Curriculum Integration, A Stratgey in Achieving Holistic Student Development Goal in Student Affairs

THE ENDS OF EDUCATING
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The 26 Annual Conference of UGNAYANG PANG-AGHAM TAO (UGAT), Inc.
Anthropological Association of the Philippines
October 21-23, 2004, Capitol University, Cagayan de Oro City
CURRICULUM INTEGRATION:
A STRATEGY IN ACHIEVING HOLISTIC STUDENT DEVELOPMENT GOAL
IN STUDENT AFFAIRS
by
Hector Teodoro Miranda
De La Salle University-Manila
Introduction
In a continuing quest for improving Student Services, Student Affairs Practitioners have
already gone a long way in providing programs and services that cater to the different
needs of students, all directed toward the valuing of Holistic Student Development.
Curriculum Integration (CI) is one of those emerging means by which student affairs
organizations or offices operate and deliver results.
Presentation Objectives
At the end of this presentation, we, the Student Affairs Practitioners should be able to:
• Clarify our understanding of Curriculum Integration;

• Maximize our use of CI in providing relevant student services through
effective organizational structure and delivery processes;
• Enumerate implications of its use:
• On the Organizational Structure of Student Affairs:
• On the Student Affairs Practitioner and the Academic Community
Clarifying Our Understanding of Curriculum Integration
The Need for Curriculum Integration

Curriculum Integration (CI) has been present in the educational systems ever since we
realized the need to know and learn more. Learning in the school sense is an approach to
inject ideas in the minds of the students and make it a common knowledge. We also
realize the need to reflect on the realities of life and how this knowledge could further
improve the quality of living. Recognizing the need to have a better understanding of
what we know and how we can use it, is how I understand the word integration.
CI therefore, as we all have experienced it as learners, is the summation of all the things
that we know and how these complex thoughts can be of use in our everyday living. And
this summation is our integrated curriculum, a source of integrated learning. We,
educators, as bounded by our academic goals, are its implementers. And these are the
reasons why we need CI in Student Affairs and in the Academic System or Curriculum.
Curriculum Integration: A Strategy in Achieving Holistic Student Development Goal in Student Affairs
by Hector Teodoro Miranda (De La Salle University-Manila)
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Development of CI
Heidi Hayes Jacobs describes it as "carefully designing a set of experiences, within a
range of disciplines in an organized manner in order to enhance learning." Throughout
the years, CI’s definition has evolved and it has tremendously developed. We could also
attribute its development to how we constantly redefine Learning. Learning Theories
would tell different indicators of learning and which have infected the way we do CI; not
to mention all the arising knowledge from different disciplines that led us to the need to
consolidate our understanding of these complexities. Logic will bring us to the simple
understanding that CI is all about creating an integrated curriculum for students.
Tracing its development would take a whole bunch of history of education and
development theories. But, a better way of reviewing how CI has emerged is by
enumerating Randy Compton‘s Five Ways of CI. These are:
Content/Subject Discipline CI
It is integrating concepts, skills, and processes involved within a discipline. A classic
example is when require students to apply things they learned in class by submitting a
project or paper report.
Parallel Discipline CI
It is when we target the same outputs from two disciplines. How can students forget their
History teacher’s lesson about the heroism of the Filipino when on the same week, their
Economics teacher gave them a lesson on personal and social responsibility in
Economics?
Multi-Disciplinary CI
It is when teachers collaboratively link lessons from 3 or more disciplines leading to a
focused center, program, activity, concept or skill. This is very much reflected in how we
consolidate our efforts to maximize our resources by having common activities.
Inter-Disciplinary CI
This is reflected in an academic curriculum that inter-twines all disciplines. This is when
breakdown the given units of a specific course and distribute them to different subjects,
electives and majors.
Integrated CI
This is when we provide opportunity for the practice of the theories taught through the
different subjects taken in an academic curriculum. It is seen when we empower our
students to initiate projects focused on the application of their learning while in practicum
or through thesis researches.
These CI strategies may not be new to us, but it is worth reviewing for us Practitioners as
a means to validate what we are doing. It should also open our doors to other possibilities
or options of providing integrated learning to our students.
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Maximizing CI in Student Affairs Management
Integrating Co-curricular Programs in the Academic Curriculum

Student Affairs have always aimed at providing the Academic Curriculum the twin
support to further enhance learning. Education and the different areas of disciplines it
promotes have made available, the different approaches and techniques to learning.
Student Affairs have become more critical at identifying clear indicators of learning.
Practitioners usually asked these questions:
What is the impact of our programs to our students?

