The Concept of Integrated Curriculum Methods of Curriculum Integration Various methods of curriculum integration exist,

 The integrated curriculum approach gained significant support in the 1960s, emphasizing the
organization of content around distinct academic disciplines, each defined by knowledge,
skills, and values.
 This approach focuses on basic skills, higher-level thinking, and lifelong learning while
structuring learning around themes and meaningful concepts.
 It fosters connections between different subject areas, encourages practical application of
learned skills, promotes active engagement in real-life experiences, and captivates and
challenges learners. Additionally, it provides a deeper understanding of content, allows for
more small-group and individualized instruction, and accommodates various learning styles
and theories, such as social learning theory, cooperative learning, intrinsic motivation, and
self- efficacy.
Approaches to Integration The Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development (2004) outlines three approaches to integration in
education: multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary.
1.The multidisciplinary approach emphasizes different disciplines and involves creating
standards from these disciplines within a common theme. An example is the Restructured
Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC), which integrated Araling Panlipunan, Values Education,
MAPEH, and TLE under the theme of Makabayan. This approach aims to develop social
awareness and collaboration among students across these disciplines.
2.The interdisciplinary approach involves integrating sub-disciplines within a subject
area, such as combining reading, writing, and oral communication in English or various
aspects of social studies. This approach aims to help students understand the connections
between different sub- disciplines and their relevance to the real world, promoting deeper
learning.
3.The transdisciplinary approach goes beyond subject boundaries to explore complex,
real-world problems. It encourages students to think holistically and apply knowledge from
various disciplines to address issues, fostering a deeper understanding of the
interconnectedness of different fields. +
Overall, these three integration approaches in education can enhance student achievement
and foster a more comprehensive understanding of knowledge and its real-world
applications.
each with its unique benefits including
 Project-Based Learning, which fosters critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and
problem-solving through complex tasks and presentations, leading to improved student
engagement and performance.
 Service Learning combines community-based service with classroom knowledge, resulting
in higher grades, enhanced civic responsibility, and workplace readiness.
 Learning Centers and Parallel Disciplines help students explore a topic through various
subject lenses, improving focus and social skills.
 Theme- based approaches involve collaborative planning across multiple subject areas,
leading to comprehensive, long-term units of study and improved student behavior and
understanding.
 Thematic programs at the same grade level connect activities to standards and offer
diverse culminating activities. Fusion integrates skills, knowledge, and attitudes into the
regular curriculum, resulting in increased student achievement, critical thinking, self-
confidence, and a positive learning environment. These methods offer diverse ways to
enhance curriculum integration and promote holistic student development.
Other Types of Integrated Curriculum ASCD (2004) identifies four types of integrated curriculum
approaches.
1. Connected, where topics from various disciplines are linked, allowing students to reevaluate
ideas within one discipline. However, it may still primarily emphasize one discipline.
2. Sequenced, where similar concepts are taught across different subjects, promoting cross-
disciplinary learning but necessitating substantial teacher communication.
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 within different subjects

 Interconnecting the Three Approaches The three integration approaches in education—

multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary—support standards-based planning
through a backward design process. Educators can adopt these approaches individually or
collaboratively.
 Despite differences, they all prioritize standards and accountability, making them similar in
practice. Each approach has a unique focus, knowledge conceptualization, and roles for
disciplines and teachers. Integration levels vary, with transdisciplinary being the most
intensive, emphasizing interdisciplinary skills and concepts.
 These approaches prioritize diverse aspects of learning, including
1. understanding across disciplines (Learning to Know),
2. practical skills (Learning to Do), and
3. personal development (Learning to Be).
Planning involves backward design and standards alignment, while instruction emphasizes
constructivism, inquiry, experiential learning, personal relevance, student choice, and
differentiated instruction.
Assessment aims for a balance between traditional and authentic assessments, often
culminating in activities that blend multiple disciplines.
1. Which approach to integration in education emphasizes different disciplines and involves
creating standards from these disciplines within a common theme? 9. Which method of curriculum integration combines community-based service with
a) Multidisciplinary classroom knowledge?
b) Interdisciplinary a) Project-Based Learning
c) Transdisciplinary b) Service Learning
d) Sequential c) Learning Centers
2. What is the main goal of the multidisciplinary approach to integration in education? d) Sequential Disciplines
a) To develop social awareness and collaboration among students across different 10. Which method of curriculum integration helps students explore a topic through various
disciplines subject lenses?
b) To help students understand the connections between different sub-disciplines and their a) Project-Based Learning
relevance to the real world b) Service Learning
c) To explore complex, real-world problems and apply knowledge from various disciplines c) Learning Centers
d) To foster a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of different fields d) Sequential Disciplines
3. Which approach to integration in education involves integrating sub-disciplines within a 11. Which method of curriculum integration involves collaborative planning across multiple
subject area? subject areas?
a) Multidisciplinary a) Project-Based Learning
b) Interdisciplinary b) Service Learning
c) Transdisciplinary c) theme-based approach
d) Sequential d) Thematic approaches
4. What is the main goal of the interdisciplinary approach to integration in education? 12. What is the main benefit of using thematic approaches in curriculum integration?
a) To develop social awareness and collaboration among students across different disciplines a) Improved student engagement and performance
b) To help students understand the connections between different sub-disciplines and their b) Enhanced civic responsibility and workplace readiness
relevance to the real world c) Improved focus and social skills
c) To explore complex, real-world problems and apply knowledge from various disciplines d) Comprehensive, long-term units of study
d) To foster a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of different fields 13. What is the main goal of fusion in curriculum integration?
5. Which approach to integration in education goes beyond subject boundaries to explore a) Increased student achievement and critical thinking
complex, real-world problems? b) Enhanced civic responsibility and workplace readiness
a) Multidisciplinary c) Improved focus and social skills
b) Interdisciplinary d) Comprehensive, long-term units of study
c) Transdisciplinary 14. Which type of integrated curriculum approach primarily emphasizes one discipline but
d) Sequential allows students to reevaluate ideas within that discipline?
6. What is the main goal of the transdisciplinary approach to integration in education? a) Connected
a) To develop social awareness and collaboration among students across different disciplines b) Sequenced
b) To help students understand the connections between different sub-disciplines and their c) Multidisciplinary
relevance to the real world d) Interdisciplinary
c) To explore complex, real-world problems and apply knowledge from various disciplines 15. Which type of integrated curriculum approach promotes cross-disciplinary learning by
d) To foster a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of different fields teaching similar concepts across different subjects?
7. Which of the following is NOT a method of curriculum integration? a) Connected
a) Project-Based Learning b) Sequenced
b) Service Learning c) Multidisciplinary
c) Learning Centers d) Interdisciplinary
d) Sequential Disciplines 16. Which aspect of learning is NOT prioritized in curriculum integration?
8. Which method of curriculum integration fosters critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, a) Understanding across disciplines (Learning to Know)
and problem-solving through complex tasks and presentations? b) Practical skills (Learning to Do)
a) Project-Based Learning c) Personal development (Learning to Be)
b) Service Learning d) Memorization of facts (Learning to Remember)
c) Learning Centers 17. What does backward design involve in curriculum integration?
d) Sequential Disciplines a) Planning and alignment of standards
b) Memorization of facts
c) Traditional assessments