Integration of Academic and Occupational Education in the Illinois Community College System

In response to the changing needs of an increasingly diverse society, the Illinois Community College System (ICCS) reformed its curriculum by integrating academic and occupational education. In order to determine the effectiveness of such curriculum integration, a study was conducted, via surveys and interviews, on ICCS' methods, revealing that: (1) academic courses adapted to the interests of career students (the most common method) had problems with internal integration and transferability of courses; (2) transfer courses designed for career students also had problems with transferability; (3) English as a Second Language courses are not utilized by many schools but seem effective; (4) linked, tandem, or cluster courses are more advanced methods, but have more student disciplinary problems; (5) multidisciplinary courses provide a broader conceptualization of integration; (6) learning communities are costly and sometimes inaccessible; (7) learning technologies have difficulties in implementation; and (8) work-based learning is difficult at times due to conflicting time schedules of students. (YKH)