ERIC EJ966901: Curriculum Integration in Ontario High Schools

2011·0.61 MB·English

by  ERIC

F
eature
Curriculum Integration in Ontario High Schools
By James Grice
At the outset of my undergraduate thesis, a community decision making and lead to
friend challenged me to explain my reasons real solutions and real improvements. Most
for choosing “integrated curricula” as my of all, they need to be encouraged to think
topic of interest. “OK,” he said as I finished divergently—to see many possible answers
explaining, “but what’s really in it for you?” through a sometimes unlimited variety of
The question took me aback. What, indeed, lenses. Reality is integrated, and so too must
makes the pursuit of curriculum integration learning be.
worthwhile? After 18 months of reflection
and refinement, my response, I think, boils In Canada, and particularly in Ontario,
down to this: Work, when personalized and a growing number of educators have
truly enjoyed, seems not like work at all. embraced an approach to learning that
The same holds true in schools throughout employs “real-life” contexts as platforms
North America. When we tailor a student’s for exploring “traditional” classroom work
education to his/her specific student needs, in more meaningful ways. The “integrated
root it in reality and make it engaging for model” operates in a healthy number of
students and teachers alike, education is not Ontario high schools, and takes the form
something passively received—something of integrated curriculum programs (ICPs)—
tedious or boring—but an entity that is programs that blend knowledge and
grasped. It is personal and it is real. And skills from “conventional subjects” with
this is possible, I think, through curriculum learning opportunities that are experiential
integration. and interdisciplinary in nature. ICPs are
essentially packages of two to four classes
In many North American schools, the that students can take during one semester
acquirement of knowledge is encouraged of high school. They have an integrating
in the most fractious of ways. At the high- theme (e.g., environmental leadership, global
school level, knowledge is often channelled citizenship, Catholic leadership or some kind
into separate, specialized units of study. of trade) that unifies the program’s courses.
Rarely is an effort made to develop cross- They also maintain a program focus (or
subject, unifying themes that can help combination of focuses) that might include
students recognize important points of service learning, community initiatives
curricular overlap. Worse still, the knowledge and local issues or some kind of travel
that we so aptly compartmentalize is component. The flow chart on page 5 is a
frequently inert in nature—the kind that condensed, visual representation of what
students learn only to regurgitate at the ICPs look like in Ontario today.
unit’s end. Strange as it may sound, students
today are expected (and encouraged!) to Unlike those of a conventional high-school
memorize—not connect—the many and varied timetable, ICP courses are taught by the same
dots placed before them. teacher (or in some cases, two teachers) each
and every day. But successful integration
In his book entitled Shop Class for Soulcraft, requires a lot more than throwing together
Matthew Crawford suggests that if thinking curricular expectations from individual
truly is bound up with action, then the task courses and expecting magic to occur.
of getting an adequate grasp of the world,
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intellectually, depends on our doing stuff Renowned Ontario researcher Bert Horwood
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A in it (p. 164). And in fact this is the case: (1994) suggests that real integration happens
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“to really know shoelaces, you have to tie “not so much from putting school subjects
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T shoes” (p. 164). Students need to be shown together into a shared time and place, but
A
P that what they learn inside the classroom is from certain types of general experiences
relevant to the world around them. They which transcend disciplines” (p. 91). Susan
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need to see that their efforts can influence Drake 2000 adds that curricula can be
Feature
hIontmteagrated Curriculum Programs (ICPs) in Ontario—
2010–2011
Program
Credit Quantity
2-Credit 4-Credit 3-Credit
“Focus Programs”
Potential Program
Science, Writer’s Craft, Environmental Focused Skill Social Justice
Geography, or Visual and/or and Outdoor Set and/or and
Arts & Science Dramatic Arts Education Trade Global
Program Focus
Mentorship and Local Roots “Core” Travel and Adventure Travel
Service Learning Exploration and “Field Trips” and Fundraising
Emphasis: Emphasis: Emphasis: Emphasis:
• “A call to • Working within • “Out of school” • Let’s get out
service.” the bounds of a experiences often there!