Have they reached the emotional maturity that they should have?
Have they realized clear career goals?
Do they have the skills needed for work?
Have they gotten enough motivation to pull themselves up?
And so, it has become so spontaneous to hear educators talk about well-balanced
education, scientific learning, play-oriented education, and self-regulated learning
amongst others. With all idealism I agree with all these goals and strategies. These I
believe are all consciously or not, aimed at the primordial goal of Student Affairs; that is
to provide venues for Holistic Student Development.
Emergence of CI Programs in Student Affairs (The DLSU-Manila Experience)

The academic community has initiated a lot of CI programs. De La Salle University-
Manila is one of those schools that present an array based on emerging needs. Co-
curricular programs under the Student Affairs Office have always been sensitive to the
needs of the academic community. Some are as follows:
The Community Service Programs of the Center for Social Concern and Action
(COSCA) married the Theology and Religious Education Department (TRED) to bear the
RELSTRI and RELSFOUR Community Service Program.
The Office of Career Services (OCS) with the Lasallian Pastoral Office (LSPO) has
redesigned the Career Preparation Program, to bring career preparation in the context of
our faith and spirituality. This was also a response to the OCS initiated research study
amongst employers of our graduates, to know the impact of its Orient 3 Program.
The Cultural Arts Office (CAO) tied-up with the Literature Department to emphasize the
value of culture appreciation by featuring cultural arts presentations in the Art
Appreciation Classes.
Every student organization in the University is required to coordinate one (1) community
service-oriented project/activity every term.
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The Student Development Office (SDO) has brought into the classroom, the Personal
Effectiveness Seminars in response to the demands of concerned teachers and industry
partners.
These are but just few of the CI Programs that have emerged in DLSU-Manila in
response to the identified, observed, and assumed needs of the students, academic
departments, and employers of Lasallian graduates. Student Affairs Practitioners who
know the value of achieving the student affairs goal of Holistic Student Development
initiated these.
The Concept of Infusion/Immersion (I)

Another CI concept, which has emerged through identified needs, is Infusion (Randy
Compton). It is synonymous to what has already been known to us in the academe as
Immersion. Infusion is when the teaching and modeling of concepts and skills are
reflected throughout the classroom and school culture.
This is very much seen with schools where and when students and adults form a
community with its own distinct culture. No wonder why we’ve become familiar with
labels amongst schools with their battle cries: “Scholar ng Bayan”, Man for Others,
Christian Achiever for God and Country; these are reflections of their distinct school
culture.
CI vs. I
Infusion is an outgrowth of CI. Infusion serves a lot more benefits for the academe since
it completes the integration that we want to achieve. It emphasizes the importance
referring back to the realities of our time; while CI is somewhat limited to the confines of
the disciplines being suggested in the prescribed curriculum. Infusion gives the learner
the freedom to self-learn. It provides more options and openness to different perspectives
by mere exposure to the realities of life.
Infusion Strategies and Programs

Immersion Programs started popping when the academic community felt the need to
commune with the society. Schools started realizing the need to have a contribution to the
society by making itself answerable to the needs of the people as well as the needs of the
government. They have become very critical about the responsibility that it is now very
much seen in the vision-mission statements of schools. Community exposure and
involvement projects/activities are reflections of this trend.
In DLSU-Manila, the Office of Student Activities (OSAc) empowered the Council of

Student Organization (CSO) in facilitating the Annual Accreditation of the Student
Organizations. This is a very challenging Infusion strategy that teaches the students to
self-regulate.
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The government also had its share. The National Service Training Program (NSTP) is an
attempt by the government to inculcate in the minds of the youth the value of Service for
your community and the government.
From these examples, we notice that Infusion Programs is best invested in reference to
the communal needs of people. But, the needs are not the only elements to consider in
designing Infusion programs.
The National Curriculum Integration Project (NCIP) in Colorado utilized a framework

for Infusion program on the integration of their Conflict Resolution Education Program to
their school climate change.
It has three core elements:
• Classroom/School Culture – as seen in the teacher modeling, peaceable classroom

practices, direct skill instruction
• Curriculum Content
• Teaching Strategies
Taking note of these core elements should be one of the best ways to strategize our CI
and Infusion Programs. It emphasizes the need for consistency in our ways and means as
well as the need for sensitivity to the cultural norms of the school and society.
Implications of CI
On the Organizational Structure of Student Affairs

For CI to completely penetrate into the system, the organizational structure of the school
should allow such programs to be accessible to its target clients, the students. Hence, the
need for an office devoted to CI Programs.
Its Benefits
Having the CI Programs available would ensure benefits on the holistic development of
our students. It gives us the assurance and confidence in the realization of our school’s
vision-mission as well as our strategic objectives.
Its Challenging Requirements and Strategies

If development programs are consistent with the school vision-mission, it becomes a
measure of its relevance. Constant review of its logistical requirements is a must. It also
requires having strong internal and external linkages. These make it quite costly to
maintain in the organizational structure and delivery processes of student affairs.
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Diagnosing infusion by using the skills learning checklist

