Mathematics and Science Integrated Instruction: with the Emphasis on the Types of Mathematical Knowledge

Internationally, American students continue to lag behind other countries in mathematics and science academic achievement. This is especially alarming due to the multi-faceted approaches taken in these areas by researchers and politicians, as well as the requisite schooling required by the American education system. The idea of integrating both content areas in order to enhance and deepen student understanding of each subject is a useful tactic in order to achieve the goal of improved mathematics and science academic achievement by American students. The emphasis should be on what the students will be doing to learn these content areas, so that various cognitive demands are used and developed. A science context allows for the investigation of various mathematical tasks and provides for the manipulation of the different knowledge types necessary to accomplish those tasks. By empowering teachers to think critically and evaluate integrated mathematics and science lessons, based on what students will be doing , teachers can begin to feel self-efficacious and confident in selecting and creating lessons that are most beneficial for students