Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction

By Alexander Crombie

What educational purposes should the school seek to attain, and what educational experiences can be provided that are likely to achieve these purposes? Rather than literally answering these questions of curriculum and instruction, Tyler develops a rationale for studying them, and suggests procedures for formulating answers and evaluating programs of study. Quite simply, his book outlines one way of viewing an instructional program as a functioning instrument of education.

The four sections of the book deal with ways of formulating, organizing, and evaluating the educational objectives that have been chosen for the curriculum. Tyler emphasizes the fact that curriculum planning is a continuous cyclical process, involving constand replanning, redevelopment, and reappraisal. Substitution of such an integrated view of an instructional program for hit-or-miss judgment as the basis for curriculum development cannot but result in an increasingly effective curriculum.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226820319
• ISBN13: 9780226820316
• Release Date: January 1969
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 134 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

60 years old but still a gem

This book celebrates its 60th birthday this year but it's difficult to top it for the most straightforward, comprehensive overview of the curriculum process. There are few curriculum writers or decision makers that don't follow the methods advocated by Tyler, in part if not in whole. The style is clear and easy to read, and furthermore, as one reads through, one realises that Tyler was advocating other developments like outcomes...

One of the classics

This book is a must-read for anyone in the teaching profession. It's simple and straightforward to understand.

A Classic Book About Curriculum Development:

I had to read this book in my doctoral program. The assignment after reading the book was to graphically represent the work in some way. That was the greatest help in me remembering the basic premise of Tyler's work and what I could do with what I learned by reading the book. Basically the teacher, looking at the needs of her/his learners is responsible for curriculum development. Basing choices on competing philosophies...

I loved this book

Even though this book was written and published a half a century ago, the basic principals of curriculum design are clearly the same. This book is to the point, clear, and quite accurate in my opinion. For anyone serious about curriculum design, it is a required read.

Ideas

This last review is an illustration of exactly what is wrong with so many educators. Imagine someone so narrow-minded they can't get past the style of writing that they most prefer in order to understand the ideas behind the writing. This book likely did a great deal to counteract the design of curricula based on the kind of traditionalists who would focus exclusively on "commas in the wrong place". BTW, there are few...