The Integration of Science, Mathematics, and Technology in a Discipline‐Based Culture

Abstract

The culture of the middle years of schooling in Western Australia, as in many parts of the world, is predominantly discipline based. This paper focuses on exceptions to this norm by describing examples of integrated teaching of science, mathematics, and technology in seventh‐ to ninth‐grade classrooms. Several different forms of integration were found in the 16 Western Australian schools examined in this study, including thematic approaches, cross‐curricular approaches, technology‐based projects, and local community projects. Interviews with teachers in these schools raised several implementation issues, including the process of getting started, implications for teachers and students, implications for schedule structure, and implications for departmental structure. All the forms of integration observed in this study were through secondary means, in which the discrete subject discipline boundaries were being maintained. The deep culture of subject disciplines, underwritten by curriculum documents organized in terms of subjects, means that there may be few incentives for teachers to teach and students to learn in an integrated manner.

Impact of an Integrated Methods Course on Preservice Teachers’ Perspectives of Curriculum Integration and Faculty Instructors’ Professional Growth

“…As discussed in the literature review, one key argument in the prolonged discourse of curriculum integration was focused on the sequence of integrated teaching and individual subject knowledge learning. Our preliminary finding in this regard does not favor the radical perspective of curriculum integration, which suggests subjects be abolished (Younge & Gehrke, 1993) but supports arguments that school pupils need to learn subject knowledge and skills before taking integrated tasks (Venville et al, 1998). This finding therefore aligns well with the blended/worldly view of curriculum integration that we adopted in the study.…”

“…As reported by Hatch (1998), Gardner believed that "robust understandings of important phenomena and concepts depend on the study of disciplines like history, the natural science and mathematics, and the development of capabilities to use the methods and approaches of those disciplines" (p. 19). Similarly, Venville, Wallace, Rennie, and Malone (1998) observed that many science teachers felt that pupils need to learn the basic content in subjects before integrated teaching could proceed.…”

Implementing curriculum integration: The experiences of Korean elementary teachers

“…Some research that has been undertaken has found that teachers feel irritated when they are required to integrate contents that do not connect naturally with the integrated theme, topic, or project (Venville, Wallace, Rennie, & Malone, 1999). Moreover, working in this way does not require teachers extra time to plan.…”

Stepping into iSMART: Understanding Science–Mathematics Integration for Middle School Science and Mathematics Teachers

“…During the past few decades, many educators have become increasingly interested in the connection between science and mathematics instruction (Frykholm & Glasson, ; Hamm, ; Huntley, ; Judson & Sawada, ; Pang & Good, ; Venville, Wallace, Rennie, & Malone, ). Berlin and Lee's () examination of several documents revealed that reform documents such as Science for All Americans (Rutherford & Ahlgren, ) have all recommended the integration of school mathematics and science.…”