Cross-curricular

Welcome back bloggers, throughout today's blog I am going to discuss cross-curricular teaching. This blog is going to include what cross-curricular teaching is along with both its positives and negatives.

Cross-curricular learning is an approach where more than one subject is taught during another topic or activity within the classroom. The use of cross-curriculum is down to the personal preference of the practitioner; this can often vary on the practitioner’s level of creativity. Cross-curricular is linked closely with the idea of a creative curriculum as aspects of the curriculum are crossed due to decisions by practitioners. (Kerry, 2015)

The issue with practitioners is that many became displacement and fall into habits using the same creative aspects instead of changing. Varying between creative aspects through cross-curricular teaching would keep learners engaged and want to learn instead of being bored because the same projects are used. (Kerry, 2015)

The image above is an example of how cross-curricular teaching could take place. Practitioners may use models like this to implement their cross-subject teaching. (Edmonton 2014)

Throughout the current education, system teaching is often divided into segments. The teaching of single topic subjects has been argued by many for years to be scrapped. Since 1967 theorists believe that learning should be taught in a cross-curricular manner and not as subjects. This early idea of cross-curricular teaching was introduced by Plowden. (Plowden, 1967, p555)

Hus and Grmek (2011, p.160) believe that teaching in a cross-curricular way allows a child to be their most creative. Cross-curriculum teaching often takes place in project-based work. As these young learners are being more creative they begin to gain more knowledge from a range of subjects not just specifically one. The benefit of working in project-based work is that young learners develop their social skills, motivational skills and practical knowledge. Within University I have been lucky to experience cross-curricular teaching with lecturers collaborating together telling us when ideas are useful in other modules.

Unlike both the past and present workforce future workers will need a different set of skills to ensure they are capable within the workforce. (Barnes, 2011, p.17) The Institute of the Future and the University of Phoenix Research Institute to identify skills needed by the new workforce in 2020 by using cross-curricular techniques of teaching. (University of Phoenix, 2016)

When used correctly cross-curricular learning promotes real-world scenarios and peer interaction. The benefits of cross-curricular learning can only be experienced if used correctly, schools must fully embrace it and ignore subject teaching. (Power, 2002) Similar to Power, Barnes (2002) also argues that cross-curricular approaches mirror the real world around us. A variety of teaching is the greatest resource when readying learners for the future world.

As the world is constantly changing Donaldson (2015) believes that children and young people should be prepared for the rapid developments of the world. Developments in technology are one of the most major influences on it impacting on society and the economy which surrounds the society. Donaldson found that the curriculum of 1988 curriculum was not prepared for the world wide web. Once the internet was used throughout the world the curriculum was outdated as it did not include how to use it. Donaldson believes that the issue of the 1988 curriculum has and will keep failing learners due to it being outdated and not reflect a world learners live in due to advances in technology. Cross-curricular learning allows children to use ideas from other topics and implement them in others.

However, Piaget believes that adults are not the correct people to be designing a child’s curriculum. He believes that an adult does not exactly know how a child learns thus just giving an adults idea for them to learn. Realistically a child should design the curriculum as only they know how they specifically learn.

In summary, although cross-curricular learning and teaching are not fully in place at the moment in the coming years it is going to implement more using project-based work to ensure a learner is using all of their abilities rather than focusing on one, displaying abilities which would be required in a real-world situation. Thank you for reading the blog, the next blog and final blog of the year is going to focus on collaboration within the classroom.

Reference:

Barnes, J. (2011). Cross-curricular learning 3-14 (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, [Calif.] ; London: SAGE.

Barnes, J., and Shirley, I. (2007). Strangely familiar: cross curricular and creative thinking in teacher education, Improving schools, vol. 10. No. 2. p./ 289-306.

Donaldson, G. (2015). Successful futures: Independent review of curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales. Welsh Government.

Edmonton (2014) AB Cross-Curricular Competencies, Alberta’s Cross-Curricular Competencies to Support Learning for ALL Students. Accessed 12 october 2017, https://erlc.wikispaces.com/AB+Cross-Curricular+Competencies

Kerry, T. (2015) 'Introducing cross-cuticular teaching', in Kerry, T. (ed.) 

Cross-Curricular Teaching in the Primary School: Planning and facilitating . London: Routledge. p160.

Institute of the Future, University of Phoenix (2016) Future Work Skills. Available at: http://www.iftf.org/uploads/media/SR-1382A_UPRI_future_work_skills_sm.pdf (Accessed: 12 November 2017).

Plowden, Lady Bridget. (1967). Children and Their Primary schools: A report of the Central Advisory Council for Education, Volume 1. London: HMSO.