Broad Fields, Problem-Solving, and Thematic Designs
Broad Fields, Problem-Solving, and Thematic Designs
Broad fields
- Related disciplines treated as one field of study, such as social studies.
- Integrates content that fits together logically.
Problem-solving
- Organized around activities and projects to seek solutions.
- Learners identify problems, pose options, decide, and plan action.
Thematic (integrated)
- Organized around a topic or theme, using content and skills from many subjects.
- The lines separating subject areas are erased.
Between the pure subject-centered design and the pure learner-centered one sit three designs that cross subject lines to different degrees. Each integrates more than the last, and a developer chooses among them by how much they want to dissolve the boundaries between subjects.
Broad fields
The broad-fields design focuses on related disciplines and treats them as one field of study. Social studies is the classic example, merging history, economics, sociology, geography, and anthropology into a single subject. It is an attempt to integrate content that appears to fit together logically. The disciplines do not vanish, but they are taught as facets of one larger field rather than as separate subjects. This design is common at the elementary level, where social studies is a familiar example.
Problem-solving
The problem-solving design is organized around activities and projects for individuals or groups of learners, engaging them to seek solutions to various problems. The problem, not the subject, is the organizing centre. Such situations give a context for:
- Thinking about and identifying the problem.
- Posing options.
- Making decisions.
- Developing action plans to carry out the agreed strategies.
Whatever subjects the problem touches get drawn in as needed. The design follows the shape of real problems, which rarely respect subject boundaries.
Thematic, or integrated, design
The thematic, or integrated, design is organized around a topic or theme and draws content and skills from various subjects. It goes furthest in crossing boundaries: in an integrated curriculum, the lines separating subject-matter areas from one another are erased, and the curriculum uses a conceptual or life-problem-oriented approach to organization. A unit on water, for instance, might pull together science, geography, civics, and writing under one theme, with no visible seams between them.
| Design | Organizing centre | How much it integrates |
|---|---|---|
| Broad fields | A merged field like social studies | Related disciplines combined |
| Problem-solving | A real problem | Subjects drawn in as needed |
| Thematic | A topic or theme | Subject lines erased |
Broad fields merge related disciplines; problem-solving organizes around a problem; thematic erases subject lines
They form a spectrum of integration. Broad fields combine related subjects into a field; problem-solving pulls subjects into a real problem; thematic design dissolves the boundaries around a theme.
Designs are used together
A final, practical point: it is very rare that one design is used exclusively. In practice, teachers use a number of designs simultaneously, depending on the unit or lesson objectives and on the mission and philosophy of the school. A single teacher might run a subject-centered mathematics lesson in the morning and a thematic, integrated project in the afternoon. The designs are tools, and a skilled teacher reaches for whichever one fits the objective at hand.
No. Teachers use several designs at once, depending on objectives and the school
The choice depends on the unit or lesson objectives and the school’s mission and philosophy. The designs are tools, and a teacher picks whichever fits the objective at hand.
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