Teaching, Learning, and Assessment.

2010
 Learning Outcomes
 Are formulated by the academic staff, preferably involving
student representatives in the process, on the basis of input
of internal and external stakeholders.
 Are statements of what a learner is expected to know,
understand and/or be able to demonstrate after completion
of learning.
 They can refer to a single course unit or module or else to a
period of studies, for example, a first or a second cycle
programme.
 Learning outcomes specify the requirements for award of
credit.
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 Why use learning outcomes?
 The use of learning outcomes allows for much more
flexibility than is the case in more traditionally designed
study programmes

 They show that different pathways can lead to comparable

outcomes; outcomes which can be much more easily
recognized as part of another programme or as the basis for
entrance to a next cycle programme.

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 Competencies
 Competences are obtained or developed during the
process of learning by the student/learner.
 They represent a dynamic combination of knowledge,
understanding, skills and abilities. Fostering
competences is the object of educational programmes.
 Competences will be formed in various course units and
assessed at different stages.
 Time and attention should also be devoted to the
development of generic competences or transferable skills.

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 Types of generic competences
 Instrumental competences: cognitive abilities,
methodological abilities, technological abilities and
linguistic abilities;
 Interpersonal competences: individual abilities like social
skills (social interaction and co-operation);
 Systemic competences: abilities and skills concerning
whole systems (combination of understanding, sensibility
and knowledge; prior acquisition of instrumental and
interpersonal competences required).

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 Examples of generic competencies
 The capacity for analysis and synthesis (Instrumental
competency)

 The capacity to learn and problem solving skills

(Instrumental competency)

 The capacity for applying knowledge in practice

(Instrumental competency)

 The capacity to adapt to new situations (Systemic

competency)

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 Examples of generic competencies
 Concern for quality (Instrumental competency)

 Information management skills (Systemic competency)

 Ability to work autonomously (Systemic competency)

 Team work (Interpersonal competency)

 The capacity for organizing and planning, oral and

written communication as well as interpersonal skills
(Interpersonal competency).

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 Why use learning outcomes and
competencies?
 Their use is necessary in order to make study programmes
and their course units or modules student centred / output
oriented.
 This approach requires that the key knowledge and skills that
a student needs to achieve during the learning process
determine the content of the study programme.
 Learning outcomes and competences focus on the
requirements both of the discipline and of society in terms of
preparing for citizenship and employability.
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 Disadvantages of the teacher-
centred approach.
 Teacher-centred programmes are input oriented.
 They often reflect a combination of the fields of interest and
expertise of the members of staff.
 This leads to programmes of rather loose units which might
not be sufficiently balanced and most effective.
 Although it is important to make maximum use of the
available expertise of the staff, this aspect should not
dominate a programme.

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 What is OBE?
 An educational philosophy organised around several
basic beliefs and principles.
 Starts with the belief that all students can learn and
succeed (The success of the student is the responsibility
of the teacher).
 Organised from a focus on exit level outcomes and
designed downwards to the unit levels.
 It focuses teaching & learning strategies on clearly
defined learning outcomes getting high standards with
high expectations for all students & includes expanded
opportunities for enrichment and remediation.
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OBE thus means:

Defining, organizing, focussing, and directing

ALL aspects of an instructional and
credentialising system in relation to things we
want ALL learners to demonstrate successfully
when they exit the system (Spady, 1994)

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Tenets of OBE
 Focus on outcomes
 The curriculum design process (from exit level
outcomes and downwards)
 The responsibility of the institution and facilitators to
supply appropriate learning experiences for the
success of all students.

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Key Purposes of OBE
EQUIP
 ALL students with the competencies and orientations
needed for future success.

IMPLEMENT
 Programmes and conditions that maximise learning
success for ALL students

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OBE Principles
1. CLARITY OF FOCUS
on culminating exit outcomes of significance.
2. DESIGN DOWN
from your ultimate, culminating outcomes.
3. HIGH EXPECTATIONS
for high level success.
4. EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES
and support for learning success.
 1. Clarity of Focus on Outcomes of
Significance:
 Having a clear focus on the ultimate learning results
educators desired for students;

 Continuously sharing, explaining, and modeling that clear

focus with them from the very beginning of any learning
experience;

 Keeping all instruction and assessment directly aligned and

consistent with that desired result.
 2. Design Down from Your
Ultimate Outcomes:
 Designing curriculum/learning experiences/instruction
systematically BACK from that ultimate, desired end;

 Putting in place the enabling skills that provided a clear

pathway to that end, and always keeping it in sight.
 3. High Expectations for High Level
Success:
 Establishing and consistently employing “high expectations”
regarding every student’s ability to eventually reach those
ultimate learning results in a quality way;

 Insisting that no student is to be “written off” as incapable of

learning successfully.
 4. Expanded Opportunities and
Support:
 Expanding the number, range, and kinds of opportunities
students are given to learn and ultimately demonstrate their
learning successfully.

 This requires that time be viewed and used as a flexible

resource, not as a calendar and schedule-bound “definer” of
the educational process.
 How do we enhance successful learning?

In our teaching and learning environment, successful learning:

 Is expected of all students
 Is our priority
 Takes many forms
 Is a collaborative effort
 Is an ongoing progress, not an event
 Stimulates more successful learning
 Gets openly recognised and supported

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 Role of Facilitator in OBE
 The facilitator’s role in the classroom will become that of
a coach.
 The goal is to move each learner towards pre-determined
outcomes rather than attempting to transmit the content
of Western civilization to the next generation in a
scholarly fashion.
 Focus is no longer on content.
 Feelings, attitudes, and skills such as learning to work
together in groups will become just as important as
learning information (some reformers would argue more
important).
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References
 Spady, W. 1994. Outcome Based Education: Critical Issues
and Answers. Arlington, Va.: American Association of
School Administrators.
 Spady, W, and Schlebusch, A. 1999. Curriculum 2005: A
Guide for Parents. Cape Town: Tafelberg.
 http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/obe.html
Accessed 6th May 2009.
 http://edulibpretoria.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/spadyo
beconfusionpaper.pdf Accessed 6th May 2009.

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