The purpose of this study is to examine some effects of integrated curriculum to which KDB of Drake are applied on multicultural awareness and problem solving skill, as an education for preparing present and future life in dramatically changed multicu...
The purpose of this study is to examine some effects of integrated curriculum to which KDB of Drake are applied on multicultural awareness and problem solving skill, as an education for preparing present and future life in dramatically changed multicultural and knowledge-based society.
Therefore, some research questions can be suggested.
First, how curriculum in 1st semester of 6th grade can be reorganized into the integrated curriculum to which KDB are applied?
Second, are there any significant differences in average of multicultural awareness between experiment group conducting the integrated curriculum reorganized by applying KDB to it and comparative one implementing traditional subdivided one?
Third, are there any significant differences in average of problem solving skill between experiment group conducting the integrated curriculum reorganized by applying KDB to it and comparison group implementing traditional subdivided one?
In order to examine the effects of integrated curriculum to which KDB of Drake are applied on multicultural awareness and problem solving skill, three classes(n=67) of GI elementary school in G city and two classes (n=49) of GS elementary school in the similar school district are selected as experiment and comparison group. Effectiveness of the sub-areas of multicultural awareness (openness, respectiveness and receptiveness) and problem solving skill (clarification of problem, analysis of cause, development of alternative, plan and practice and effectiveness of performance evaluation) is examined based on analysis of each questionnaire of multicultural awareness and problem solving skill and description of one's impressions for lessons. For the analysis of data, at first, the reliability is evaluated with Chronbach’s Alpha, in order to verify the reliability of study tool. Second, t-test is conducted to analyze the average difference of multicultural awareness and problem solving skill in learners between experiment and comparison group.
The findings are as follows.
First, through the integrated curriculum to which KDB are applied, the effectiveness for change of multicultural awareness
can be found. The change of multicultural awareness largely affected by formation of attitudes and values of learners can be verified with test tool of multicultural awareness, through balanced education including knowledge and function instruction as well as even character which may be easily disregarded, especially it has a significant effect on openness and respectiveness among sub-areas.
Second, the enhancement of problem solving skill can be found through the integrated curriculum. From the analysis of test tool of problem solving skill, after conducting integrated education to solve some problems through transference of knowledge and function in the real life contexts of learners, it is found that the integrated curriculum to which KDB are applied is not an education separated from daily life but helps learners to solve some problems confronting it.
Third, the change of multicultural awareness can be found through results of qualitative analysis. From the analysis of description of one's impressions for lessons, it can be also found that learners are changed to strive to reduce their prejudices by recognizing how many prejudices they have. Moreover, their recognitions are turned toward respecting other cultures by thinking in each other's shoes, and the process of multicultural awareness change to develop our culture through exchange with other one can be observed.
From this study, it may be suggested that effectiveness of multicultural awareness and problem solving skill should be continued, the purpose and contents-based integrated curriculum is more necessary than activity-based integration of curriculum, and furthermore, various tools to test the effect of multicultural awareness should be developed.