There are several ways in which I have experienced the Tyler rationale in my own schooling. For one, I participated in several activities that lead to preferred objectives as outlined by the Tyler rationale. One of the most prominent quotes in this week’s reading, Curriculum Theory and Practice by Mark K. Smith, is from Ralph W. Tyler himself who stated “since the real purpose of education is not to have the instructor perform certain activities but to bring about significant changes in the students’ pattern of behaviour, it becomes important to recognize that any statements of objectives of the school should be a statement of changes to take place in the students” (page 3). This quote alone illustrates the overall importance and impact of the Tyler rationale, as well as how it creates a transition into my own personal education. As a student participant in educational institutions, I have witnessed personal changes in behaviour based upon school objectives. For example, when I was a child, I did not like to share my belonging with other children in my class. However, it was my teacher’s objective that we as students understood how to share with and care for one another. This objective, paired with the activities that allowed the objective to be reached, aided and guided me with my ability to share with others, showcasing just how easily this rationale influenced me and my educational journey.

Now, there are several major limitations of the Tyler rationale and what makes it possible. These limitations are discussed in our reading, beginning with how “the plan or programme assumes great importance”, while later explaining how “the problem here is that such programmes inevitably exist prior to and outside the learning experiences” (Smith, page 4). The Tyler rationale is a means of reducing individuality, and whether that is an objective of the rationale or not, it is certainly an outcome. “The success or failure of both the programme and the individual learners is judged on the basis of whether pre-specified changes occur in the behaviour and person of the learn” (page 4), which disregards the individuals themselves and reduces them to mere objectives. This further places students with ADHD, autism, and other learning and behavioural disabilities at a disadvantage as they would have a hard time following the Tyler rationale. The Tyler rationale does not address their needs nor does it educate them in a way that allows them to learn. Additionally, this model “implies that behaviour can be objectively, mechanistically measured” (page 5), when we know that this is not true. There are always errors that arise when measuring behaviour, and it is simply ineffective. Of course, one must also consider the educators themselves in relation to the Tyler rationale model. This is mainly due to the fact that the Tyler rationale “is a model of curriculum theory and practice largely imported from technological and industrial settings” (page 5). It is quite literally a model for manufacturing products, and in the case the products are the students. It is not a means of actually educating students, but a means of producing desired traits and behaviours within the students themselves as curated members of society.

Of course, there are also potential benefits from the Tyler rationale. This is illustrated in the first example regarding my willingness to share with others in my youth. The Tyler rationale is what allowed me to understand and adapt a behaviour that was not just a desired character trait but a general objective for my education overall. The Tyler rationale is a means of creating desirable citizens that are functioning members of society, displaying and inhibiting preferred beliefs, values, and characteristics overall. The Tyler rationale, as simple as it may be, allows for society to essentially curate and almost perfect its members. It works to eliminate negative behaviours and beliefs that go against the mainstream thoughts of society. This system goes even further and creates a cultural way of being. This, while perhaps not an objective but an outcome of the Tyler rationale, shapes individuals to be collectively similar with specific regards to beliefs, values, and behaviours. This further influences societal culture, and continues on in a cycle for generations to come. This is evident through the continued usage of the Tyler rationale since it was first installed in curricula. In conclusion, this cultural way of being as both an outcome and an objective of the Tyler rationale has led to the success of educational institutions across North America.