Developing Integrated Curriculum

Integrated Curriculum
Definition:
the combining and coordinating of separate parts or elements into unified whole

Curricular Integration
it typically refers to interdisciplinary block courses in pre-clerkship years that bring together basic, clinical and social sciences into one course, or weave longitudinal curricular themes across the curriculum

Integrated Curriculum
Types:
Horizontal Vertical

Integrated Curriculum
Rationale
more relevant, meaningful, and student centered curriculum the learning contexts close in which the information is to be retrieved

Integrated Curriculum
Advantages:
Learning take place better if it is contextual Achieving higher level of objectives Avoiding information overload Making learning interesting & effectives Motivating students

Integrated Curriculum
Disadvantages:
Loosing subject identity Requiring interdepartmental planning Resources shortage

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Harden RM. The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning. Med Educ. 2000;34:551-7 Ladder of curricular integration
11 steps Discipline based teaching full integration

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Full degree of integration among all subjects

Integration of various degree among different subjects / discipline

Subject / discipline based teaching

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Subject based teaching Timetable: Name of the subject

A student attends a lecture on anatomy, and then moves on to attend physiology lecture.

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Subject based teaching: Teacher in one subject is made aware of what is covered in other subjects. Course outline is being communicated to other discipline Avoid unnecessary duplication.

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Faculty consults each other Informal / Formal Discipline remained separate, but are connected Each course make an appropriate contribution in curriculum

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Subject based teaching Content is drawn from different discipline to enrich the teaching of one subject In Pathology course, discussion of clinical medicine demonstrates the application of pathological principles

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Parallel teaching Timing of teaching of the topic within a subject is done in consultation with other discipline Anatomist & physiologist taking classes on heart in the same time frame

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Joint teaching Two disciplines may take up a course to teach together Course on Community Child Health Pediatrics & Community Medicine

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Subject based Major course will run in subject based teaching but will have island of integrated teaching An integrated session at the end of week

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Subject based & integrated teaching Timetable will show integrated sessions Subject based session will complement the curriculum

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Students centered learning Curriculum is divided into themes Disciplines contribute their share; still they have their own entity

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Higher level of integration Subjects are not identified in timetable

The Integration Ladder: a tool for curriculum planning

Focus is neither subject nor theme but the field of knowledge Study guide is the key element in helping students Abdominal pain Surgical perspective during surgical rotation other domains will be covered in their respective rotations

Alfred North Whitehead: The Aims of Education The Free Press 1929

The solution which I am arguing is to eradicate the fatal disconnection of subjects which kills the vitality of our modern curriculum. There is only one subject matter for education, and that is Life in all its manifestations.