The importance of integrated learning
What is integrated learning?
The most widely accepted definition of integrated learning is a theory that espouses the need to make interlinking of concepts and experiences in order to manifest information and skillsets in different and complex challenges and issues. Solely relying on books for knowledge is no more a dexterous way to learn and it has been accepted across the globe that integrating theory with practical experience is in true sense fulfilling the objective of learning. Integrated learning being a revolutionary concept, envisages that the process of learning needs to become relatable and meaningful, thereby promoting active engagement of pupils. This learning theory mandates interconnectedness of concepts across curriculum and co-curriculum, making it important for students to make interrelation among ideas and experiences to produce their own understanding of new and pragmatic situations.
How can integrated learning be beneficial? With the new age pedagogy, integrated learning is being hailed as an effective teaching model as it is more themebased. Since it takes into account the fact that all subjects are required to be overlapped for more holistic learning culture. For instance, if the theme of the week is decided to be birds, then the students can be asked to make art and craftbased on birds. In physics, flight of birds can be taught, and algebra mathematical problem revolving around birds, information facts in General knowledge and poetry or story about birds in the English class.
The key outcome of such pedagogy is that the students would be equipped with practical problem solving techniques .This would help in developing a frame of mind that will assist them to be hands-on with such problem when faced in the real world.
The students are abstained from a young age to rely on one size fixes all sort of a solution, and instead are taught to apply their own minds deriving from their own experiences to reach a creative solution. In this way, analytical and critical reasoning of students is given a boost. Not only do the students gain a better insight into handling a lifelike situation on their own, but their confidence is uplifted to a large extent.
Integrated learning also gives a major boost to a student’s selfconfidence and self-awareness. Since this concept is primarily based on active engagement during learning, it would most likely mandate that the students step out of their comfort zones. And we all know, working out of comfort zone is a huge step in order to develop new skill sets and gain confidence.
As a corollary, students would end up developing leadership qualities and also sharpen their communication skills. From a larger perspective, this theory basically will help making a student go from having rudimentary understanding of challenges to having an extraordinary amount of knowledge about the real world. The direct impact of this will be on the enhanced rate of employability of the student.
Moreover, integrated learning also presents an opportunity for accurate appraisal of the development of teaching faculty. It ensures that the teaching methodology does not stay static and is updated as society progresses .
How to incorporate an integrated learning approach in the existing pedagogy?
(i) Theme-based lessons
To impart a holistic and contextual learning experience, a day dedicated for a fixed theme could give a clear cut idea to the students about what they can expect and how they can prepare for it. This can be done through workshops by alumni of the school or persons dealing with a specific field of interest. It is imperative that the themes are relevant with the contemporary situations prevailing in the world or country or even vicinity of the school.
Using activities to show the impact of wastage of water, problem of hunger, importance of solar energy, etc. are certain examples of how thought-provoking themes can be made use of to deliver the prime message behind such themes. Thereafter, a theory class can be conducted requiring student to jot down their ideas and experience regarding the thematic problem.
(ii) Replicating real-world scenarios
Making students learn about how to handle situations that they are going to face in the real-world cannot be effectively taught in 30-50 minute lecture. On the other hand, assimilating them to an interdisciplinary routine that will include learning experience of an integrated environment would compel them to churn out different solutions. An integrated learning day would make them resilient as all their inputs would result in tangible impacts and in fact propel their curiosity about a particular subject matter.
Collaborate beyond your campus for knowledge exchange
Collaborating with other schools, persons of interest for a particular subject or theme, alumni network, etc are certain communities that can be relied upon to bring in focused discussions, and engaging in collaborative activities.
(iii) Faculties must be given a liberty to modulate curriculum
Inviting and accepting different ideas from educators and teachers on how they want to approach the integrated learning process and how they want to build the pedagogy to support the concept is very important for the successful implementation of this concept.
Since this concept depends on the interdisciplinary intermingling of different subjects, the teachers play an important role in devising a curriculum suitable to accomplish the goals of integrated learning. Moreover, recognizing faculties’ efforts and endeavours will create a synergy between them and students to work upon in developing helpful experiences.
Conclusion
Since, in integrated learning concept interdisciplinary curricula will come into play, student’s engagement and learning would definitely shoot up to a large extent.
At the end of the day, schools aim at inculcating confidence and employable skill sets in student. What better approach, than making students face a replica of the real-life situation in a simulated condition.
However, as much as this concept of integrated learning sounds appealing and promising, the more it needs the right pedagogical approach, creative assessment methods and individual grit to reach the objective of the concept.
The author is Principal, Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi