Cross-curricular learning
Hello education bloggers! Today I will be discussing how
cross-curricular learning could potentially impact on primary education. Cross-curricular
teaching can help bring creativity and autonomy to the classroom whilst
relating learning to real life contexts. Donaldson (2015) and Kaldi (2010) has recognised
that there is a need to embrace cross-curricula teaching and that the
curriculum is outdated and has become overloaded and complicated, therefore teaching in projects using Donaldson's six 'Areas of Learning and Experience' will be more effective. The
developments in technology significantly contribute to why the curriculum is
outdated since children are more likely to connect with technology and using a
cross-curricular approach will encourage teachers to implement and explore the
new digital competency framework into their current teaching practice
(Donaldson, 2015). Using a cross-curricular approach might provide children
with positive learning experiences and neuroscientists have argued that for
learning to be successful teachers must ensure that the children are challenged
and that they have multi-layered experiences which stimulate the senses
(Barnes, 2011). However, does the current system provide teachers with the
opportunity to be autonomous and provide rich and meaningful experiences?
Teaching cross-curricular will make learning more relevant,
providing contexts for using and applying subject specific skills and concepts,
improve coherence in learning between subjects and it builds and reinforces key
concepts (Dean, 2001; Barnes 2007; Kerry, 2015). Children will be able to
relate information to real life contexts and make sense of the world around
them. Using a cross-curricular approach also decreases the amount of teachers
that are fixated on the content rather than how to actually facilitate the
learning and encourage higher levels of thought and develop a critical focus
(Kerry, 2015). It also can naturally pigeonhole teachers into subject
specialisms whereas teachers need to be able to adapt, motivated to research
and learn around a variety of topics and maximise on the unexpected reactions
of children encountering real problems and using the skills and knowledge of
several subjects to solve them (Pollard, 2010). However, there are many factors
that inhibit cross-curricular teaching becoming a normality in education and
one of the most influential factors is assessment. How can we as teachers be
expected to teach using a cross-curricular approach when most exams are still
based on traditional subject learning? Many exams still rely heavily on pupils
retaining knowledge whereas a cross-curricular approach is all about children
using their knowledge to develop skills and make links between concepts, real
life scenarios and a diverse range of knowledge. Therefore, we need to increase
cross-curricular assessment as a way of measuring learning that has occurred. Although
we need to ensure that studies remain faithful to the individual disciplines
that underpin them and that the disciplines are used in an insightful and
balanced way (Kerry, 2015).
Within our ‘Areas of learning and Experience seminars’ we planned
a cross-curricular project tailored to year 1 which involved many opportunities
for children to develop skills and for self-directed learning to take place
which Lawton (1997, cited in Crawford, 1998) included within his proposed 4
principles of change away from content led curriculum. Below shows a picture of
our planned lessons for our project.
However, during the first session we would carry out a ‘wow’ event
that involves bringing a real-life princess into the classroom to get the
children engaged and excited about the topic. We also made a recording using a
green screen app. and Mofo. Below shows a link to the video.
This might also encourage empathy from the children which will
draw in their emotions which Immordino- young and damasic (2007, cited in
Waite, 2011) states that it will reinforce memory and make learning accessible
to important social uses. Lesson 4 will encourage the children to work as teams
and socialise with other students for ideas about what materials will be good
to stick on their crowns. This links with Vygotsky (1978, cited in Leone, 2011)
because he believes that social interactions can help children learn new
concepts or skills which the social learning theory (Bandura, 1997, cited in
Hanna and Crittenden and Crittenden, 2013) also indicates since children are
influenced by the environment and their peer’s behaviour. This has a
significant impact in education today since teachers understand the importance
of allowing children to have opportunities for rich experiences that encourages
child-led learning through socialisation. However, in order for these sessions
to be successful as teachers we must ensure learners are clear about what the
learning expectations are, so they have time for skills and knowledge
development and they also need time to digest what they have learnt at the end
of each session (Perkins 2009).
References
Barnes, J. (2011) Cross-curricular
learning 3-14. 2nd edn. Los Angeles; London: SAGE.
Barnes,
J., and Shirley, I. (2007) Strangely familiar: cross curricular and creative
thinking in teacher education, Improving schools, 10(2), p.28.
Dean,
J. (2001). Organising Learning in the Primary Classroom. 3rd edn. London: Routledge.
Donaldson, G. (2015) Successful Futures: Independent Review of Curriculum and
Assessment Arrangements in Wales. London: Crown.
Hanna, R. & Crittenden, V. & Crittenden, W. (2013) Social
Learning Theory: A Multicultural Study of Influences on Ethical Behaviour, Marketing Education, 35(1), pp. 18-25.
Kaldi, S. (2010) Project-based learning in primary schools:
effects on pupils' learning and attitudes, Education
3-13, 39(1), pp.35-47.
Keith Crawford (1998) The construction of the National Curriculum:
an ideological and political analysis, Research Papers in Education,
13(3), pp.261-276.
Kerry, T. (2015). Cross-curricular
teaching in the primary school : Planning and facilitating imaginative lessons. 2nd edn. London; New York: Routledge.
Leonne, G. (2011) Observing social signals in scaffolding
interactions: how to detect when helping intention risks falling short, Cognitive processing, 13(2), pp.477-485.
Perkins, D. (2009). Making
Learning Whole: How Seven Principles of Teaching can transform Education.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Pollard, A. (ed.) (2010). Professionalism and Pedagogy: A
contemporary Opportunity: A commentary by TLRP and GTCE. London: TLRP.
Waite, S. (2011) Teaching and Learning outside the
classroom: personal values, alternative pedagogies and standards, education 3-13, 39(1). pp.65-82.
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