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The research I've seen on this topic suggest that a full curricular approach is ideal. Here is an excerpt of my draft literature review for an integration project I've been working on as PI:
There is a continued demand for graduates with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) (Israel, 2017). The Next Generation Science Standards and other educational reforms support the formation of deep connections across the STEM disciplines (NGSS Lead States, 2013). Our world is not neatly arranged by academic disciplines and understanding complex problems requires cross-disciplinary knowledge. Concepts from any field are enriched by the theories and methods from other fields, providing context, intellectual inquiry, and multi-perspective analysis (Stember, 1991). Coherence and cohesiveness of these connections combats fragmentation of knowledge (Fogarty, 1991). A cohesive integrated curriculum is one that connects a STEM discipline to one or more other disciplines in order to enhance student learning, with the following disciplinary elements: 1) scientific inquiry where students construct their own questions and investigations, 2) technological literacy where students make use of instruments, 3) engineering design to provide the systematic approach to problem solving, which contributes context and provides the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills while learning from failure, and 4) mathematical thinking (Johnson, Peters-Burton, & Moore, 2015; Kelley & Knowles, 2016). Integration can include cross-disciplinary, multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary perspectives (Jensenius, 2012; Stember, 1991).
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