Taba’s Model of Taba’s Model of Curricullum Curricullum DevelopmentDevelopment

Hilda TabaHilda Taba

Hilda TabaHilda Taba (December 7, 1902 - July 6, (December 7, 1902 - July 6, 1967) was an architect, a curriculum 1967) was an architect, a curriculum theorist, a curriculum reformer, and a theorist, a curriculum reformer, and a teacher educator. teacher educator.

She then attended the Voru’s Girls’ She then attended the Voru’s Girls’ Grammar School and earned her Grammar School and earned her undergraduate degree in English and undergraduate degree in English and Philosophy at Tartu University , then she Philosophy at Tartu University , then she earned her Master’s degree. earned her Master’s degree.

she became curriculum director at the she became curriculum director at the Dalton School in New York City.Dalton School in New York City.

The Taba ModelThe Taba Model Taba took what it is known as grassroots Taba took what it is known as grassroots

approach to curriculum development. She believed approach to curriculum development. She believed that the curriculum must be designed by teachers that the curriculum must be designed by teachers rather than handed down by higher authority. She rather than handed down by higher authority. She felt that teachers should begin the process by felt that teachers should begin the process by creating specific teaching-learning units for their creating specific teaching-learning units for their students rather than creating a curriculum design.students rather than creating a curriculum design.

She advocated that teachers take an inductive She advocated that teachers take an inductive approach to curriculum development. This meant approach to curriculum development. This meant starting with the specifics and building toward a starting with the specifics and building toward a general design This was just the opposite to the general design This was just the opposite to the more traditional deductive approach which starts more traditional deductive approach which starts with the general design and than working toward with the general design and than working toward the specifics.the specifics.

1. 1. Taba proposed 7 major steps to her grass-roots model Taba proposed 7 major steps to her grass-roots model in which teachers would have major input throughout in which teachers would have major input throughout

the curriculum development process:the curriculum development process:

1.1. Diagnosis of need:Diagnosis of need: The teacher who is also the The teacher who is also the curriculum designer starts the process by curriculum designer starts the process by

identifying the needs of students for whom the identifying the needs of students for whom the curriculum is planned. For example, the majority of curriculum is planned. For example, the majority of

students are unable to think critically. students are unable to think critically. 2.2. Formulation of objectives: Formulation of objectives: After the teacher has After the teacher has

identified needs that require attention, he or she identified needs that require attention, he or she specifies objectives to be accomplished.specifies objectives to be accomplished.

3.3. Selection of content: Selection of content: The objectives selected or The objectives selected or created suggest the subject matter or content of created suggest the subject matter or content of

the curriculum. Not only should objectives and the curriculum. Not only should objectives and content match, but also the validity and content match, but also the validity and

significance of the content chosen needs to be significance of the content chosen needs to be determined. determined.

44 Organisation of content: Organisation of content: A teacher cannot just select A teacher cannot just select content, but must organise it in some type of sequence, content, but must organise it in some type of sequence, taking into consideration the maturity of learners, their taking into consideration the maturity of learners, their

academic achievement, and their interests.academic achievement, and their interests.

5 Selection of learning experiences:5 Selection of learning experiences: Content must be Content must be presented to students and students must be engaged with presented to students and students must be engaged with the content. At this point, the teacher selects instructional the content. At this point, the teacher selects instructional

methods that will involve the students with the content.methods that will involve the students with the content.

66 Organisation of learning activities: Organisation of learning activities: Just as content must Just as content must be sequenced and organised, so must the learning be sequenced and organised, so must the learning

activities. Often, the sequence of the learning activities is activities. Often, the sequence of the learning activities is determined by the content. But the teacher needs to keep determined by the content. But the teacher needs to keep

in mind the particular students whom he or she will be in mind the particular students whom he or she will be teaching.teaching.

7 Evaluation and means of evaluation: 7 Evaluation and means of evaluation: The curriculum The curriculum planner must determine just what objectives have been planner must determine just what objectives have been

accomplished. Evaluation procedures need to be designed accomplished. Evaluation procedures need to be designed to evaluate learning outcomes.to evaluate learning outcomes.

2. Testing experimental 2. Testing experimental unitsunits..

The units must now be tested “to The units must now be tested “to establish their validity and establish their validity and teachability and to set their upper teachability and to set their upper and lower limits of required abilities.and lower limits of required abilities.

3. Revising and 3. Revising and consolidatingconsolidating..

The units are modified to The units are modified to conform to variations in student conform to variations in student needs and abilities, available needs and abilities, available resources, and difference styles of resources, and difference styles of teaching so that the curriculum may teaching so that the curriculum may suit all types of classrooms.suit all types of classrooms.

4. 4. Developing a frameworkDeveloping a framework..

After a number of units have been After a number of units have been constructed,constructed,

the curriculum planners must the curriculum planners must examine them as to adequacy of examine them as to adequacy of scope and appropriateness of scope and appropriateness of sequence. sequence.

5. 5. Installing and Installing and disseminating new units.disseminating new units.

Taba called on administrators to Taba called on administrators to arrange appropriate in-service arrange appropriate in-service training so that teachers may training so that teachers may effectively put the teaching-learning effectively put the teaching-learning units into operation in their units into operation in their classrooms.classrooms.

Conclusion :

In Taba’s book, In Taba’s book, CurriculumCurriculum development: Theory and development: Theory and PracticePractice (1962), she argued that there was a definite (1962), she argued that there was a definite order to creating the curriculum. order to creating the curriculum.

Where Taba differed from Tyler was that she believed Where Taba differed from Tyler was that she believed that those who teach the curriculum, the teachers, that those who teach the curriculum, the teachers, should participate in developing it. She advocated what should participate in developing it. She advocated what has been called the grass-roots approach, a model has been called the grass-roots approach, a model whose steps or stages are similar to Tyler’s. whose steps or stages are similar to Tyler’s.

Taba believed that teachers should begin the process by Taba believed that teachers should begin the process by creating specific teaching-learning units for their creating specific teaching-learning units for their students. students.

More specifically, she advocated that teachers take an More specifically, she advocated that teachers take an inductive approach to curriculum development—starting inductive approach to curriculum development—starting with specifics and building to a general design—as with specifics and building to a general design—as opposed to the more traditional deductive approach—opposed to the more traditional deductive approach—starting with the general design and working toward the starting with the general design and working toward the specifics. specifics.

Taba’s Curriculum Development ModelTaba’s Curriculum Development Model