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These researchers examined how preservice elementary teachers integrated science and social studies from a global perspective. Analysis revealed several patterns of integration, content delivery, and global pedagogy. Students benefited from observing the two course professors coteach as a model for interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning. These findings have implications for re-examining traditional approaches to methods courses in teacher education programs and exploring integration models.
National Research Council (1996), National Council for the Social Studies (1994), American Association for the Advancement of Science (1993), and other organizations have endorsed the call for more curriculum integration in schools. Published reports of such efforts date back to the early twentieth century (Smith, 1905). Yet, large-scale implementation of such integrated curricula in our nation's schools is not evident (Cruz & Zaragoza, 1998). Part of the solution may lie in preparing teachers to better understand the concept of integration at the preservice level. This was the motivation behind this research. The study examined the units that preservice teachers created representing their conceptualization of integrating science and social studies with a global perspective.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
As pointed out by Berlin (1991), there exists great confusion in the literature as to what integration of two subject areas means. In her review of 555 articles pertaining to integration, Berlin noted that terms such as thematic, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary, among others, were used to refer to a concept akin to integration. In an attempt to clarify this issue, Berlin and White (1994) explicated their Berlin-White Integrated Science and Mathematics Model. This model is useful in integrating science and social studies. It identifies six aspects that broadly define integration: ways of learning, ways of knowing, process and critical thinking skills, content knowledge, attitudes and perceptions, and teaching strategies. Not all of these can be included in any situation, nor is any one of these aspects sufficient to fully define integration.
Lederman and Neiss (1997) have pointed out the pitfalls of subject integration. They are concerned with narrowing the scope of subject being integrated. Their suggestions, seconded by Czerniak, Weber, Sandmann, and Ahern (1999), are to proceed with caution and commonsense in such a manner that each subject maintains its integrity and that the unique epistemologies are not confounded in the quest...