• Returning school within driving • Adventure travel
something to the community and distance. or eco-/
community learning about • Learning through humanitarian-
through local the experience of projects away
volunteer work surroundings. “field trips” and from home.
and local, youth- • “Citizen Science” “new places.” • Experience life in S
Y
driven projects. projects with • Examples: a new A
• Implementing local theme/ portaging in environment. W
youth mentorship focus. Algonquin Park; • Examples: ski trip H
programs that • Appreciating and winter camping; to Banff, AB; AT
help to educate engaging with trip to local sugar home-building or P
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Feature
completely integrated in content and still prevalent across the province. They remain
leave learners disinterested when delivered the “tested and true” ICP model in Ontario,
lifelessly. What truly “makes or breaks” an although two-credit programs (dubbed
attempt at curriculum integration is not “focus programs”) have become increasingly
ultimately what is taught, but how it is taught popular in urban centres throughout Ontario.
(Drake, 2000). Successful ICPs provide Shown below is a visual representation
students with a genuine sense of ownership of ICP credit allocation in Ontario’s high
and pride because students are prompted to schools, based on data collected in Kozak’s
make connections between classroom content survey.
and the world around them. They offer real
challenges that make students better problem In the last ten years, methods of Ontario ICP
solvers, stronger critical thinkers and more implementation have changed dramatically.
adept at identifying links between the real Teachers today who are interested in
and the abstract. developing an ICP must choose one of
three options for program design and
Exciting things are taking place at more than implementation:
150 Ontario ICPs, with many more programs
yet to be identified and documented. In 2009– 1. straight credit combination/integration
2010, Stan Kozak and the Gosling Foundation 2. adopting an Interdisciplinary Studies
administered a survey of Ontario ICPs that curricular focus
yielded a bevy of important data and trends 3. tapping into the Ministry of Education’s
that educators and administrators will surely Specialist High Skills Major initiative
find interesting. Of the 50 programs that
responded, for instance, an incredible 72 The first method is the most basic in scope.
percent indicated a program start-date of It involves straight combination/integration
2000 or later, which signals a decade of strong of two to four courses by connecting them
program growth that we can feel optimistic with a program theme like environmental
(though not complacent) about. leadership, journalism, biotechnology, social
justice or global citizenship. Susan Hubner,
At present, the majority of Ontario ICPs lead teacher of John F. Ross CVI’s da Vinci
are geared toward Grade 11 and Grade 12 Arts & Science Environmental Leadership
students, though an increasing number of program, uses “arts and science” as her
schools are beginning to offer Grade 9 and 10 program’s integrating theme. The four-credit
programs. Four-credit programs, particularly da Vinci program offers English (ENG 3U),
those rooted in environmental leadership and/ Biology (SBI 3U), Visual Arts (AVI 3M) and
or outdoor education, continue to be the most Anthropology/Sociology/Psychology (HSP
3M), and is open to all
Grade 11 students in the
Upper Grand District
School Board who are
keen to explore the
environment through a
unique combination of
the arts and sciences.
The second method of
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ICP implementation
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A involves a 2002
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Ministry curriculum
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T document entitled
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P Interdisciplinary Studies.
Interdisciplinary Studies
6 was introduced as part
Feature
of Ontario’s Grades 11 and 12 curricula diverse abilities, interests and learning styles.
in response to the “unprecedented range More information about the interdisciplinary
of social, scientific, economic, cultural, studies curriculum can be found online
environmental, political, and technological at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/
issues” that students are faced with secondary/interdisciplinary1112curr.pdf.
