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Models of Curriculum Design
Curriculum Development & Research (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
Technology)
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KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COLLEGE OF ART AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
FACULTY OF ART
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS IN
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Name:
Index No:
Course:
Course Code:
Program:
Lecturers:
Kankam Theophilus
PG 2502620
Curriculum Development & Research
ATE 526
MPHIL Art Education
Prof (Mrs.) N.A. Opoku-Asare
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Curriculum
Scholars in some time past have given varied definition to the term curriculum based on
content/subject matter such as students, teachers, parents and society. Curriculum is basically
described as a set of goals, an accumulation of knowledge or a written document (Lewis, 1972;
Uphoff, 1982; Beauchamp 1961).
As a set of goals, Lewis describes curriculum as an avenue for students that engages them by
providing different information and learning techniques (Lewis, 1972). As an accumulation of
knowledge, curriculum is described as learning experience gained in a different learning
environment with diverse cognitive content, instructional plan and technology (Uphoff, 1982).
It is a plan for learning based on a philosophy and basic organization for the purpose of
education in society which is translated into organized structure or planned experiences to
interpret the role of education (Sindhu, 2017). Mishra (2017) states that a curriculum is a
designed plan for learning which entails a purposeful and proactive organization, sequencing,
and management of interactions between the teacher, students, and content knowledge expected
of the students to acquire. It is a planned, guided learning experiences, and intended learning
outcomes geared towards the accumulation of knowledge in a learning environment (Adirika &
Okolie, 2020).
In view of the above definitions, curriculum is developed for implementation, appraisal and
modification (Beauchamp 1981) hence giving rise to the three phases of a curriculum
development system as designing, implementing, and evaluating (Ornstein & Hunkins 2009).
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Curriculum
Implementation
Curriculum
Design
Curriculum Development
Curriculum
Evaluation
Source: Stages of Curriculum Process, adopted from Bhuttah, Xiaoduan, Ullah & Javed, 2019
Curriculum Model
Curriculum model is a format designed, reconfigured, or rearranged components of curriculum
developed for specific satisfaction of educational needs, contexts, and/or purpose (Mishra, 2017).
It is a defined plan or sample guidelines of a curriculum to improve learning outcomes for
educational purposes (Bhuttah, Xiaoduan, Ullah & Javed, 2019; Oliva, 2009).
Selected Curriculum Models
Tyler model
Wheeler model
Kerr model
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Tyler’s Model of Curriculum
Ralph W. Tyler’s model or Tyler’s Rationale is one of the most popular model of curriculum
development in modern times which encompasses four main components of curriculum that is,
purpose, experiences, methods, and evaluation (Lau,2001). Tyler is said to be among one of the
pioneers of curriculum engineer and techniques. His model thus is known as classical model with
the view that inspiration is drawn from his model for the development of other models of
curriculum (Bhuttah, Xiaoduan, Ullah & Javed, 2019; Adirika & Okolie, 2020).
In order to provide students with learning objectives, Tyler’s model places emphasize on
significance of planning in curriculum development and thus outlined four basic question that
ought to be considered in his book “Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction (Bhuttah,
Xiaoduan, Ullah & Javed, 2019; Adirika & Okolie, 2020; Mishra, 2017; Hall, 1975).
1. What are the curriculum goals and objectives of the school?
2. How can curriculum goals and objectives be achieved through learning experience?
3. How can learning experience be organized effectively?
4. How can the effectiveness of the curriculum goals and objectives be accessed?
Based on these four basic question and the components of curriculum,
Tyler’s model is described as deductive (logical activities), linear (straight line of
curriculum developing model) and move from general to specific (Huang & Yang,
2004; Bhuttah, Xiaoduan, Ullah & Javed, 2019; Adirika & Okolie, 2020).
Objective
Choice
Organization
Tyler’s Straight Line Model
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Evaluation
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Wheeler’s Model of Curriculum
Wheeler’s model of spherical or cyclical model is a modification of Tyler’s straight line model of
curriculum (Huang & Yang, 2004). It is based on the concept of continuity and cycle where
evaluation serves as a source of improvement but not as a final stage of curriculum system.
Flexibility and continuity marks the basis of Wheeler’s model which is demonstrated in a
cyclical way. This has made his model popular in teaching practice as its relevance
to learners in particular is greatly felt. Thus step one of the curriculum system starts
and continues again after the completion of the curriculum development. In that regard,
evaluation becomes the most essential component of the curriculum system with the view that it
provides a comparative analysis of actual and expected outcomes (Wheeler, 1976, as cited in
Carl, 2009). Wheeler’s model therefore has five main components of curriculum that is, selecting
an objective, choosing learning experience, choosing content, organizing and integrating learning
experience and content, and evaluating (Huang & Yang, 2004).
Wheeler’s Model of Curriculum Development
Wheeler’s model is described as dynamic and seems more progressive hence the suggestive
usage of this model at any level in curriculum development due to its vast applicability (Adirika
& Okolie, 2020).
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Kerr’s Model of Curriculum
The four elements of Kerr’s model of curriculum development are: objective, knowledge, school
learning experience, and evaluation. The first priority of curriculum development should dwell
on its intended objectives. To him, objective and knowledge are paramount to every curriculum
development design. Hence, this intended objectives according to Kerr borders on expected
behavioural change such as perception, affection, and skills of a student after learning.
Knowledge on the other hand is explained as achieving school’s objectives in the context of a
chosen and organized curriculum. Effective interaction between learners and various
environmental elements such as social opportunities created by school’s arrangement, influenced
character of school community, and teacher-student relationship constitute the third element of
Kerr’s model that is, learning experience. Kerr explains evaluation as his final element of
curriculum development. For a standardized content, Kerr outlined objective feasibility, content
method’s suitability, needs and achievement of students, and efficacy of teachers’ preparation as
the basic criteria of evaluation.
Aside these, a progressive way of measuring the effectiveness of evaluation can be achieved
through attitudinal scale, interview, aptitude test, multiple evaluations, investigated skills and
group observations.
Curriculum Objectives
Knowledge
Curriculum Evaluation
Learning Experiences
Model suggested by Kerr (1968). Adopted from Hall, 1975
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Building on or Contrasting Tyler's Model of Curriculum Design
Wheeler’s Model
As already stated, Wheeler’s cyclical model is an amendment of Tyler’s straight line model of
curriculum development. It builds on the four principles of Tyler’s straight line model
of curriculum development design to a cyclical or spherical model of five
organized elements of curriculum systems which are inter-dependent (Huang
& Yang, 2004; Lunenburg, 2018).
Unlike Tyler’s model where evaluation marks the end of the curriculum
system, Wheeler’s model relies on evaluation as a feed back into objective of
the curriculum to promote continuity by means of incorporating new
information for improvement (Bhuttah, Xiaoduan, Ullah & Javed, 2019).
However, providing a planned structure, and a foundation for taking decision
remains a common trait among Tyler and Wheeler’s models.
Kerr’s Model
Kerr’s model on the other hand also relies on the idea of Tyler’s straight line model of
curriculum development design. Both Kerr and Tyler employs four basic principle having
objective and evaluation as their first and last stage respectively. However, Kerr varies his second
and third stages from experiences, and methods to knowledge, and school learning experience.
To Kerr, objective of the curriculum has greater influence on the students’ acquisition of
knowledge which eventually result from school learning experience. But to attain an effective
curriculum, Kerr side with Tyler that there should be an evaluation. Yet Kerr’s model suggests a
progressive evaluation which is directly linked with objective, knowledge, and school learning
experience as objective feasibility, content method’s suitability, needs and achievement of
students, and efficacy of teachers’ preparation as a criterion for evaluation.
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REFERENCES

