OUTCOMES BASED EDUCATION (OBE): Philosophy, Principles, Premises and Versions

Summary

This video delves into Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) as a philosophy, theory, and framework for curriculum development in Philippine higher education. It discusses OBE's evolution from Spady's version 1 focusing on student success to institutional compliance in version 2, and classroom practice in version 3 with Biggs and Tang's constructive alignment model. The video aims to guide educators in developing OBE-aligned courses, especially in the context of flexible learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Takeaways

• 🏫 Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) is a philosophy and framework for curriculum development in Philippine higher education, as outlined in CHAT Memorandum Order No. 46 and the revised Program Standards and Guidelines (PSGs).
• 📚 OBE is a multifaceted concept with various interpretations, including as a systemic structure of education, a curriculum framework, and a form of classroom practice.
• 👨‍🏫 Dr. William Spady, known as the 'father of OBE,' emphasizes the importance of organizing the educational system around clear learning outcomes that students should demonstrate at the end of their learning experiences.
• 🎯 OBE focuses on 'success for all' students, with a learner-centered philosophy that recognizes individual differences and aims to ensure students develop the necessary knowledge and competence for success beyond the educational system.
• 📈 Spady's OBE version 1 includes four power principles and the 'Demonstration Mountain of Complexity,' which presents a hierarchy of outcomes from basic skills to life role functioning.
• 🔄 OBE has evolved over the past three decades, transitioning from traditional to transformational approaches, involving paradigm shifts in educational thinking, beliefs, and practices.
• 🏛 OBE version 2 focuses on institutional-level outcomes for groups of students, grouped into four dimensions: knowledge outcomes, skills outcomes, attitude/values outcomes, and graduate attributes.
• 📊 OBE version 3, also known as Outcomes-Based Teaching and Learning (OBTL), is applied at the classroom level, using the Constructive Alignment Model to enhance teaching and assessment practices.
• 📝 The Constructive Alignment Model emphasizes that teaching and learning activities should be designed to meet the intended learning outcomes, and assessment methods should evaluate students' ability to demonstrate these outcomes.
• 📚 The SOLO taxonomy is used to describe different levels of learning outcomes, ranging from pre-structural to extended abstract.
• 🌐 The speaker hopes that understanding OBE will be relevant for higher education faculty in developing outcomes-based courses, especially in the context of flexible learning modes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Q & A

What is Outcomes-Based Education (OBE)?

OBE is a philosophy and theory of education that focuses on the totality of education as a system, from vision and aims to classroom practice. It is also a curriculum framework and a form of classroom practice that emphasizes clear learning results or outcomes that students should demonstrate by the end of their learning experiences.

How is OBE articulated in the context of Philippine higher education?

In the Philippines, OBE is articulated in CHED Memorandum Order No. 46, series of 2012, and the policy standards for enhancing quality assurance in higher education through outcomes-based and topology-based quality assurance.

What are the different versions of OBE mentioned in the script?

The script mentions three versions of OBE: Version 1, which is focused on success for all students and faculty; Version 2, which is designed for quality compliance at the institutional level; and Version 3, also known as Outcomes-Based Teaching and Learning (OBTL), which is focused on classroom practice.

What is the significance of the 'intended learning outcomes' in OBE?

Intended learning outcomes are the clear results that educators aim for students to achieve by the end of their learning experiences. They are aligned with program and institutional outcomes and are essential for assessing student success.

Who is Dr. William Spady and what is his contribution to OBE?

Dr. William Spady is often referred to as the father of OBE. He has contributed significantly to the development of OBE by defining it as a system focused on organizing everything around what is essential for students to be able to do successfully.

What are the purposes and premises of Spady's OBE Version 1?

Spady's OBE Version 1 has two purposes: success for all students and faculty, and ensuring students develop the knowledge, competence, and qualities needed for success after education. It is based on three premises that encompass a learner-centered philosophy.

What are the four dimensions of institutional level outcomes in OBE Version 2?

The four dimensions of institutional level outcomes in OBE Version 2 are knowledge outcomes, skills outcomes, attitude/values outcomes, and graduate attributes, which specify relationships with society and particular constituencies.

How does the Constructive Alignment Model in OBE Version 3 enhance teaching and learning?

The Constructive Alignment Model in OBE Version 3 uses intended learning outcomes as the focal point, where teaching and learning activities are designed to meet these outcomes, and assessment methods are designed to evaluate whether students can demonstrate them.

What is the SOLO taxonomy and how is it used in OBE?

The Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy is used in OBE to describe different levels of outcomes, moving from pre-structural to unistructural, multi-structural, relational, and extended abstract outcomes, providing a hierarchy for assessing student learning.

How has OBE evolved over the past three decades according to the script?

OBE has evolved from traditional to transitional, and then to transformational OBE, with paradigm shifts encompassing changes in the articulation of outcomes, curricula, and ways of thinking, beliefs, and approaches to education.

What is the relevance of OBE to higher education faculty in developing courses during the COVID-19 pandemic?

OBE is relevant as it provides a framework for developing outcomes-based courses that can be taught in flexible learning modes, adapting to the challenges of remote and online education during the pandemic.