(Interdisciplinary Studies 3). At the time,
the Government of Ontario proposed The third and final way to build an ICP
the coupling of discrete, knowledge- involves tapping into Ontario’s Specialist
based skills with “interdisciplinary High Skills Major (SHSM) initiative—a
skills” that are closely related to research relatively new, Ministry-approved
work, information management, group opportunity that allows students to focus
collaboration, critical and creative thinking their learning on a specific economic
and technological applications (p. 4). As part sector while meeting the requirements
of the interdisciplinary studies curriculum, for graduation. Students gain important
students apply the concepts, methods and skills on the job with employers, at skills
language of more than one discipline to training centres and at school. They also
explore topics, develop skills and solve earn valuable industry certifications. Each
problems (p. 5). Courses in interdisciplinary “major” (shown below) is a bundle of eight
studies packages are meant to be explored to ten Grades 11 and 12 courses in the
in a way that reflects the linkages and student’s selected field.
interdependencies among subjects,
disciplines and the courses themselves (p. SHSM experiential learning and “career
5). Using this model, educators can build an exploration” activities involve planned
ICP in accordance with Ministry guidelines, learning activities that take place outside
while also catering to students who have of the traditional classroom setting and are
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Feature
related to the sector of the SHSM. To a large school and board, and increases the always-
extent, they represent the type of learning important possibility of additional program
experience that has long been a flagship funding.
component of Ontario ICPs. Career-related
experiences might include job shadowing, In conclusion, regardless of how an ICP is
job twinning, worksite tours or attendance designed and/or implemented, it’s worth
at career conferences and competitions—all noting that the most successful programs
of which allow students to explore careers are the ones that strike a healthy balance of
in a specific sector and reflect on the activity support between teachers, students, parents,
afterwards (often through a discussion or administrators, community members and, in
an assignment). “Reach-ahead” experiences, some cases, the Ministry of Education.
which allow students to experience the
“next step” in their chosen post-secondary With three possible gateways that can lead
pathway (college, university, workplace, to the development of an ICP, Ontario
etc.), take place outside the classroom and educators have more opportunity than ever
can vary in length. to capture the “magic” of integrated curricula
and establish a program of their own.
Most of the experiential and training
components of SHSMs depend on the local References
circumstances of the school and school
community (e.g., facilities and equipment, Crawford, Matthew B. (2009). Shop class as
staff qualifications, partnerships and soulcraft. New York: Penguin Group.
agreements). Careful consideration of all of
these elements will help to determine how Drake, Susan. (2000). Integrated curriculum.
an SHSM’s required components can be Virginia: Association for Supervision
effectively delivered to students. Depending and Curriculum Development.
on circumstances, some components can
be delivered in a secondary school, college, Horwood, Bert. (1994). Integration and
training centre, other approved site or a experience in the secondary
combination of settings. curriculum. McGill Journal of
Education, 29(1), 89–102.
SHSMs are currently funded by the
Government of Ontario through various Kozak, Stan. (2010). Survey: Integrated
existing sources (like Student Success) and curriculum programs in Ontario. The
other types of foundation funding (such as Gosling Foundation.
GSN—“grants for student needs”). As of
2010–2011, at least one major is offered in Ontario Ministry of Education. (2002).
every Ontario school board. This is positive Interdisciplinary studies: The Ontario
news for ICPs, which have plenty to gain curriculum, Grades 11 and 12. Toronto:
by “tapping into” successful SHSMs. An Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
existing four-credit ICP, for example, could
consider offering its credits as part of an Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006).
SHSM. Students would complete a selection Specialist high skills major: Fact sheet.
of SHSM components by completing one Ontario: Queen’s Printer for Toronto.
semester in the ICP. The remaining SHSM
components would be administered or Ontario Ministry of Education. (2008).
S “covered” by other SHSM teachers in the Specialist high skills major:
Y
A school. As of 2009–2010, roughly 35 percent Implementation guide. Toronto:
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of Kozak’s ICP respondents indicated that Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
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T they operate under the umbrella of their
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P school or board’s SHSM(s). This arrangement
provides ICPs with greater stability and a James Grice is currently in Teacher’s College at
8 more prominent identity within their local Brock University.