The Integration Ladder

Curriculum integration is a continuum, with a fully integrated curriculum at one end and a subject-based curriculum at the other, and intermediate steps in between. In 2000, Prof. Ronald Harden described an eleven-step integration ladder in Medical Education, spanning isolation at one extreme to trans-disciplinary fusion at the other.

The Integration Ladder, explained.

    The FAIR Principle

    In “Be FAIR to students: four principles that lead to more effective learning,” Prof. Ronald Harden and Jennifer Laidlaw argue that teaching is a profession, and that applying these principles can turn a poor teacher into a good one, and a good teacher into an excellent one. FAIR stands for Feedback, Activity, Individualisation and Relevance.

    The FAIR principle, explained.

      Bloom’s Taxonomy

      An overview of the cognitive domain of Bloom's Taxonomy.

      Bloom's Taxonomy — cognitive domain. Video via Sprouts (patreon.com/sprouts, sproutsschools.com).

      The Pygmalion Effect

      The Pygmalion effect is the phenomenon whereby a teacher's expectations of their students have a strong effect on student academic performance: students internalise the expectations and labels placed on them by their instructor, and in turn tend to fulfil those expectations — whether positive or negative.

      The Pygmalion Effect, explained. Video via Sprouts (patreon.com/sprouts, sproutsschools.com).