There is considerable national interest in STEM initiatives, but yet there is little discussion concerning what STEM means in terms of a curriculum concept to be applied to school programming. This article focuses on STEM as a curriculum concept. First, STEM programming is discussed in terms of separate subjects, correlated and broad fields…

In the last two decades, there have been various calls for reform in teacher education programs to address the needs of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and students with disabilities. Consequently, many teacher education preparation programs are reviewing and redesigning their programs to meet the needs of the…

Earth Systems Science (ESS) is emerging rapidly as a discipline and is being used to replace the older earth science education that has been taught as unrelated disciplines--geology, meteorology, astronomy, and oceanography. ESS is complex and is based on the idea that the earth can be understood as a set of interacting natural and social systems.…

This report discusses some of the characteristics and benefits of an interdisciplinary curriculum, as well as practical considerations involving the introduction of such a curriculum in elementary and secondary schools. To successfully introduce an interdisciplinary curriculum, teachers and administrators need to: (1) integrate the curriculum; (2)…

This book addresses issues relevant to the development of a coherent curriculum. A "coherent" curriculum is one whose parts are unified and connected by a sense of the whole. Following the foreword by Arthur W. Steller and the prologue by James A. Beane, the introduction (1) by James A. Beane raises a number of questions related to the search for…

The two major models of science curriculum change, textbook revision and national curriculum projects, are derived from, and reinforce, the present curriculum structure. This is undesirable in a time of increasing fluidity and change, because adaptation to new situations is difficult. Unified science, based on the premise that science is a unity,…

Curriculum organization, particularly in the secondary school, should provide for continuity, sequence, and integration of knowledge. There are five basic schemes of organization discussed in this article. (Author/WD)

Integrative education, although organized around curriculum, also unites people and activities. This monograph explores the integration of people, activities, and subject matter as seen through the eyes of those who support and implement the meaning and processes of integrative education. In chapter 1, scholars and trainers in and out of academia…

Articles for developing an integrated secondary curriculum are presented in this book. The articles include: "Synthesis Versus Fragmentation: The Way Out of Curriculum Confusion," by Daniel Tanner; "The Interrelated Curriculum," by Steven S. Means; "Integrated Teaching and Learning in Essential Schools," by Richard Lear; "Interdisciplinary Teaming…

A report on the status of environmental education (EE) in the Australian School Curriculum includes (1) a content analysis for EE in course study guides; (2) a discussion concerning environmental science and postcompulsory curriculum reform; (3) a summary of the study results; and (4) a list of challenges for future EE. (five references) (MCO)

Discusses the implementation and evaluation of the first full year of college freshman integrated natural science curriculum. Identifies separate courses in chemistry and biology as the foundation with physical principles as the unifying theme. Notes all instructors attended all classes. (MVL)

Scientific concepts and processes are best developed in the context of technological problem solving. However, even some of the best secondary science curricula are weak in technology education and visa versa. A goal of technology and science education is to integrate student learning of science and technology. The relationship between science and…

The Science/Technology/Society (STS) theme describes a contemporary trend in education which focuses on the teaching of issues such as air quality, nuclear power, land use, and water resources but justification for including STS in the high school core curriculum has a precedence based on historical connections among science, technology, and…

What does a student achieve and learn by the time he or she graduates from high school? How are various schools educating and evaluating students in their final year of school? Interdisciplinary senior courses at Phillips Exeter Academy encourage students to exercise their analytical, interpretative, and decision-making skills; to define their own…