The Teachers’ Opinions on the Integration of the Subject Environmental Studies With Other Subjects

Author(s):

VLASTA HUSBranka Čagran Milena Ivanus Grmek

Conference:

ECER 2008

Network:

3. Curriculum Innovation by Schools and Teachers

Format:

Paper

Session Information

03 SES 07B, Subject Integration, Constructivism

Paper Session

Time:

2008-09-11

15:30-17:00

Room:

B2 232

Chair:

Uwe Hameyer

Contribution

The point of integrated lessons is in a logical connecting of subjects, or in A. Blum’s words (1999) it is a case of teaching different scientific disciplines and subjects in a unified manner. The reason for such teaching can be in science (in this case the emphasis of the integration is in the epistemological and methodological arguments; lessons concentrate on scientific disciplines and the organization of knowledge is based on the structure of individual scientific disciplines) or the manner in which lessons take place, which means that different scientific disciplines (school subjects) are taught in a unified way for pedagogical-didactic reasons. The reason for such an approach is the consideration for the psychological elementary before the scientifically elementary, since the children are not supposed always to learn the contents the way science is organized. A.Bluma, A.Glathorna, A.Foshaya (1999) also claim that lessons organized in such a manner can have positive influence on the children’s motivation, because the integration enables a confrontation of various viewpoints which can contribute to the lessons’ variety and breadth and exclude all redundant knowledge. With the curricular reform of primary schools in the Republic of Slovenia (1998) integrated lessons have become the basic concept of work in the first triennium of the nine-year primary school. The curriculum for the subject Environmental studies places special emphasis on the integration with other subjects, which is a novelty compared to the previous curriculum for Natural and Social studies. For each thematic cluster it defines the subjects with which that particular cluster should integrate. And the teachers (and their autonomy) are entrusted to account for these inter-subject connections, to realize or concretize them. The aim of the empirical part of the research was to find: - Whether the teachers approved of integrated lessons as the leading concept of teaching in the first triad of the nine-year primary school system? - Which advantages do teachers find in integrated lessons compared to classical ones? - Which subjects do the teachers consider most suitable for integration with the subject Environmental studies - At which stage of the lessons do teachers encounter difficulties as they integrate the subject Environmental studies with other subjects?

Method

The research was based on a descriptive and causal non-experimental method of empirical research. The study involved teachers of the lower grades of primary school in the school year 2003/04. The tool for data collecting was a questionnaire. The data were processed by the means of the descriptive and inferential statistic.

Expected Outcomes

The theachers have different opinions about integrated lessons as the leading concept in the first triad of primary school, are aware of the advantages of integrated lessons compared to classical lessons, most frequently integrate lessons in Environmental studies with Slovene language, face difficulties with integrated lessons, mostly in the phase of planning.

References

Batts, D.G. (1999). Interdisciplinary Approach. V: Lewy, A. (ur.), The International Encyclopedia of Curriculum. Oxford, New York: Pergamon Press. Blum, A. (1999). Integrated Science Studies. V: Lewy, A. (ur.), The International Encyclopedia of Curriculum. Oxford, New York:Pergamon Press. Glathorn, A.A.,Foshay, A.W. (1999). Integrated Curriculum. V: Lewy, A. (ur.), The International Encyclopedia of Curriculum. Oxford, New York: Pergamon Press. Hus, V., Ivanuš Grmek, M., Čagran, B. (2005), Izvajanje vzgojno-izobraževalnega procesa pri predmetu spoznavanje okolja v prvem triletju devetletne osnovne šole: evalvacijska študija. Heberle-Perat, M (1993). Spoznavanje narave in družbe-vezivo vedenj v začetnih razredih osnovne šole. Sodobna pedagogika, 44, str.538-543. Kordigel, M. (1998). Še enkrat o integriranem/celostnem pouku z zornega kota književne didaktike. Jezik in slovstvo, l.43, št.127-140. Kralj, D. (1992). Integriran pouk – poskus opredelitve in izkušnje ob uvajanju. V: Didaktična prenova razredne stopnje. Ljubljana. Zavod RS za šolstvo in šport Kramar, M. (1991). Didaktični koncept pouka v nižjih razredih osnovne šole. Educa 1, št. 2, str. 125-131. Marentič-Požarnik, B. (1990). Nova pojmovanja učenja in preseganje avtoritativnih odnosov v izobraževalnem procesu. Sodobna pedagogika, 41. Milekšič, V. (1992). Didaktična prenova razredne stopnje osnovne šole. Integrirani pouk. Prvi del: Načrtovanje didaktičnega pristopa. Ljubljana: ZRSŠŠ. Piciga, D. (1991). Prispevki razvojne psihologije kpouku naravoslovja. Didakta, št. 1in 2, str. 44-46 in 53-55. Poznič, Helena ( 2004). Predmet spoznavanje okolja v konceptu integriranega pouka- diplomsko delo. Maribor: Pedagoška fakulteta, Razredni pouk. Skribe, D. in Umek, M. (1994). Integrirani pouk ali enolončnica? Sodobna pedagogika, 45, str.59-63. Saksida, I. (1993). Korelacija in integracija v luči književne didaktike. Sodobna pedagogika, 44, str.520-528 Poznič, Helena ( 2004). Predmet spoznavanje okolja v konceptu integriranega pouka- diplomsko delo. Maribor: Pedagoška fakulteta, Razredni pouk. Poznič, Helena ( 2004). Predmet spoznavanje okolja v konceptu integriranega pouka- diplomsko delo. Maribor: Pedagoška fakulteta, Razredni pouk. Strmčnik, F. (1998). Temeljne funkcije in značilnosti sodobnega učnega načrta. Ljubljana: Sodobna pedagogika, 49, str.117-137 Učni načrt za spoznavanje okolja. Pridobljeno 15.8.2005, iz http://www.mszs.si/slo/solstvo/razvoj_solstva/viprogrami/os/9letna/ucni_nacrti/pdf/so.pdf

Author Information

VLASTA HUS

FACULTY OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF MARIBOR

DEPARTMENR OF PRIMARY EDUCATION

MARIBOR

189

Branka Čagran

University of Maribor, Slovenia

Milena Ivanus Grmek

University of Maribor, Slovenia

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