Date of Award

Spring 3-21-2019

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Executive Ed.D. in Education Leadership Management and Policy

Department

Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Advisor

Michael Kuchar, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Elaine Walker, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Joseph Trybulski, Ed.D.

Keywords

interdisciplinary curriculum, integrated curriculum, thorough and efficient education, student achievement

Abstract

In order to provide students at the elementary level a thorough and efficient method of learning, the integrated–interdisciplinary approach to teaching curriculum was explored to reveal the impact on student achievement of fourth graders across the state of New Jersey in a randomly selected grouping of 50 schools using integrated–interdisciplinary curriculum and 50 schools using subject-specific curriculum. The research was an investigation of the integrated–interdisciplinary approach to teaching when compared with subject-specific curriculum to explore the impact on student achievement.

Integration of curriculum aligned to the state standards at the elementary level was a focus for this research; elementary curriculum is always expanding with the increased expectations from the demands of society. Using the state’s Grade 4 PARCC testing device to measure achievement over a 3-year time period revealed a significant positive difference in the outcome of student achievement for students using an integrated–interdisciplinary curriculum. These findings suggest a further consideration for using an integrated–interdisciplinary curriculum whenever possible at the elementary level for student learning. Throughout this research, the terms integration and interdisciplinary curriculum were utilized with an understanding that the terms may be interchangeable. The meaning produces the same outcome: a combination of various subject ideas taught in the same lesson to make connections across the curriculum.

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