Experiences of curriculum integration: The challenges in practice between learner relationships, agency, and knowledge

Abstract

This paper reports on the multiple ways teachers interpreted and implemented curriculum integration (CI) and considers the factors which contributed to the nature and degree of integration success in programmes in a number of case study secondary schools. This qualitative study examines the experiences of teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand who have implemented Curriculum Integration (CI) programmes for students aged 13–14. The shift away from single-subject specialisations prompts a reconfiguration of how teachers integrate, align, and engage with the curriculum. By examining the complex factors affecting CI in a range of school contexts, where teachers contribute to sustained collaborations, we identify examples from the research that illustrate teaching realities, and frame possibilities of future action. Some teachers utilised thematic contexts, others favoured student led, and co-construction processes. All, however, agreed that a balance was needed between supporting learner relationships and student agency and ensuring that students developed important knowledge. The paper offers a narrative of ways the integrated programmes have been developed, implemented and reflected upon within a secondary curriculum context.