Integrated Social Science Syllabus: Case Studies from Brisbane Secondary Schools

Developing integrative subjects is one of the controversial areas in recent curriculum reform proposed by the central curriculum development agency in Hong Kong. The Curriculum Development Council and the Curriculum Development Institute officials argue that curriculum integration is a trend of curriculum development in many parts of the world. To help young people better prepare for the knowledge-based society, developing curriculum integration is highly desirable. In this article, the recent experiences of developing social studies-type integrated subject in eight schools in the Brisbane area, Australia, is reported. From classroom observation and interviews with ten teachers in these schools, it is concluded that developing integrated subject in the Personal, Social and Humanities Key Learning Area would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. It is also argued that the relative advantages of adopting an integrative approach may be outweighed by the weaknesses and problems of teaching integrative subject