Walker 565s45

DECKER WALKER'S NATURALISTIC MODEL (1971)

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

• Characteristics • Process • Strengths • Weaknesses

WHAT IS THE NATURALISTIC MODEL? • It is also called the communicative approach. • Starts with the more subjective perceptions and views of the designers, the target group, and other stakeholders. • The term naturalistic describes how curriculum was actually developed instead of suggesting how it should be done • Walker suggests that better curriculum planning and development will result if persons participated in the process and reached a consensus about the final product.

Figure 1: Walker’s Model (Print, 1993, p 75)

PROCESS OF THE MODEL

Figure 1: Walker’s Model (Print, 1993, p.75)

ADVANTAGES • One of the strengths of Walker’s model is the input of curriculum developers , target group, and other parties/stakeholders in the development of the curriculum. • Stakeholder engagement in the planning and development stages empowers and acknowledges them, especially teachers, as valuable contributors. • broad social that the intended product will have; after all, s and other parties involved were given ample opportunity to contribute

DISADVANTAGES • Walker describes what happens in the process of curriculum design but does not describe what actually happens in the classroom. • The processes for deliberation can be time consuming and resource intensive, and can result in curriculum products that may not be consistent and aligned internally. • Consensus is often hard to achieve when developing curriculum at regional levels.

REFERENCES

Alberta Education. (2012). Curriculum development processes, from knowledge to action. Retrieved from http://www.education.alberta.ca/media/6809242/d_chapter1.p df Walker, D. (1971). A naturalistic model for curriculum development, School Review, 80(1), 51-65.