Describes an interdisciplinary science and humanities curriculum for sophomores developed by the faculty at Boston University's College of Basic Studies. Three core courses (science, social studies, and humanities) are integrated into a year-long course which is team taught. The format includes both lecture and modular teaching approaches. (DS)

The American Humanities Program grew out of a retired American culture course and was revived as a part of an interdisciplinary, multi-media experience in American culture. Some of the politics of establishing the program are described: funding, teaching teams, and having an interdisciplinary course taught by one person. (Author/MLW)

Used the critical incident technique to study conditions that encourage or discourage teacher collaboration. Found that time, training, and organizational support were crucial to collaboration. Lack of structured support, pressures to "cover" curriculum and conduct testing, and traditions of tracking and separate-subject instruction discouraged…

In a team-taught course that uses political novels and films, the concept of politics becomes more understandable to the students. Three different instructors representing political science, English, and film bring expertise to the course that is not usually possible for a single instructor. (Author/MLW)

Inclusive education for students with disabilities is consistent with educational reform principles emphasizing high standards for all students, specified outcomes, authentic assessment systems, interdisciplinary teaching teams, and school organizational modifications supporting reform. In one Missouri junior high school, special education…

In 1992, the College of Education at the University of Arkansas formed a partnership with the Elkins (Arkansas) School District to strengthen both the university's and the school's middle-level education efforts. Both parties agreed to develop a middle-level program in the Elkins School District and use teacher and college faculty exchanges to…

Two decades after helping a school begin the transition to middle level, observations are made of the results of middle school planning, implementation, and evaluation. Chief areas of focus were interdisciplinary teaming, block scheduling, exploratory activities, and an adviser-advisee arrangement. (MLF)

Drexel University (Pennsylvania) will overhaul its first- and second-year curricula by using extensive team teaching, designing interdisciplinary courses, introducing students to their majors earlier, and having students work in small groups. A pilot program in engineering has been successful. Goals are to improve education and boost retention.…

Some of the advantages to integrating physical education activities with other subject areas include offering fresh insights into the physical education program, motivating students, and providing advantages to different types of students. Integrative activities include embedded tasks, practice tasks, and discovery tasks. Guidelines for planning…

Discusses the development of a teaching team structure in one middle school, describing efforts to redefine curriculum, assessment, scheduling, and teaming to foster new roles and relationships for students and teachers. (JPB)

This paper describes and interprets the case of a middle school's first year of using interdisciplinary teacher teams as a key among several restructuring moves. It describes: (1) characteristics of the teaming process--leadership, decision making, professional growth and support of individual teachers, and cooperation, competition, and conflict…

The students, faculty, and administration at the Maine Township East High School engaged in an ongoing curricular innovation program during the 1993-94 academic year, investigating the notions of teacher teaming, interdisciplinary instruction, and the use of computer technology in the delivery of a core education in biology, world cultures,…

Departmental lines can interfere with collaboration among academic colleagues. Working together within the same department, a speech teacher and a writing teacher realized that both speech and writing have preparatory (planning and development), performance, and evaluation stages, and that within the various stages students use the same or similar…

A description is provided of the rationale for, objectives of, and unique and innovative features of St. Petersburg (Florida) Junior College's (SPJC's) Interdisciplinary Studies Program (IDS). First, the paper discusses the national context of renewed attention to the liberal arts, the higher education milieu in Florida, and SPJC's general…

A multi-disciplinary approach to the teaching of a unit on World War II is described. With the textbook serving as a resource, research books, films, literature books, and resource persons are used to help bring life to history. The unit emphasizes the following: (1) the four language processes of listening, reading, speaking, and writing; (2)…