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What are the 4 curriculum models?

Published in Curriculum Design 3 mins read

While the provided reference mentions several curriculum design models, it does not explicitly state only four. However, focusing on distinct, widely recognized models, a useful grouping could include: the Objectives Model, the Process Model, Tyler's Model, and Wheeler's Model.

Let's examine these models in more detail:

Objectives Model

  • Focus: This model centers on defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives. The content and activities are then chosen to help students meet those objectives.
  • Key Feature: Content is directly linked to pre-determined outcomes.
  • Example: A mathematics unit might have the objective: "Students will be able to solve linear equations with one variable with 80% accuracy by the end of the week."

Process Model

  • Focus: Emphasizes the learning experience itself rather than solely focusing on predetermined objectives. It values exploration, discovery, and the development of critical thinking skills.
  • Key Feature: Content is a vehicle for developing processes and skills.
  • Example: A science unit may focus on teaching the scientific method through experimentation, even if the exact outcome of the experiment isn't predetermined.

Tyler's Model

  • Focus: A rational, linear model that emphasizes four key questions:
    1. What educational purposes should the school seek to attain?
    2. What educational experiences can be provided that are likely to attain these purposes?
    3. How can these educational experiences be effectively organized?
    4. How can we determine whether these purposes are being attained?
  • Key Feature: A sequential, step-by-step approach to curriculum development.
  • Example: Using Tyler's model, a history curriculum would first identify desired learning outcomes (e.g., understanding the causes of World War I), then select content and activities (e.g., lectures, primary source analysis) to achieve those outcomes, organize the content logically (e.g., chronologically), and finally assess student learning (e.g., through essays and tests).

Wheeler's Model

  • Focus: A cyclical model that emphasizes continuous evaluation and improvement. It involves five interrelated phases: aims, goals, and objectives; learning experiences; content; organization and integration of learning experiences and content; and evaluation. The evaluation results then feed back into the aims, goals, and objectives, creating a continuous cycle.
  • Key Feature: Continuous improvement through feedback and revision.
  • Example: A language arts curriculum using Wheeler's model would regularly assess student writing skills and use that data to adjust teaching methods and content to better meet student needs.

In summary, while other curriculum models exist, these four – the Objectives Model, the Process Model, Tyler's Model, and Wheeler's Model – represent distinct approaches to designing educational experiences.

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