learning/
https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning
https://iearn.org (collaborative international projects)