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(Received 29, March 2011; Revision Accepted 18, May 2012)
ABSTRACT
This paper acknowledged the vital roles played by integration of ideas and established the progress brought about when science is taught as a unified whole through knowledge integration which birthed integrated science as a subject in Nigerian school curriculum. The efforts of interest groups at regional, national and international level to overhaul African school curriculum after the colonial era were highlighted. The six (6) elements of integrated science as a subject were discussed and the three (3) elements of integrated Science curriculum were outlined. The relationship between the various elements is summarized diagrammatically. The effects of integrated science curriculum on science education are presented in a tabular form. The findings of the research are that integrated science curriculum content is dense as it is over - loaded with concepts as a result of knowledge integration; hence majority of the students avoid taking or offering science subjects. Sequel to this, it was recommended that integrated science curriculum be reviewed so as to remove overlapping or repeated concepts. So also, more emphasis should be laid on practical applications of concepts while less emphasis is laid on rote memorization.
KEY WORDS: Contemporary, Curriculum, Elements, Integrated, Science
INTRODUCTION
Human survival depends on knowledge through the exploration of the environment. Science provides knowledge while technology provides ways of using this knowledge and our value concepts guide what we ought to do with both science and technology (Hurd, 1975). Discoveries in nature are made easier through integration of ideas, thoughts and concepts. To this end, science teaching in the modern world ought to be interdisciplinary, unified, society based and aspire above all to achieve scientific literacy (Arokoyu and Dike, 2009). These are essentially the characteristics, components and elements of integrated science in general. Basically, there are two components of science which characterize its nature; these are processes and products of science. Scientific processes are activities engaged in by scientists some of which are observation, investigation, gathering of data, classification and tabulation.
Products of science are the dividends of scientific activities these include laws, principles, hypotheses and theories.
Integrated science program was initiated in 1969 by UNESCO to assist member countries in promoting scientific literacy in a unified way both...