There is also a need to specify clear indicators of positive change. These indicators would
vary depending on the educational orientations of the school. But since there is a strong
motion to consider skills development as an important learning indicator, I suggest the
use of a diagnostic tool to identify infusion in your CI programs and services.
With sensitivity to the developmental capacity and limitations of our students and with
reference to our need to know the level of infusion we have achieved through our CI
Programs, I propose the use of this skills learning stages checklist:
Stages Skills Learning Indicators Remarks

Denial When the person has no reason to learn the skill
Confused When the person realizes the need to have the skill but won’t
initiate knowing more about it
Awkward When there is minimum know-how of the skill but the person
has partial appreciation of it
Lazy When there is already an acceptance of the need for the skill
but has not initiated any move to develop it
Indulgent When the person is delighted to acquire the skills but has not
developed its mastery
Doubtful When the skill is already present but the confidence to recreate
is lacking
Poised When the use of the skill is enjoyable and is widely applied
Infused When the Skill is already being utilized and consistent with the
personal values of the person and has been fully accepted by
him and his cultural norms
*Adapted from the Stages of Skills Learning by George Davis
This checklist can help the Student Affairs Practitioners in validating the effectiveness of
our CI Programs. It can also provide us the reason for the modification of our programs.
This checklist should also impress on us, the value of being critical with results.
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Here are some specific skills that we might really want to observe:
*active listening, reframing, questioning, impulse control, emotional awareness,

perspective taking, critical and creative thinking, consequential thinking, analyzing rules
and laws, standing up against violence and injustice and facilitation of meetings,
*reflection and internal decision-making, cooperative group work, classroom meetings,

negotiation, mediation, arbitration, change management
*Adapted from Randy Compton’s Conflict Resolution Skills Indicators
On the Student Affairs Practitioner:

Part of the requirements of considering CI Programs in student affairs is to maintain a
competent Student Affairs Practitioner. The following could be an ideal profile:
Knowledge
*A good grasp of the theories of learning and development
*A clear definition of the role of student affairs in the academic community
Skills
*Competence in the designing, facilitating and management of developmental programs
Attitudes
*Appreciative of norms, culture and change
*Passionately advocate holistic student development
Other expectations could be:

Strategies
*Establishing and maintaining of networks and linkages
*Benchmarking
*Evaluation/Analysis/Diagnosing of Needs
*Being critical about results
These are just some of the requirements that should guide us in the implementation of CI
Programs in student affairs. Constant updating and improvements of the CI Programs
would solely depend on the readiness of the Practitioners to infuse with the goals and
strategies of student affairs. At the same level, the school must also be equally prepared
to provide the basic requirements of these developmental programs.
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Summary and Conclusion
This paper gave us a review of how CI has been utilized by the academic community. By
tracing how it developed, we were able to clarify how we educators benefited from its
features. We also enumerated its implications on the organizational structure and delivery
processes of student services. And more importantly, we reiterated the value, benefits,
and the challenging implications of integrating co-curricular programs into the academic
curriculum, and what it requires from us, the Student Affairs Practitioners.
Our role as Student Affairs Practitioners challenges us to ensure that before we aim for
the holistic development of our students and facilitate their integrated learning, we should
be able to achieve our own wholeness and integration as persons. After all, it is really
impossible to give something that we do not have.
Reference:
http://www.ncip.org/articles/Promise_Curriculum.html
http://www.ncip.org/Resource_Guide.html
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THE ENDS OF EDUCATING

• Clarify our understanding of Curriculum Integration;

Clarifying Our Understanding of Curriculum Integration

The Need for Curriculum Integration

Maximizing CI in Student Affairs Management

Integrating Co-curricular Programs in the Academic Curriculum

What is the impact of our programs to our students?

Emergence of CI Programs in Student Affairs (The DLSU-Manila Experience)

The Concept of Infusion/Immersion (I)

Infusion Strategies and Programs

In DLSU-Manila, the Office of Student Activities (OSAc) empowered the Council of

The National Curriculum Integration Project (NCIP) in Colorado utilized a framework

It has three core elements:

• Classroom/School Culture – as seen in the teacher modeling, peaceable classroom

On the Organizational Structure of Student Affairs

Its Challenging Requirements and Strategies

Diagnosing infusion by using the skills learning checklist

Stages Skills Learning Indicators Remarks

*Adapted from the Stages of Skills Learning by George Davis

*active listening, reframing, questioning, impulse control, emotional awareness,

*reflection and internal decision-making, cooperative group work, classroom meetings,

On the Student Affairs Practitioner:

Other expectations could be:

Summary and Conclusion

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