Outcomes Based Education (OBE)

What is OBE?
 OBE is a process of curriculum design, teaching, learning,
and assessment that focuses on what students can actually
do after they are taught. The basic tenets(principles) of
OBE were advanced by the American Sociologist, William
Spady, who defines OBE as… a comprehensive approach
to organizing and operating an education system that
is focused on and defined by the successful
demonstrations of learning sought from each student
(Spady, 1994:2).
 Spady underscores outcome as… clear learning results that we want
students to demonstrate at the end of significant learning
experiences… and are actions and performances that embody and
reflect learners’ competence in using content, information, ideas
and tool successfully. In his own words, the paradigm shift’s goal
was “To have a way for more learners to become more capable,
empowered and successful than what traditional conditions were
allowing”.

 The Commission on Higher Education(CHED) defines Outcome-based

Education as “an approach that focuses and organizes the educational
system around what is essential for all learners to know, value and do
to achieve a desired level of competence at the time of graduation”
(CHED Implementation Handbook, 2013).
Four Basic Principles of OBE according to

Bill Spady (1993)

• Clarity of focus about outcomes
• Designing Backwards
• Consistent high expectations of success
• Expanded oppurtunity
 Clarity of focus about outcomes

Outcomes
 Designing Backwards

Goals/Objectives/
Outcomes

Planning
Assessment
Teaching
Consistent, high expectation of success
Expanded Oppurtunity
Why Shift to OBE?
 Comparison of Traditional and Outcomes Based Education
Traditional
Learners are passive
The approach are exam driven
Rote-learning is encouraged
The syllabus is content-based and divided into
subjects.
Learning is textbook/ worksheet-bound and teacher
centered.
The teacher sees the syllabus as rigid and non
negotiable
Teachers are responsible for learning and
motivation depends on the personality of the
teacher.
OBE
Learners are active
Learners are assessed on an ongoing basis.
Critical thinking, reasoning, reflection and action
are encouraged.
Content is integrated and learning is relevant and
connected to real-life situations.
Learning is learner centered, the teacher facilitates
and constantly applies group work and team work
to consolidate the new approach.
Learning programmes are seen as guides that allow
teachers to be innovative and creative in designing
their programmes.
Learners take responsibility for their own learning
and are motivated by feedback and affirmation of
their worth.
How to adopt OBE?

- In OBE, learning outcomes are constructively aligned in a

learning program that fits the framework.
 Framework of Outcome Based Education

Institution’s Vision, Mission and Goals

Institutional Outcomes

Social Environment Context

Competencies of Higher Education Institution(HEI) Ideal Graduate; Impact to society
Standards and Demands

Program Outcomes
(Competencies of Program Graduate)

Learning Outcomes

Assessment and Evaluation Course Design Learning Environment;

Content and Methodologies

Teaching Learning System

Different Levels of Outcomes

1. IILOS – Instructional Intended Learning Outcomes

- What the graduates of the university/college are
supposed to be able to do.
2. PILOS – Program Intended Learning Outcomes
- What the graduates of a particular degree should be
able to do.
Different Levels of Outcomes

3. CILOS – Course Intended Learning Outcomes

- What students should be able to do at the
completion of a given course.
4. ILOS – Intended Learning Outcomes
- What students should be able to do at the
completion of a unit of study of a course.
Outcome-Based Teaching and Learning (OBTL)
- The learners take the centerstage
- Under OBE, the word syllabus is replaced by a
learner centered term called a learning plan
- Three pronged implications:
1. Learners and students – it promotes a deep and
lifelong learning skills.
2. Teachers – it promotes reflective teaching
practices.
3. Institution – it addresses continuous program
improvement.
The OBE Curriculum

- Driven by assessments that focus on well-defined

learning outcomes and not primarily by factors such
as what is taught or which path the students take to
achieve their target

- The learning outcomes are projected on a gradation

of increasing complexity that students are expected
to master sequentially.