Integrative Learning is a learning theory

Learning theory (education)

In psychology and education, learning is commonly defined as a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views . Learning as a process focuses on what...

 describing a movement toward integrated lessons helping students make connections across curricula. This higher education concept is distinct from the elementary and high school "integrated curriculum" movement.

The term and concept

Integrative Learning comes in many varieties: connecting skills and knowledge from multiple sources and experiences; applying skills and practices in various settings; utilizing diverse and even contradictory points of view; and, understanding issues and positions contextually."

• "...making connections within a major, between fields, between curriculum, cocurriculum, or between academic knowledge and practice."

Integrated Medical Curriculum

In many American medical schools, an integrated curriculum refers to a non-compartmentalized approach to basic science learning. As opposed to traditional medical curriculum, which separate subjects such as embryology, physiology, pathology and anatomy, integrated curricula alternate lectures on these subjects over the course of the first two years. (Jonas 1989) The course of study is instead organized around organ systems (such as "Cardiovascular" or "Gastrointestinal"). Another major component of the integrated medical curriculum is problem-based learning

Problem-based learning

Problem-based learning is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject in the context of complex, multifaceted, and realistic problems...

. While such curricular designs may represent an advancement over traditional medical curricula, they should not be confused or equated with true integrative education. Relatively simple changes to curricular structure still fail to address or incorporate much of what is considered truly essential for integrative education, namely, multiple or alternative ways of knowing and attention to psychosocial-spiritual aspects of professional development.

Literature on Integrative Learning

• Awbrey, S.M, Dana, D., Miller, V.W., Robinson, P., Ryan, M.M. and Scott, D.K. (Eds.), (2006). Integrative Learning and Action: A Call to Wholeness (Studies in Education and Spirituality). New York: Peter Lang Publ.
• Brinkman, G. W., & van der Geest, T. M. (2003). Assessment of Communication Competencies in Engineering Design Projects. Technical Communication Quarterly, 12(1), 67-81.
• Czechowski, J. (2003), "An Integrated Approach to Liberal Learning", Peer Review, 5(4), 4-7.
• Grace, D. J., & Picard, A. (2001). An Experimental Approach to Integrating Mathematics and Literacy Methods Courses. Action in Teacher Education, 23(1), 29-36.
• Graff, G. (1991, February 13). Colleges are Depriving Students of a Connected View of Scholarship. The Chronicle of Higher Education, p. 48.
• Hecke, G. R. V., Karukstis, K. K., Haskell, R. C., McFadden, C. S., & Wettack, F. S. (2002). An Integration of Chemistry, Biology, and Physics: The Interdisciplinary Laboratory. Journal of Chemical Education, 79(7), 837-844.
• Huber, M. T., & Hutchings, P. (2004). Integrative Learning: Mapping the Terrain. The Academy in Transition. Washington, DC.: Association of American Colleges and Universities
• Huber, M. T., Hutchings, P., & Gale, R. (2005). Integrative Learning for Liberal Education. peerReview, Summer / Fall.
• Jacobs, S. K., Rosenfeld, P., & Haber, J. (2003). Information Literacy as the Foundation for Evidence-Based Practice in Graduate Nursing Education: A Curriculum-Integrated Approach. Journal of Professional Nursing, 19(5), 320-328.
• Jennings, T. E. (1997). Restructuring for integrative education: multiple perspectives, multiple contexts. Westport, Conn: Bergin & Garvey.
• Jory, B. (Ed.). (2001). Campbell Monograph Series on Education and Human Sciences (Vol. 2).
• Jonas, Harry S., Sylia I. Etzel and Barbara Barzansky. Undergraduate Medical Education. JAMA, Aug. 25 1989. 262(8): 1018-1019.
• Kain, D. L. (1993). Cabbages--And Kings: Research Directions in Integrated /Interdisciplinary Curriculum. Journal of Educational Thought/Revue de la Pensee Educative, 27(3), 312-331.
• Kirtland, J., & Hoh, P. S. (2002). Integrating Mathematics and Composition Instruction. Primus, 12(1).
• Klein, J. T. (1996). Crossing boundaries: knowledge, disciplinarities, and interdisciplinarities: University Press of Virginia.
• Klein, J. T. (1999). Mapping interdisciplinary studies. Washington, DC. : Association of American Colleges and Universities.
• Klein, J. T. (2005). Humanities, Culture, and Interdisciplinarity: The Changing American Academy: State University of New York Press.
• Kline, Peter (1988).The Everyday Genius Development of Integrative Learning
• Lorents, A., Morgan, J., & Tallman, G. (2003). The Impact of Course Integration on Student Grades. Journal of Education for Business, 78(3), 135-138
• Matthews, M. W., & Rainer, J. D. (2001). The Quandaries of Teachers and Teacher Educators in Integrating Literacy and Mathematics. Language Arts, 78(4), 357-364
• Roberts, J. A. (2004). Riding the Momentum: Interdisciplinary Research Centers to Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs. Paper presented at the July 2004 Merrill conference.
• Roberts, J. A., & Barnhill, R. E. (2001, Oct 10-13). Engineering Togetherness (An Incentive System for Interdisciplinary Research). Paper presented at the 2001 IEEE/ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Reno, NV.
• Scott, D. K. (2002). General Education for an Integrative Age. Higher Education Policy, 15(1), 7-18.
• Shapiro, D. F. (2003). Facilitating Holistic Curriculum Development. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 28(4), 423-434.
• Shore, M. A., & Shore, J. B. (2003). An Integrative Curriculum Approach to Developmental Mathematics and the Health Professions Using Problem Based Learning. Mathematics and Computer Education, 37(1), 29-38.
• Stefanou, C. R., & Salisbury-Glennon, J. D. (2002). Developing Motivation and Cognitive Learning Strategies through an Undergraduate Learning Community. Learning Environments Research, 5(1), 77-97
• Venville, G. J., Wallace, J., Rennie, L. J., & Malone, J. A. (2002). Curriculum Integration: Eroding the High Ground of Science as a School Subject? Studies in Science Education, 37, 43-83.
• Viswat, L. J., Duppenthaler, C. E., Nishi, K., & Podziewski, K. (2003). A Pilot Study on a Coordinated Approach to Language Instruction. Bulletin of the Educational Research Institute, 21, 79-92.
• Walker, D. (1996). Integrative Education. Eugene OR: ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management.