Adirika, B. N. & Okolie, V. C. (2020). Examining Models of Curriculum Development
and Processes: Implications for African Educational Heritage and Review. Social Science
and Humanities Journal ISSN: 2456-2653

Beauchamp, G. A. (1961). Curriculum Theory, Kagg Press.

Beauchamp, G. A. (1981). Curriculum theory. Itasca, Illinois, F.E. Peacock.

Bhuttah, T. M., Xiaoduan, C., Ullah, H. & Javed, S. (2019). Analysis of Curriculum
Development Stages from the Perspective of Tyler, Taba and Wheeler. European Journal
of Social Sciences ISSN 1450-2267 Vol. 58 No 1 May, 2019, pp.14-22.
http://www.europeanjournalofsocialsciences.com/

Hall, W. C. (1975). Models for Curriculum Development.

Huang, G. H. & Yang, L. L. (2004). Curriculum development and design: Concept and
practice. Taipei: Hsi Ta Shu Yuan.

Hunkins, F. P. & Ornstein, A. C. (2004). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Lau, D. C.-M. (2001). "Analysing the curriculum development process: three models.
Pedagogy, Culture & Society 9(1): 29-44.

Lewis, A. J. (1972). Supervision for improved instruction: new challenges, new
responses. Belmont, Calif., Wadsworth Pub. Co.

Lunenburg, C. F. (2018). Curriculum Development: Inductive Models.

Mishra, M. (2017). Models of Curriculum.

Sindhu, I. R. S. (2017). Models of Curriculum Design and Development. Unit 6 pp 7172.

Uphoff, J. K. (1982). Curriculum Development: Theory into Practice, 2nd ed. by Daniel
Tanner and Laurel N. Tanner. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1980. 776 pp.
The Educational Forum 46(2): 250-251.

Wheeler, D. (1967). Curriculum Process. London: University of London Press Ltd.
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