All That You Need to Know About Integrated Curriculum Model

Ever wondered how various concepts of Maths and Science and other subjects help us in real life? The real-life applications of subjects are hard to discern until and unless an individual is familiar with the integrated curriculum model.

The term Integrated Curriculum Model has been around for quite some time, but it is becoming the buzzword in the present-day scenario now when there is increasing competition in every field that students want to pursue and in every job and business they set their eyes upon. The quality of education in India hence needs a serious re-examination so that our future generations are completely prepared for the dynamic future they have ahead of them. That’s where an integrated curriculum comes in.

What is an Integrated Curriculum Model?

The importance of school education goes beyond any theoretical knowledge and understanding. If a child studies only Maths in Maths class, only Physics in Physics class, or only Social Science in Social Science class, that takes away an essential element, the lack of which is degrading the quality of education in India. That element is curriculum integration.

What is curriculum integration?

This model signifies the multi-disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and trans-disciplinary approaches to the teaching and learning process. In simple words, curriculum integration cuts across various subjects and various subcategories in a subject and addresses the questions of students to make them aware of the unifying concepts.

It is not feasible to disregard the importance of school education in making students understand the world as a unified whole. The world, after all, is not clear-cut into different subjects and many different subjects combine into a simple problem.

Integrated Curriculum Model in Application

What does curriculum integration look like in the real world?

Top CBSE schools in India make it a priority that children develop as holistically as possible, i.e., the overall development of children is a key concern for parents as well as schools in India. One of the essential features of overall development is that children understand and retain the concepts taught to them and are flexible in critical thinking across the subject domains. The integrated curriculum model is how the quality of education in India is kept in check.

When students are asked to recite a poem or role-play a character, it is great to encourage them to learn about the context and the character and recite and communicate to the best of their abilities. This helps them work on their language, know about history, geography and politics, and also work on their communication and critical thinking skills.

When the K–12 education system focuses on a formula in Maths, and that same formula is used in Chemistry, which might then help explain different biological processes to students, this all works to the same effect as an integrated curriculum.

When a student paints nature, recites a poem on nature, understands environmental issues in science, and learns about the methods to preserve the environment and the efforts required to save it in social science and economics, this all reemphasizes the same concepts for children and makes the K–12 education system most effective.

What are the Benefits of an Integrated Curriculum?

There are numerous reasons why top CBSE schools in India try to give students a unifying learning experience.

• An integrated curriculum puts emphasis on concepts, knowledge, and skills again and again for students, and this helps in better retention.
• When students see all the different subjects in a unified light, their problem-solving and decision-making skills get stimulated.
• An integrated curriculum prepares students for the challenges of the real world and equips them better.

When subjects are not studied in isolation but in combination, this enriches the holistic learning experience for the students, and it’s the best education they receive.

(Also, Read: The Importance of Good Reading Habits for K-12 Students)