INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM
Submitted By
Aarthi. K
Reg no: 1537909, School of Education,
Christ University, Bangalore. Ph.: 919750881011
Email:aarthichinraj94@gmail.com
Introduction
In the 1930’s, advocates attempted curriculum integration through joint teacher planning and block scheduling. Today, the interdisciplinary approach is a key concept to the advancement of school curriculum at all levels. It has now become debated as to whether an interdisciplinary approach is the best course for a curriculum.
Meaning
Interdisciplinary instruction entails the use and integration of methods and analytical frameworks from more than one academic discipline to examine a theme, issue, question or topic. Interdisciplinary education makes use of disciplinary approaches to examine topics, but pushes beyond by: taking insights from a variety of relevant disciplines, synthesizing their contribution to understanding, and then integrating these ideas into a more complete, and hopefully coherent, framework of analysis.
A way to organize the curriculum, so that thecontent of one subject area is enriched andreinforced by another, and vice versa.
Definition
Inter-disciplinary analysis – examines an issue from multiple perspectives, leading to a systematic effort to integrate the alternative perspectives into a unified or coherent framework of analysis.
The interdisciplinary approach has been defined by Executive Director of the Association for Integrated Studies William H. Newell and William Green (1982) as “inquiries which critically draw upon two or more disciplines and which lead to an integration of disciplinary insights” (Haynes,2002, pg17).
What makes interdisciplinary instructional different?
A single disciplinary perspective often has limitations in that it is driven by the norms and framework of a particular discipline without consideration and incorporation of alternative views. The single disciplinary view can lead to hegemony which prevents critical assessment of both their own and other perspectives. In contrast, interdisciplinary education draws on multiple disciplines to acquire a deep and thorough understanding of complex issues and challenges students to synthesize what each of the disciplines offers before attempting to design efforts to resolve noted concerns.
The Growing Need for Interdisciplinary Curriculum Content:
Students frequently complain that school is irrelevant to the larger world:
The school day division is commonly perceived as arbitrary and the subject areas as separate bodies of knowledge with little relationship to one another.
According to Elvin “Nature does not confront us for three quarters of an hour only with flowers and in the next only with animals. It is possible, however, to sit and pick up the flowers for three-quarters of an hour and learn a great deal.” The problem is that in school we do not consider both perspectives as necessary components of education, so planning interdisciplinary courses frequently lacks power.
Two problems in content selection often plague courses:
1.The Potpourri Problem
Many units, being a sampling of knowledge from disparate disciplines, interdisciplinary design lacks inherent scope and sequence, so developers must design a content scope and sequence for any unit.
2.The Polarity Problem
One of the problems of interdisciplinary is that of polarity which results in a lack of clarity, and real tensions among teachers as some feel highly threatened when new views are promoted.
To resolve these problems, effective interdisciplinary must meet two criteria: a- having carefully conceived design features: a scope and sequence, a cognitive taxonomy to encourage thinking skills, behavioral indicators of attitudinal change, and a solid evaluation scheme. b- using both discipline-field-based and interdisciplinary experiences for students in the curriculum.
Interdisciplinary approach
The Interdisciplinary approach has been used in many ways and at all levels of Education.Interdisciplinary teaching helping the student knowledge, insights, problem solving skills, self-confidence, self-efficacy, and a passion for learning are common goals that educators bring to the classroom, and interdisciplinary instruction and exploration promotes realization of these objectives.
