'We Often Forget It Was a Disaster': Cross-Curricular Teacher Collaboration to Develop a Curriculum Unit on the...

Area of Science:

• Educational Science
• Curriculum Development
• Interdisciplinary Studies

Background:

• Growing emphasis on integrating school subjects for complex issues.
• Need for effective pedagogical approaches in disaster education.
• Cross-curricular approaches can address local and global challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the integration of science and history in disaster education.
• To investigate the impact of a cross-curricular teacher professional development project.
• To understand challenges and benefits of interdisciplinary curriculum development.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of teacher feedback, workshop recordings, and interviews.
• Eight-month collaborative project involving secondary school teachers and museum educators.
• Development of a curriculum unit on the Titanic disaster for Key Stage 3 pupils.

Main Results:

• Initial teacher enthusiasm for cross-curricular integration was tempered by practical challenges.
• Teachers recognized and utilized connections across the curriculum.
• The project highlighted the importance of teaching sensitive historical events with reverence.

Conclusions:

• Cross-curricular integration and teacher collaboration show potential for holistic disaster education.
• The Titanic disaster serves as a valuable case study for interdisciplinary learning.
• Professional development can help educators bridge disciplinary divides for richer learning experiences.