Instead of compartmentalizing subjects individually, creating inquiry questions that combine the curriculum allows for students to delve into good questions, thinking critically, inspired by the real world application. If we want to encourage higher level thinking ability in our students, cross curricular planning is the best way to achieve that. Trevor Kerry (2010) explains the process:
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Embarking on a STEAM inquiry project involves the merging of many factors.
This video outlines the components that we have considered.
Van Eyk, E.(2015). STEAM Design Project. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/xd2cGNvGHuA
This video outlines the components that we have considered.
Van Eyk, E.(2015). STEAM Design Project. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/xd2cGNvGHuA
“First, teaching in an integrated way inevitably involves a lot of synthesis of material across disciplines and sources – and synthesis is, of itself, a higher-order skill. Second, much of this work was rooted more closely to problem-solving, so the nature of the tasks set was more cognitively demanding. Third, children of all levels of ability probably become more discerning as a result of the first two factors, and thus begin to make more intellectual responses to material offered and to ask more demanding questions of the teacher. Thus, fourth, learning ceased to be a didactically delivered stream of passively received knowledge data, and became an actively collaborative enterprise between teacher and pupil in investigating issues.” (p. 23)
Reference
Kerry, T. (2010). Cross-Curricular teaching in the primary school: Planning and facilitating imaginative lessons. Florence, KY, USA: Routledge.
Kerry, T. (2010). Cross-Curricular teaching in the primary school: Planning and facilitating imaginative lessons. Florence, KY, USA: Routledge.
contributing author: Alison Turner