 DECK WALKER was an

assistant professor of
education at Stanford
University where he
received his Ph.D. in 1971

 His specialty was

curriculum and his major
interests are the process
of curriculum development
and curriculum policy
making.
 A descriptive model in contrast to the
classical model (prescriptive model) by Tyler
et. al., (1949). It is also called the
communicative approach

 The communicative approach starts with

more subjective perceptions and views of the
designers, the target, group and other
stakeholders.
 The term Naturalistic describes how the
process of the curriculum planning is done
instead of suggesting how it should be done.

 Walker suggest that better curriculum

planning and development will result if
persons participated in the process and
reached a consensus about the final product.
 The model comprises of three phases of
curriculum planning- Platform, Deliberation
and design
 (beliefs theories conceptions point of view aims, objectives)

PLATFORM

DELIBERATIONS

(applying the to practical situations, arguing about, accepting, refusing,

changing, adapting)

CURRICULUM DESIGN

(Making decisions about various process components)

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

 The model used for curriculum development
is influenced generally by the level at which
the development is occurring.
 Used at the macro level for curriculum
development (national)

 For example : Alberta, Canada

• “For Pan-Canadian or regional curriculum
development the models used are often
derived from the instrumental or
communicative model, as frameworks and
specific learning objectives are the key aim of
these development activities, and consensus
among partners is desired outcome.” (Alberta
Education, 2012, p.35)
 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 in stages empowers and
acknowledges them, especially teachers, as
valuable contributor.
 There is a broad social support that the
intended product will have; after all, users
and other involved parties were given ample
opportunity to contribute.
 Walker describes what happens in the process
of curriculum design but does not describe
what actually happens in the classroom.
 The process for deliberation can be time
consuming and resource intensive, and can
result n curriculum products that may not be
aligned internally.
 Consensus is often hard to achieve when
developing curriculum at national or regioal
levels.
 Instrumental Communicative Artistic Pragmatic
approach approach approach Approach
Sequence Logical No strict Completely Cyclical
Of Events Sequence sequence Open
process
Characteri Rational Intensive Creative Frequent
zation of process deliberaton reflection evaluation
activities during a part of during the with users
the process whole
process
A good Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting the
Curriculum Predetermin requirements the users’
ed about which a designers’ requirement
requirement broad requiremen
s consensus exist ts