CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Education

ED. 110 (Building & Enhancing New Literacies Across the Curriculum)

Module 4: Integrating New Literacies in the Curriculum

Most Essential Learning Outcomes

After finishing this module, the students should have:

1. discussed the concept of the integrated curriculum;
2. distinguished the different curriculum integration approaches, methods, and types;
3. identified lessons or course disciplines that may be appropriate for curriculum integration;
4. drawn relevant life lessons and significant values from curriculum integration experiences in class; and
5. analyzed research abstract on curriculum integration and its implications on the teaching-learning process.

The Concept of Integrated Curriculum

In retrospect, the introduction of an integrated curriculum gained the greatest support in the 1960s. Based on the
essential organization of content, the design emphasizes the role of diverse entities called academic disciplines clearly
defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and values.
Thus, an integrated curriculum…
• focuses on basic skills, content, and higher-level thinking;
• encourages lifelong learning;
• structures learning around themes, big ideas, and meaningful concepts;
• provides connections among various curricular disciplines;
• provides learners opportunities to apply skills they have learned;
• encourages active participation in relevant real-life experiences;
• captivates, motivates, and challenges learners;
• provides a deeper understanding of content;
• offers opportunities for a smaller group and industrialized instruction; and
• accommodates a variety of learning styles/theories (i.e., social learning theory, cooperative learning, intrinsic
motivation, and self-efficacy) and multiple intelligences.

Approaches to Integration

The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (2004) presents three approaches to integration and
these are multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary.
Multidisciplinary Approach. A multidisciplinary approach focuses primarily on different disciplines. Teachers
who employ this approach may create standards from the disciplines within a theme. There are many different ways to create
a multidisciplinary curriculum, and they tend to differ in the level of intensity of the integration effort. It can be recalled that
the previous Restructured Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC) is the best depiction of a multidisciplinary approach. The
four disciplines (Araling Panlipunan, Values Education, MAPEH, and TLE) were integrated along with a theme termed
Makabayan as an integrated subject served as a laboratory of life. Makabayan was a learning area that stressed the
development of social awareness, empathy, and commitment for common good. Grades in these four disciplines were
usually computed to comprise the general grade in Makabayan as a discipline. At the end of the week, the four disciplines
collaborated to design a culminating activity along with the given theme that connected these four discipline areas. The
following is the structure of Makabayan that used the multidisciplinary approach centered on a given theme.

Araling
Panlipunan

MAPEH Makabayan TLE

Values
Education
 When a teacher integrates subdisciplines within a subject area, he/she is practicing an intradisciplinary approach.
For example, one integrates reading, writing, and oral communication in the English subject. Likewise, teachers often
integrate Philippine history, world history, geography, economics, and government in an intradisciplinary social studies
program. Likewise, science integrates subdisciplines, such as earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics that respond to
the spiral curriculum approach. This connection is presented in the structure below.

Earth Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Science

Through this integration, teachers expect students to understand the connections between the different
subdisciplines and their relationship to the real world. This approach brings a positive impact on the achievement of
students.
In using the multidisciplinary integration approach, there is a need to organize a list of standards from various
disciplines around one common theme. Likewise, come up with a list of standards from related disciplines, such as earth
science, biology, chemistry, and physics to focus on a common intradisciplinary science program. Another way of doing it is
by fusing skills, knowledge, and attitudes into the school curriculum or utilizing technology across the curriculum. In this
way, students learn other subjects while enhancing their computer skills.
Interdisciplinary Approach. In this approach to integration, teachers organize and capsulize the curriculum around
common learning across disciplines to emphasize interdisciplinary skills and concepts. The disciplines are identifiable, but
they assume less importance than in the multidisciplinary approach. For example, in teaching Filipino as a discipline, the
teacher hones students’ language skills while resorting to content and topics in Araling Panlipunan. Below is an
interdisciplinary structure. Therefore, there are times that a teacher in Filipino teams up with a teacher in Araling
Panlipunan to teach a lesson in Araling Panlipunan while she teaches the needed skills in the Filipino 1 subject.

Content
Skills
ARALING
FILIPINO
PANLIPUNAN
FILIPINO

Also, in using the interdisciplinary integration approach, there is a need to structure the curriculum around
common learning areas across disciplines. For example, incorporate interdisciplinary skills, such as thinking skills, problem-
solving, and analytic skills in teaching Science, Math, and English.
Transdisciplinary Integration. In the transdisciplinary approach to integration, teachers design a curriculum
within student needs and concerns. Students develop life skills as they apply disciplinary and interdisciplinary skills in a
real-life context. Two routes lead to transdisciplinary integration, namely: project-based learning and negotiating the
curriculum.

