Integrating Science and Mathematics in Teacher Education Programs

Introduction

Integrating science and mathematics is not a brand-new idea; however, attempts to strengthen the connection between the two disciplines have been strongly continuing (Lee et al., 2013; McHugh et al., 2018; Offer & Vasquez-Mireles, 2009). National educational reforms emphasized integrating different content areas and relating different disciplines to each other (Ministry of National Education [MoNE], 2018a; National Research Council, 2012). In parallel with these efforts, curriculum integration has gained more popularity with the appearance of STEM education in recent years (Czerniak & Johnson, 2014). People have been confronting a growing number of global problems, such as pandemic, global warming, waste management, and energy crisis. These problems cannot be solved by utilizing the knowledge and practices of one discipline; solving these complex problems requires the embracement of different disciplines. Therefore, interdisciplinary teaching that underlines creating connections between science and mathematics becomes more necessary.

Integrated curricula provide opportunities with a more relevant and authentic context for students (Kim & Bolger, 2017). One definition of curriculum integration is “engage students as active learners who make the most of the decisions about what they study” (Brown, 2016, p. 123). Another definition provided by Honey et al. (2014) underlines the importance of using various disciplines to solve complex situations (p.52). On the other hand, school curriculum is generally developed based on the isolation of different disciplines and fragmentation (Breiner et al., 2012). Furner and Kumar (2007) labeled this issue a “layer cake” approach. They asserted that teaching disciplines in isolation from one another are no more different than completing a puzzle without giving the whole picture (p. 186). Currently, a consented clear definition related to curriculum integration is unavailable.

There are different perspectives and debates on curriculum integration. Some epistemological concerns are expressed as “classroom activities must foster active engagement with the content and processes of the discipline, with students developing and testing ideas in ways consistent with the paradigms of the disciplines they study” (Schoenfeld, 2004, p. 238). This perspective questions whether the integration fails to provide specialized knowledge in one particular discipline. On the other hand, advocates of curriculum integration explain that if the subject area lines do not blur between different disciplines, it would be difficult for students to relate the concepts to their daily-life experiences (Beane, 1995; Hurd, 1991). The researchers in this line point out that curriculum integration transcended the boundaries of the disciplines and concentrated on the commonalities between them. Moreover, the integrated curriculum draws upon each discipline’s knowledge, application and practices and provides different points of view (Lederman & Lederman, 2013). It could be inferred that an integrated curriculum enriches the learning environment and allow full student engagement as opposed to traditional approaches (Czerniak & Johnson, 2014; Gresnigt et al., 2014).

With respect to science and mathematics integration, science enables authentic context for mathematics, and through the use of mathematics, students can establish relationships (Bosse et al. 2010); therefore, the curriculum of these two disciplines are considered compatible with each other (Krajcik & Czerniak, 2014). Integrating these two closely-tied disciplines effectively increased students' motivation, engagement, problem-solving skills, and achievements (Berlin & White, 1994; Ríordáin et al., 2016). The purpose of this chapter is to provide an understanding of curriculum integration and the science and mathematics integration models and summarize the related literature. Moreover, a model for integrating science and mathematics in teacher education programs by considering the drawbacks in the literature is proposed at the end of the chapter.