Newell 1990, Field et al. 1994, Vess 2009) have identified a number of distinct educational benefits of interdisciplinary learning including gains in the ability to: * Recognize bias * Think critically * Tolerate ambiguity * Acknowledge and appreciate ethical concerns
Interdisciplinary skills (eg: literacy, thinking skills, numeracy, research skills)
Comparing And Contrasting The Multidisciplinary And Interdisciplinary Approaches To Intergation | Multidisciplinary | Interdisciplinary | Organizing Center | Standards of the disciplines organized around a theme | Interdisciplinary skills and concepts embedded in disciplinary standards | Conception of Knowledge | * Knowledge best learned through the structure of the disciplines * A right answer * One truth | * Disciplines connected by common concepts and skills * Knowledge considered to be socially constructed * Many right answers | Role of Disciplines | * Procedures of discipline considered most important * Distinct skills and concepts of discipline taught | Interdisciplinary skills and concepts stressed | Role of Teacher | * Facilitator * Specialist | * Facilitator * Specialist/generalist | Starting Place | Disciplinary standards and-procedures | * Interdisciplinary bridge * KNOW/DO/BE | Degree of Integration | | | Moderate | Medium/intense | Assessment | | | Discipline-based | Interdisciplinary skills/concepts stressed | DO? | * Disciplinary skills as the focal point * Interdisciplinary skills also included | * Interdisciplinary skills as the focal point * Disciplinary skills also included | BE? | * Democratic values * Character education * Habits of mindLife skills (e.g., teamwork, self-responsibility) | Planning Process | * Backward design * Standards-based * Alignment of instruction, standards, and assessment | Instruction | * Constructivist approach * Inquiry * Experiential learning * Personal relevance * Student choice * Differentiated instruction | Assessment | * Balance of traditional and authentic assessments * Culminating activity that integrates disciplines taught |
Developing: Teacher work reflects a focus on creating interdisciplinary curriculum. * Curriculum is developed in which Thematic units are used as organizing principles. * Teacher works as ‘coach’ facilitating active student learning. * Staff have some common planning time or other professional development time to work together to develop integrated curricula. * The linkage of similar topics, concepts or skills from two or more subject areas taught collaboratively with another teacher. * Teacher as generalist with the ability to teach interdisciplinary material alone, although they may plan with other teachers. * Teachers are developing cross-curriculum sub objectives within a given curriculum guide. * Teachers are developing model lessons that include cross-curricular activities and assessments. * Teachers are developing enrichment or enhancement activities with a cross-curricular focus including. suggestions for cross-curricular “contacts” following each objective. * Interdisciplinary curriculum uses essential questions to guide exploration across disciplines. * Teachers are developing assessment activities that are cross-curricular in nature.
Support for an Interdisciplinary Curriculum
The work of the curriculum developer, is like that of architects: they might face unexpected events that oblige them to adapt their plans. They are responsible for choices that reflect a cohesive and lasting quality in the educational experience they are attempting to build.
The following beliefs and assumptions are to be taken into account when creating one’s statement of philosophy for interdisciplinary work.
1- To fully benefit from interdisciplinary studies Students should have a range of curriculum experiences that reflect both a discipline-field and an interdisciplinary orientation, in order to acquire a solid grounding in the various disciplines that interdisciplinary attempts to bridge (Jacobs and Borland 1986.
2. To avoid the potpourri problem, teachers should be active curriculum designers and determine the nature and degree of integration and the scope and sequence of study. They should be empowered to work as designers to shape and to edit the curriculum according to the students' needs.
3- Curriculum making is a creative solution to a problem; hence, interdisciplinary curriculum should only be used to face the problems of fragmentation, relevance, and growth of knowledge.
4- Curriculum making should not be viewed as a covert activity. The interdisciplinary course should be presented to all members of the school community. Parents should also be well-informed so that they feel less suspicious.
5- As early as pre-school, students should tackle epistemological issues such as "What is knowledge and How can we present it in the schools?" (Jacobs and Borland 1986). Relevance begins with the rationale for educational choices affecting the school life of the student.
6- Interdisciplinary experiences provide an opportunity for a more relevant, less fragmented, and stimulating experience for students. A well-designed curriculum leads students to break with the traditional view of knowledge and foster a range of perspectives that serve them in the larger world.
7- Students should be involved in the development of interdisciplinary courses since their interest in the units is often enhanced by their involvement in the planning process (Jacobs and Borland 1986).
Benefits:
* Improves higher order thinking skills * Gives the learner a more unified sense of process and content * Improves the learner’s mastery of content * Teaches the student to adopt multiple points of view on issues * Gives them ownership of their own studies * Improves their motivation to learn
Disadvantage of interdisciplinary * Time demands * Personality issues * Some teachers are left out * Integration confusion * Budget consideration * Resistance to change
Bibliography
Burns, S. a. (n.d.). Chapter 1. What Is Integrated Curriculum? meeting standards through integrated curriculum .
Cassady, L. (n.d.). The Disadvantages of Interdisciplinary Teams in the Classroom. eHow contributor .
