Integrating Academic and Vocational Education

What is Academic Integration? Blending CTE skills and competencies with academic standards to bring relevance of learning to students

Why Integrate? NCLB requires integration to provide rigorous curriculum to raise student achievement New Perkins legislation requires academic integration and rigor Enables students to know why they need to know this and how they can use it

Instructional Integration Proven strategy for helping students see connections between –Academic skills required to learn and –World of work where required to apply them Motivation to learn is improved Better prepared for employment

Integration Models Discipline-Based Parallel Multidisciplinary Interdisciplinary Integrated Day Field Based

Discipline-Based Integration Low level of integration Teach in traditional ways Show awareness of need to find practical use for classroom knowledge Make connections between own subject and other subject(s)

Parallel Integration Teach own class Plan to have lessons coincide Requires coordination among two or more teachers

Multidisciplinary Integration Teachers from several subjects bring together two or three disciplines to teach common themes, issues, topics, or concepts Help make the connections Larger blocks of class time enhance this model (classes following one another)

Interdisciplinary Integration Teachers coordinate single unit that connects all disciplines Large block of time is necessary More complex model Includes all students’ subjects

Integrated Day Integration Base lessons on student-identified themes, issues, topics, or concepts Requires strong cooperation and planning

Field Based Integration Create opportunities for students to learn or practice skills and knowledge in field or at worksite Combines academic knowledge from several disciplines with vocational hands-on skills

Examples Wilton, CT – Business law and environmental science students research and report on endangered species LaMoille, IL – business management and art students design and sell Christmas cards

More Examples Kent, WA – business students complete mock international business projects along with studying foreign languages Marshall, IL – industrial technology students build a solar bicycle, write a report on the process, and race in national solar bicycle race – IT, English, and physics teachers

Couple More FCS students do a clothing unit on the same era being studied in history Senior projects may incorporate many areas and require critical- thinking and information-gathering skills

Planning for Integration Determine scope and sequence Make written comparisons of curricula Develop integrated instructional units

Scope and Sequence Scope of plan depends on number of teachers involved and level of integration May want to begin with small groups Sequence of courses determine connections Helps to have teachers who teach same group (e.g., freshmen)

Written Comparisons Chart basic concepts taught in two or more classes on week-to- week basis Look for common concepts Begin with a week or month Identify potential integration topics Decide which concepts are skills will be taught where

Developing Integrated Units Reinforce natural connections Share in the planning Start simple and then develop larger units

Outline for Integrated Unit Determine common concepts and skills Determine classes involved Select concepts and skills to address Describe unit – helps you stay on track

Outline for Integrated Unit List student objectives –Specific –Measurable List learning activities –Variety for learning styles List methods to assess and measure completion of objectives Identify materials & equipment

Your Turn Develop an outline for an integrated unit with at least two CTE areas

Homework Develop a unit plan integrating academic area and your content area