“Father of Evaluation”

Ralph Tyler
• Ralph Tyler (1902-1994) published more than 700
articles and sixteen books.
• Best known for The Basic Principles of Curriculum
and Instruction (Ornstein and Hunkins, 1998) which
is based on an eight year study.
• Tyler posits the problem with education is that
educational programs lack unmistakably defined
purposes (“Ralph Tyler’s Little Book, ”n d)
 THE TYLER MODEL
• The Tyler Model is:
 one of the best known models for curriculum
development.
 known for the special attention it gives to the
planning phases.
 deductive for it proceeds from the general
(examining the needs of society, for example) to
the specific (specifying instructional objectives).
THE THREE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
 the learners

 the life in the community,

and
 the subject matter
 Tyler’s Four Fundamental Questions:
1.What educational purposes should the school seek to attain?

2.What educational learning 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?
1. What educational purposes should the school seek
to attain?

• Studies of the Learners Themselves as a Source of

Educational Objectives
• Studies of Contemporary Life outside the School
• Suggestions about Objectives from Subject Specialists
• The Use of Philosophy in Selecting Objectives
• The Use of a Psychology of Learning in Selecting
Objectives
• Stating Objectives in a Form to be Helpful in Selecting
Learning Experiences and in Guiding Teaching
 2. How can Learning Experiences be selected? Which
are likely to be useful in attaining these objectives?

• Meaning of the Term “Learning Experience”

• General Principles in Selecting Learning
Experiences
• Illustrations of the Characteristics of Learning
Experiences Useful in Attaining Various Types
of Objectives
3. How Can Learning Experiences Be Organized
for Effective Instruction?
• What is meant by “Organization?”
• Criteria for Effective Organization
• Elements to be organized
• Organizing Principles
• The Organizing Structure
• The Process of Planning a Unit of Organization
 4. How Can the Effectiveness of Learning
Experiences Be Evaluated?
• The Need for Evaluation
• Basic Notions Regarding Evaluation
• Evaluation Procedures
• Using the Results of Evaluation
• Other Values and Uses of Evaluation Procedures
 Strengths of Tyler’s Model
Clearly stated objectives a good place to
begin.
Involves the active participation of the learner
(Prideaux, 2003)
Simple linear approach to development of
behavior al objectives
(Billings & Halstead, 2009)
 Criticism of the Tyler Model:
Narrowly interpreted objectives (acceptable
verbs)
Difficult and time consuming construction of
behavioral objectives
Curriculum restricted to a constricted range of
student skills and knowledge
critical thinking, problem solving and value
acquiring processes cannot be plainly declared
in behavioral objectives (Prideaux, 2003)
 Tyler’s model Taba’s Model
deductive inductive

argues from the administrator approach reflects the teacher’s approach

believes that the teachers are aware of the

believes that administration should design the students needs; hence teachers should be the
curriculum and the teachers implement it. ones to develop the curriculum and implement
in practice.

her rationale does not start with objectives, as

lays the main stress on aims, evaluation and she believes that the demand for education in
control. a particular society should be studied first (see
Step 1)

This approach may be perfect, perhaps, for

market-oriented education, but inadequate for pays attention to the selection of the content
the development of responsible and creative and its organization with an aim to provide
individuals able to meet the challenges of the students with an opportunity to learn with
constantly changing circumstances comprehension.
 The Taba-Tyler Rationales
• When comparing just the two rationales it is
difficult to ascertain who borrowed from
whom and when, but we have to admit the
basic difference of the two curriculum design
approaches, which has a critical meaning not
only for researchers of modern times, but also
for those developing curricula for current
school praxis.
REFERENCES
Denham, T.J. (2002). Comparison of two
curriculum/Instructional Design Models: Ralph W.
Tyler and Siena College Accounting Class, ACCT205.
Retrieved from ERIC Database. (ED 471734)

Northeastern Illinois University. (n.d.). Classical Model.

Ralph Tyler, 1949, Book Summary. Retrieved from
www.neiu.edu/~aserafin/New%20Folder/TYLER.html

University of South Florida College of Education. (n.d.).

Ralph Tyler’s little book. Retrieved from
www.coedu.usf.edu/agents/dlewis/publications/tyle
r.htm