Subject Areas

Theme and Concepts

Life Skills
Real-World Context
Career Prospects
Community Integration
Social Problems and Dilemmas
Life Experiences
Student Questions
 In using the transdisciplinary integration approach, there is a need to plan out the curriculum around student needs
and concerns. Transdisciplinary integration is utilized through project-based learning, which involves allowing the students
to present a problem. Project-based learning allows students to make connections among different subjects by solving social
problems and answering open-ended questions. It can also be done by utilizing student questions as a basis for curriculum
design. Learning how to solve problems and to ask questions enables students to apply the skills in real-life situations.

Comparing and Contrasting the Three Approaches to Integration

(Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2004)

Aspect Multidisciplinary Interdisciplinary Transdisciplinary

• Standards of the • Interdisciplinary skills • Real-life context
Organizing Center disciplines organized and concepts embedded • Student questions
around a theme in disciplinary standards
• Knowledge best learned • Discipline connected by • All knowledge
through the structure of common concepts and interconnected and
the disciplines skills interdependent
Conceptualization of
• A right answer • Knowledge considered • Many right answers
Knowledge
• One truth to be socially constructed • Knowledge considered
• Many right answers to be indeterminate and
ambiguous
• Procedures of discipline • Interdisciplinary skills • Disciplines identified if
considered most and concepts stressed desired, but real-life
important context emphasized
Role of Discipline
• Distinct skills and
concepts of discipline
taught
• Facilitator • Facilitator • Co-planner
Role of Teacher • Specialist • Specialist/ generalist • Co-learner
• Generalist/ specialist
• Disciplinary standards • Interdisciplinary bridge • Student questions and
Starting Place and procedures • Know/Do/Be concerns
• Real-world context
Degree of Integration • Moderate • Medium/intense • Paradigm shift
• Discipline-based • Interdisciplinary • Interdisciplinary
Assessment
skills/concepts stressed skills/concepts stressed
Learning to Know Concepts and essential understandings across disciplines
• Disciplinary skills as the • Interdisciplinary skills as • Interdisciplinary skills
focal point the focal point and disciplinary skills
Learning to do
• Interdisciplinary skills • Disciplinary skills also applied in a real-life
also included included context
• Democratic values
• Character education
Learning to Be
• Habits of mind
• Life skills (e.g., teamwork, self-responsibility)
• Backward design
Planning Process • Standards-based
• Alignment of instruction, standards, and assessment
• Constructivist approach
• Inquiry
• Experiential learning
Instruction
• Personal relevance
• Student choice
• Differential instruction
• Balance of traditional and authentic assessments
Assessment
• Culminating activity that integrates disciplines taught
(Source: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2004)

Methods of Curriculum Integration

Anchored on approaches to curriculum integration, there are methods that are processed and devised for this
purpose.
1. Project-based Learning. It engages students in creating knowledge while enhancing their skills in critical
thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, reasoning, synthesis, and resilience (Barron & Darling-
 Hammond as cited in Corpuz, 2014). As such, it entails an output that involves accomplishing a complex task,
performing a presentation, and producing a project, a craft, or an artifact. Here, students start by defining the
purpose of creating the end-product; implement the design; solve the problems that arise; and come up with the
product guided by a plan or a model. It usually culminates with product presentation, and product evaluation while
reflecting on the entire production process (Schneiderman et al., as cited in Corpuz, 2014).

2. Service Learning. It refers to learning that actively involves students in a wide range of experiences, which often
benefit others and the community, while also advancing the goals of a given curriculum. Community-based service
activities and paired with structures preparation and student reflection. What is unique about service-learning is
that it offers direct application of theoretical models. As such, the real-world application of classroom knowledge
in a community setting allows students to synthesize course material in more meaningful ways. It impounds
integrative reflective, contextualized, strength-based, reciprocal, and lifelong learning.

3. Learning Centers/Parallel Disciplines. A popular way to integrate the curriculum is to address a topic or theme
through the lenses of several subject areas. In an elementary classroom, students often experience this approach at
learning centers. As students move through the learning centers to complete the activities, they learn about the
concept being studied through the lenses of various disciplines. In the higher grades, this may take the form of
parallel disciplines and teachers sequence their content to match the content in other classrooms (ASCD, 2004).

