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Curriculum integration: the challenges for primary and secondary schools in developing a new curriculum in the expressive arts

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Author
Kneen, Judith
Breeze, Thomas
Davies-Barnes, Sian
John, Vivienne
Thayer, Emma
Date
2020-02-14
Acceptance date
2020-01-21
Date Deposited
2020-01-30
Type
Article
acceptedVersion
Publisher
Wiley
ISSN
0958-5176
1469-3704 (online)
Metadata
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Abstract
Curriculum integration is a feature of many new curricula that have emerged in different countries since around the turn of the millennium. It focuses on removing the boundaries between traditional subject specialisms, to enable more holistic and ‘joined-up’ learning opportunities. This study draws on the experiences of a group of primary and secondary teachers in Wales, engaged in creating a framework for an integrated curriculum for expressive arts. Whilst the teachers are united in their ambition for establishing a curriculum that gives greater status to the arts, curriculum integration presents significant challenges, notably in how subject knowledge is understood and presented within an integrated curriculum. The teachers take different approaches to curriculum integration, with primary teachers favouring a transdisciplinary approach, with child-led learning and themes taking precedence, and secondary teachers opting for multidisciplinary approaches, where the themes are organising devices but where subjects take priority. Differing practices suggest differing conceptions of subject knowledge and mastery within an integrated curriculum. Drawing, in particular, on Bernstein’s concepts relating to knowledge discourses, this paper suggests that the danger of an integrated curriculum is weakened disciplinary knowledge. Whilst this paper relates to the arts, the messages about curriculum integration might be applied more widely.
Journal/conference proceeding
Curriculum Journal;
Citation
Kneen, J., Breeze, T., Davies-Barnes, S., John, V. and Thayer, E. (2020) 'Curriculum integration: the challenges for primary and secondary schools in developing a new curriculum in the expressive arts', The Curriculum Journal. DOI: 10.1002/curj.34.
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10369/10909
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.34
Description
Article published in Curriculum Journal on 14 February 2020, available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.34
Rights
http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/under-embargo-all-rights-reserved
Sponsorship
Cardiff Metropolitan University (Grant ID: Cardiff Metropolian (Internal))
This study was funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales
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  • Education Research [263]

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