INTRODUCTION TO OUT-COME BASED EDUCATION (OBE)

Outcome-based education (OBE) is an educational theory that bases each part of an educational

system around goals (outcomes). By the end of the educational experience, each student should
have achieved the desired goal. They are adopted across the world in many reputed universities.
The International Engineering Alliance (IEA) is a global not-for-profit organization. Which
comprises members from 36 jurisdictions within 27 countries, across seven international
agreements. These international agreements govern the recognition of engineering educational
qualifications and professional competence.
In 1989, the Washington Accord was signed and OBE system was adopted by the full signatory
of these accord. The Accord outlines the mutual recognition, between the participating bodies, of
accredited engineering degree programmes. The Accord has grown from a initial group of six
signatories to a well-structured and sought-after organization. Currently there are nineteen
signatories that make up the Washington Accord.
Pakistan has been declared as "Full Signatory" of the Washington Accord, in its General
Assembly Meeting held in USA on 21st June 2017. PEC was representing the country to attain
full signatory status of WA since 2011 Washington Accord is a highly rigorous global standard
on engineering education and accreditation system which grants substantial equivalence of
degrees to all its signatory.
It is pertinent to note that admission into WA is so rigorous that only 18 countries has got this
status in last 25 years. Pakistan enter signatory status as 19th country and 3rd Islamic country
after Malaysia & Turkey. Engineers registered with PEC under this category of HEIs will not be
evaluated for any emigrational assessment for their degrees and will be eligible for professional
jobs outside in developed countries.
Swedish College of Engineering and Technology (SCET) accredited with PEC also follows this
system. As per this new system student during its course of four-year degree program must
achieve twelve Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) in order to qualify for their degree.
 Figure 1: Programme Learning Outcomes (PLO’s)

To Achieve these PLO’s student will be judged through every course by some Course Learning
Objective (CLO). These CLO are mapped with any of the twelve PLO’s. Thus, marks obtained
by a student in any CLO will decide whether the student has achieved respective PLO or not. At
the start of every course students will be conveyed by the respective course teacher about the
CLO’s of the respective course and the PLO’s these CLO’s are mapped with.

Figure 2:Example CLO and PLO Mapping

Characteristics of OBE

 It has program objectives (PEO), program outcomes (PLO), course outcomes (CLO) and
performance indicators.

 It is objective and outcome driven, where stated objective and outcomes can be assessed
and evaluated. It is centered around the needs of the students and the stakeholders.

 Suitable tools and methods are used to measure and evaluate attainment of the outcomes.

 Results from evaluation are used for CQI

Continuous Quality Improvement

Figure 3: Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

Different Level of Outcomes

Figure 4: Level of Outcomes

Blooms Taxonomy

 Bloom's Taxonomy was created in 1956 under the leadership of educational psychologist
Dr Benjamin Bloom in order to promote higher forms of thinking in education, such as
analyzing and evaluating concepts, processes, procedures, and principles, rather than just
remembering facts (rote learning).
 It is most often used when designing educational, training, and learning processes.
 Teaching / Learning method may have to be integrated to include different delivery
methods to complement the traditional Lecture method
Figure 5: Three domains of Learning

Figure 6: Cognitive Domain Levels

Figure 7: Psychomotor Domain Level
 Figure 8: Affective Domain Level

Complex Engineering Problem

During 4 year degree programme student will undergo different Complex Engineering Problems
(CEP), Open Ended Labs (OEL) and Problem Based Learning (PBL)

Figure 9: Complex Engineering Problem

Figure 10: Knowledge Profiles (WK)

Figure 11: Attributes (WA)

 Figure 12: Depth of Knowledge

Figure 13: WA-WP-WK Relationship

Figure 14: Complex Engineering Problem (Project Based)