4. Theme-based. Some teachers go beyond sequencing content and plan collaboratively and they do it in a more
intensive way of working with a theme dubbed as “theme-based”. Often, three or more subject areas are involved
in the study, and the unit ends with an integrated culminating activity. Units of several weeks/ duration may
emerge from this process, and the whole school may be involved. A thee-based unit involving the whole school
may be independent of the regular school schedule. Other thematic programs may involve teachers across the same
grade, wherein teachers carefully connect the activities to the standards in each discipline. Over time, they have
developed a long list of possible culminating activities. They also update their Website continually and use it as a
teaching tool with students. The site offers many interesting options for those interested in this method of
integration (ASCD, 2004).
5. Fusion. In this method, teachers fuse skills, knowledge, or even attitudes into the regular school curriculum. In
some schools, students learn respect for the environment in every subject area or come incorporate values across
disciplines. Fusion can involve basic skills. Many schools emphasize positive work habits in each subject area.
Educators can also fuse technology across the curriculum with computer skills integrated within every subject area
(ASCD, 2004).

Other Types of Integrated Curriculum

There are other types of integrated curriculum as mentioned by ASCD (2004).

1. Connected. This happens when topics surrounding disciplines are connected, which allows students to review and
re-conceptualize ideas within a discipline. However, it has its shortcomings because the content focus still remains
in one discipline.
2. Sequenced. This is observed when similar ideas are taught together, although in different subjects, which
facilitates learning across content areas but requires a lot of communication among teachers of different
disciplines.
3. Shared. This is when teachers use their planning to create an integrated unit between two disciplines. Although in
some ways, this method of integration requires a lot of communication and collaboration between two teachers. A
teacher presents the structure, format, and standards in making research while collaborating with the science
teacher, who focuses on the content area of research that is related to science.
4. Webbed. This reflects when a teacher plans to base the subject areas around a central theme that will tend students
to see the connection with different subjects.

Benefits of Integrated Curriculum Model

1. It focuses on basic skills, content, and higher-level thinking.

2. It provides a deeper understanding of content.
3. It encourages active participation in relevant real-life experiences.
4. It provides connections among various curricular disciplines.
5. It accommodates a variety of learning styles, theories, and multiple intelligences.

Integration of New Literacy in the K to 12 Curriculum

Literacy Subject Area Outcome Strategy Assessment Output

1. Multicultural and Araling Demonstrate respect Role-Playing Rubric assessment
Global Literacy Panlipunan for cultural diversity result
Brainstorming Brainstorming Report
2. Social Literacy Edukasyon sa Apply ethical and Case analysis Case report
Pagpapakatao moral standards on
given issues and cases Dilemma Analysis Narratives
 3. Media Literacy English Use media in Media-assisted E-portfolio
communication instruction
Filipino dissemination and Google clip
transaction
4. Financial Literacy Math Solve problems in the Problem-solving Scores in problem-
context of business solving drill and
and investment exercises
aspects
TLE Apply effective Business simulation Business plan and
techniques in and immersion inventory
budgeting and
income-generating
enterprise
5. Digital/Cyber Computer Subject Examine the computer Hands-on activity Computer Capstone
Literacy virus that commonly
damages computer Experiential learning
networks and systems
Project-based
Research Cite ways in resolving Exploratory method Research output
plagiarism issues and
determine research
protocols
6. Ecoliteracy Science Suggest ways on how Project-based Project Portfolio
to protect nature and
address climate Task-based Participation Log
change
Learning Reflection
Journal

Guide Questions for Discussion

1. What is an integrated curriculum?

2. What are the different approaches, models, and types of curriculum integration?
3. How can you apply integration along with multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches?
4. Which curriculum integration approach would best suit the different types of learners in diverse classroom
contexts?
5. In what lessons or course disciplines are the integrated curricula most appropriate?

Assessment Task: Reaction Paper

Please refer to Assignment #4.

References

1. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development (2004). What is curriculum integration?
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103011/chapters/What-Is-Integrated-Curriculum%C2%A2.aspx
2. Corpuz, B. (2014). Project-based learning and problem-based learning. The Professional Teacher Magazine, 5(1).
Lorimar Publishing Inc.
3. De Leon, E. (2020). Building and enhancing new literacies across the curriculum. LoriMar Publishing.
4. Friedrich, L. (2014). New literacies integration by student teacher/cooperating teacher dyads in elementary schools: A
collective case study. Public Access Theses and Dissertations from the College of Education and Human Sciences.
University of Nebraska – Lincoln. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cehsdiss/214