Professor Merryman

Tyler, Walker and Eisner Curriculum

Today’s technology driven society gives students a myriad of choices. They are exposed to more information in a day than our parents were in a week. Feedback from your learners and educators on the methodologies that best penetrate the young adventurous mind will prevail. Learning to interact and enhance these thoughts in a way that will guide them to a determined target means listening to their desires. Interpret these thoughts in order to present them to administrators who may be baffled by it in raw form, then set out a plan for a test curriculum that will constantly be in flux.

The approaches to creating curriculum mentioned by Ralph W. Tyler (1930’s and 40’s), Decker Walker (1971, 1990, 2003) and Elliot W. Eisner (1960’s, !972, 1992, 2002) in the text all fill three needs in various times of history. What many educators fail to recognize is that time changes, and so do the expectations of our students. Unfortunately, administrators don’t change as fast as students. A great majority of instructors are happy to teach the same courses in order to lighten the workload and concentrate on perfecting the task at hand.

Tyler’s procedural approach to curriculum makes it quite easy for administrators to follow the rules and lay down a roadmap. Everyone knows what they should do in what time frame. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The problem with this approach is the fact that introducing new methodologies, texts, and technology is very difficult. As teachers become older, the motivation to learn new things is replaced with remembering old things. What goes up must come down.

Walker’s deliberative approach shows us that being open to change yet keeping a schedule give us more flexibility. But he doesn’t mention how to deliberate. The belief that community driven curricula will bring about new ides is good, however assigning accountability is difficult; something of significant importance to administrators responsible for answering to district heads.

Eisner’s artistic approach, although closest to my opinion, allows for the creativity and flexibility amongst key members but does not address the complexity of planning, testing and maintenance that are so critical.

Today’s technology driven society gives students a myriad of choices. They are exposed to more information in a day than our parent were in a week. Feedback from your learners and educators on the methodologies that best penetrate the young adventurous mind will prevail. Learning to interact and enhance these thoughts in a way that will guide them to a determined target means listening to their desires. Interpret these thoughts in order to present them to administrators who may be baffled in raw form, then set out a plan for a test curriculum that will constantly be in flux.