Curriculum integration in Vocational and Technical Education: Implication for teaching and learning

Abstract

Employers are requiring that schools give graduates of vocational and technology education the 21st century skills. Hence fresh employees are required to learn new skills quickly and be able to communicate, solve problems, and work with technology. Current technological, communication, managerial, and entrepreneurial skills required by the students are to be imparted by the schools, but the present narrow focus on academic and psychomotor skills is affecting the curriculum. This shallow and straight jacket curriculum which separates knowledge into discrete portions has negative implications on effective teaching and skill development. This paper deals with how curriculum integration could facilitate effective teaching and skill development. Specifically it focuses on concept of vocational and technology education, curriculum integration, types of integration, principles of integration, key requirements for successful integration, benefits of integration, approaches to effective teaching and learning, implications of implementing an integrated curriculum and problems associated with curriculum integration.