Stepping on the ladder of integration : the perspectives of foundational science teachers on a discipline-based curriculum

Date
2019-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Integrated curriculum is defined variously by different researchers. Integration involves intentionally bringing together knowledge, skills, values and attitudes within and across courses to develop a more holistic understanding of the subject. The College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University (CHS, OAU) Ile-Ife, Nigeria, was established over forty-five years ago and still runs the traditional discipline-based curriculum. There are an overwhelming number of calls by some faculty members at the College to review the medical curriculum and to change it to a more innovative curriculum. Most curricular innovations have integration as part of their components. For integration to be effective, the teachers need to be involved in the curriculum development, design, implementation and the process of evaluation. Full understanding, support and commitment of teachers are necessary for effective integration of the curriculum. The learning needs of the foundational science teachers also need to be addressed and the level of integration desired must be understood. The purpose of this research assignment was to explore the perspectives of foundational science teachers on integration of courses within a discipline-based curriculum. The understanding of foundational science teachers of the term ‘Integration within the curriculum’ and their perceptions of the need for integration, were explored. When integrating the foundational sciences and possible strategies by which integration could be implemented, barriers and enablers were identified. This was a qualitative enquiry based study within an interpretive paradigm framework. The data was obtained by the researcher through focus group discussions conducted with participants. Using the process of thematic analysis the perspectives of the foundational teachers were grouped into the themes that emerged. Four prominent themes that emerged were knowledge of integration, perception of the need for and benefits of integration, the enablers and barriers to integration, and suggestions in order to implement curriculum integration. The participants demonstrated their understanding of what curriculum integration meant and expressed their perspectives of the need for and benefits of integration. Various barriers were identified and suggestions were discussed with some recommendations made.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geintegreerde kurrikula word deur verskillende navorsers verskillend verstaan. Integrasie behels die geleentheid om kennis, vaardighede, waardes en houdings binne en oor kursusse bymekaar te bring om 'n meer holistiese begrip van die vak te ontwikkel. Die Universiteit van Gesondheidswetenskappe, Obafemi Awolowo Universiteit (CHS, OAE) Ile-Ife, Nigerie, is meer as vyf en veertig jaar gelede gestig en het steeds ‘n tradisionele dissipliner -gebasseerde kurrikulum. Daar is 'n oorweldigende hoeveelheid versoeke deur fakulteitslede by die Kollege om die mediese kurrikulum te hersien en om dit te verander na 'n meer innoverende kurrikulum. Integrasie vorm deel van die meeste kurrikula innovasies. Vir integrasie om doeltreffend te wees, moet die dosente betrokke wees by die kurrikulumontwikkeling, ontwerp, implementering en evalueringsproses. Die doel van hierdie navorsingsopdrag was om die perspektiewe van grondslagwetenskapdosente oor die integrasie van kursusse binne 'n dissipliner-gebasseerde kurrikulum te verken. Die begrip van grondslagwetenskapdosente wat betref die term 'Integrasie binne die kurrikulum' is ondersoek en ook hul persepsies oor die behoefte aan integrasie. Die hindernisse en instaatstellende faktore van integrasie van die fundamentele wetenskappe en moontlike strategiee waardeur integrasie geimplementeer kan word, is deur die dosente geïdentifiseer. Die studie volg op 'n kwalitatiewe ondersoek gebaseer op 'n interpretatiewe paradigma raamwerk. Die data is deur die navorser verkry deur middel van fokusgroepbesprekings wat met deelnemers gedoen is. Deur die proses van tematiese analise is die perspektiewe van die grondslagdosente gegroepeer in die temas in temas groepeer. Vier prominente temas wat na vore gekom het, is kennis van integrasie, persepsie oor die behoefte en voordele van integrasie, die instaatstellende faktore en hindernisse vir integrasie, en voorstelle vir die implementering van kurrikulumintegrasie. Die deelnemers het hul begrip van wat kurrikulumintegrasie beteken en hul perspektiewe wat betref die behoefte en voordele van integrasie gedeel. Verskeie struikelblokke is geïdentifiseer en voorstelle deur die dosente, sowel as die aanbevelings bespreek.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2019.
Keywords
Universities and colleges -- Curricula -- Nigeria, Articulation (Education) -- Nigeria, Medicine -- Study and teaching -- Nigeria, UCTD
Citation