Integrative Curriculum and Multidisciplinary Curriculum—Are They Virtually the Same?

The answer is NO.

I believe many educators are confused by these two terms. Drake (2000) asserted that most commonly K-12 educators think of curriculum integration as "making meaningful connections between topics or skills that are usually addressed in different subject areas" (p. 3).

What exactly is the difference between an integrative curriculum and a multidisciplinary curriculum?

I came across several definitions, but the major difference is that an integrative curriculum is student-centered and a multidisciplinary curriculum is subject-centered. Below is a list of a few definitions that I found—And yes, there are variations among practitioners and theorists.

Integrated:

•    "Integrated curriculum is based on a holistic view of learning and recognizes the necessity for learners to see the big picture. . . . Integrative curriculum ignores traditional subject lines while exploring questions that are most relevant to students. As a result, it is both responsive to students' needs and intellectual—because it focuses on helping learners use their minds as well" (Brazee & Capelluti, 1995, p. 9).

•    "The term integrated curriculum . . . refers to a way of teaching, planning and organizing . . . so the discrete disciplines of subject matter are interrelated and 1) match the developmental needs of the learners; 2) help to meaningfully connect the students' learning to their current and past experiences" (Roberts & Kellough, 2000, p. 4).

•    Beane (1997) defined the integrative model as, “A curriculum design theory that is concerned with enhancing the possibilities for personal and social integration through the organization of curriculum around significant problems and issues, collaboratively identified by educators and young people, without regard for subject area lines” (p. 19).

• "Integrated studies, sometimes called interdisciplinary studies, brings together diverse disciplines in a comprehensive manner, enabling students to develop a meaningful understanding of the complex associations and influences within a topic" (Edutopia Staff).

Multidisciplinary:

•    “Two or more subjects are organized around a common theme or topic such as "pioneers"; or different disciplines may be viewed as "lenses" to explore a problem or issue. There is an attempt to make explicit connections across subject areas” (Drake, 2000).

•    “The juxtaposition of several disciplines focused on one problem with no direct attempt to integrate” (Meeth, 1978).

For more information, check out this article, Organizing the Middle Level Curriculum by Beane.