See also

• Andragogy
  Andragogy
  Andragogy consists of learning strategies focused on adults. It is often interpreted as the process of engaging adult learners with the structure of learning experience. The term ‘andragogy’ has been used in different times and countries with various connotations. Nowadays there exist mainly three...
  
  
• Bachelor of Arts and Science
  Bachelor of Arts and Science
  Bachelor of Arts and Science is an undergraduate bachelor's degree given by a small number of American universities and a fair number of universities in other English-speaking countries . Generally, to receive a B.A.S...
  
  
• Polymath
  Polymath
  A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
  
  
• The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
  The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
  Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center, whose primary activities of research and writing have resulted in published reports on every level...
  
  
• Experiential learning
  Experiential learning
  Experiential learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience. Simply put, Experiential Learning is learning from experience. The experience can be staged or left open. Aristotle once said, "For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them." David A...
  
  
• Distributed cognition
  Distributed cognition
  Distributed cognition is a psychological theory developed in the mid 1980s by Edwin Hutchins. Using insights from sociology, cognitive science, and the psychology of Vygotsky it emphasizes the social aspects of cognition. It is a framework that involves the coordination between individuals,...
  
  
• Integrated arts
  Integrated arts
  Integrated arts practice refers to inter-disciplinary art, art research,development, production, presentation, or artistic creation of work that fully uses two or more art disciplines to create a work for a specific audience.-Related concepts:...
  
  
• Integrated Science and Technology
• Integrated science program
• Interdisciplinarity
  Interdisciplinarity
  Interdisciplinarity involves the combining of two or more academic fields into one single discipline. An interdisciplinary field crosses traditional boundaries between academic disciplines or schools of thought, as new needs and professions have emerged....
  
  
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Knowledge integration
  Knowledge integration
  Knowledge integration is the process of synthesizing multiple knowledge models into a common model .Compared to information integration, which involves merging information having different schemas and representation models, knowledge integration focuses more on synthesizing the understanding of a...
  
  
• Learning Theory
  Learning theory (education)
  In psychology and education, learning is commonly defined as a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views . Learning as a process focuses on what...
  
  
• Service learning
• Transdisciplinary Studies
  Transdisciplinary studies
  Transdisciplinary Studies are an area of research and education that addresses contemporary issues that cannot be solved by one or even a few points-of-view...
  
  
• Science of Team Science
  Science of Team Science
  The science of team science field encompasses both conceptual and methodological strategies aimed at understanding and enhancing the processes and outcomes of collaborative, team-based research. It is useful to distinguish between team science initiatives and the science of team science field...
  
  

External links

• Antioch University New England Integrated Learning Program
• Association for Integrative Studies
• Institute for Advanced Study in the Integrative Sciences
• Integrative Learning: Opportunities to Connect collaborative project at the American Association of Colleges and Universities
• Hybridvigor.net
• Becoming A Brilliant Star