Outcomes-based approaches to teaching, learning & curriculum

David Baume PhD FSEDAFor Hong Kong Polytechnic University15th December 2005

The importance of learning outcomes

“If you don’t know where you’re going, any bus will do.”

Overview of keynote

1 The historical development of outcomes-based education (OBE), mainly in UK

2 General and subject-specific outcomes3 Writing good outcomes 4 Using outcomes for curriculum design,

learning and teaching

5 Towards the future of OBE

1 The development of OBE, mainly in UK• Spady (US)• Baume and Jones• Quality Assurance Agency –

guidelines• Quality Assurance Agency – subject

benchmarks

• Outcomes are not enough!

1 Spady (1982, 1994)

• Outcomes are “clear, observable demonstrations of student learning that occur at or after the end of a significant set of learning experiences.”

• e.g. “If the verbs in an outcome are ‘design’ and ‘produce’, then those are precisely the two processes:– that students must demonstrate, – that teachers must help them learn, and – that must be assessed and reported.”

• That is, outcomes, teaching, learning and assessment must be consistent with each other – in ‘constructive alignment’ (Biggs)

1 Baume and Jones (1974)

1 Dearing (1997)• We recommend that institutions of higher

education begin immediately to develop, for each programme they offer, a ‘programme specification’ which … gives the intended outcomes of the programme in terms of:– the knowledge and understanding that a student

will be expected to have upon completion; – key skills: communication, numeracy, the use of

information technology and learning how to learn; – cognitive skills, such as an understanding of

methodologies or ability in critical analysis; – subject specific skills, such as laboratory skills.

(Note: General & Subject Specific)

1,2 QAA – guidelinesAn Honours graduate will have developed an understanding of a complex body of knowledge, some of it at the current boundaries of an academic discipline. Through this, the graduate will have developed analytical techniques and problem-solving skills that can be applied in many types of employment. The graduate will be able to evaluate evidence, arguments and assumptions, to reach sound judgements, and to communicate effectively. An Honours graduate should have the qualities needed for employment in situations requiring the exercise of personal responsibility, and decision-making in complex and unpredictable circumstances.

(Note: General & Subject Specific)

1,2 QAA – subject benchmarksOutcomes for Masters programmes in Business and ManagementGraduates are expected to be able to demonstrate a range of cognitive and intellectual skills together with techniques specific to business and management. They should also demonstrate relevant personal and interpersonal skills. These include: a Critical thinking and creativity: managing creative processes in self and others; organising thoughts, analysis, synthesis, critical appraisal. This includes the capability to identify assumptions, evaluate statements in terms of evidence, detect false logic or reasoning, identify implicit values, define terms adequately and generalise appropriately. b Problem solving and decision making: establishing criteria, using appropriate decision techniques including identifying, formulating and solving business problems; the ability to create, identify and evaluate options; the ability to implement and review decisions. c Information and knowledge: scanning and organising data, abstracting meaning from information and sharing knowledge. d Numeracy and quantitative skills including the use of models of business situations; qualitative research skills. e Effective use of Communication and Information Technology (CIT). f Two-way communication: listening, negotiating and persuading or influencing others; oral and written communication, using a range of media, including the preparation of business reports. g Personal effectiveness: self-awareness and self-management; time management; sensitivity to diversity in people and different situations; the ability to continue learning. h Effective performance within a team environment and the ability to recognise and utilise individuals' contributions in group processes; team selection, delegation, development and management. i Leadership and performance management: selecting appropriate leadership style for situations; setting targets, motivating, monitoring performance, coaching and mentoring, continuous improvement. j Ethics and value management: recognising ethical situations, applying ethical and organisational values to situations and choices. k Ability to conduct research into business and management issues. l Learning through reflection on practice and experience.

1,2 Outcomes for Masters in Business & Management• Critical thinking and creativity• Managing creative processes in self and

others • Organising thoughts, analysis, synthesis,

critical appraisal…• Problem solving and decision making• Establishing criteria, using appropriate

decision techniques including identifying, formulating and solving business problems

• The ability to create, identify & evaluate options

• The ability to implement & review decisions

1,2 Outcomes for Masters in Business & Management• Leadership and performance management• Selecting appropriate leadership style for

situations • Setting targets • Motivating • Monitoring performance • Coaching and mentoring • Continuous improvement

2 Outcomes for Underwater Engineering• Students will be able to produce and

justify conceptual designs for a range of underwater intervention devices, manned and unmanned– Identify user needs– Identify environmental and operational

conditions– Identify relevant available technologies– Generate and compare alternative

approaches…

2 Outcomes for Teaching in Higher Education Identify their own professional development goalsPlan for their initial and/or continuing professional developmentUndertake appropriate development activitiesReview their development and their practiceAnd

Use a variety of methods to evaluate their teachingInform their professional role with relevant strategy, policy and quality considerationsExtend their use of learning, teaching and assessment approachesContribute to the processes of module/programme design, implementation and evaluationProvide support to students on academic/pastoral issues

2 Outcomes in Instrumentation for Mechanical Engineers• Select appropriate instrumentation

techniques and devices for the measurements they need to make in their work … (examples)

• Use these in practical settings• Interpret the readings taken, with

due allowance for major possible sources of error…

Learning Outcomes are not enoughLearning Outcomes describe what people can do. But how can we be sure they will do them?

We need different kinds of outcomes: E.g. “Professionals are accountable for the quality of their work, and take responsibility for maintaining and improving their knowledge and skills.”

It’s not what you can do – it’s what you do do!

3 I hope that, by the end of this keynote, you will have…• Reviewed a learning outcome of a

course that you teach• Explored any possible ways you might

improve that learning outcome• Reviewed your course against two

models of curriculum• Started to re-plan your curriculum to

make maximum use of learning outcomes

3 Writing good outcomes

A good outcome is, among other things:• Attractive – students want to achieve it• Comprehensible – they know its meaning• Attainable – they can learn to achieve it• Coherent – it clearly fits into their programme

Take one of your own learning outcomes, and discuss with your neighbour:

1. How well does it show each of these qualities?

2. How could you improve the outcome?3. What are other qualities of a good

outcome?

4 Two models of curriculum

• Model A – “Curriculum is content. Teaching is the delivery of content. (Assessment is seeing if the content has been learned.)”

• Model B – “Curriculum is outcomes. Teaching is supporting students to achieve learning outcomes. (Assessment is seeing if these outcomes have been achieved.)”

Note: Both of these models are ‘ideal types’. They represent two ends of a

spectrum.

4 Curriculum planning with Model AA1 Plan the curriculum to be taughtA2 Teach the courseA3 Give feedback to students on their workA4 Assess what students have learned

4 Curriculum planning with Model BB1 Plan the course aims and learning outcomesB2 Ensure these learning outcomes are assessableB3 Determine what student activities will help

students to attain these outcomesB4 Provide resources, support and feedback to the

students as they do these learning activitiesB5 Assess students - have they attained the course

outcomes?B6 Review student resultsB7 Change teaching & assessment as appropriate

4 Two approaches to curriculum planning comparedModel A Model B

Plan content Plan the learning outcomesEnsure they are assessablePlan learning activities

Teach content Support & resource the student learning

Give feedback Ensure students receive feedback

Assess Assess

Review & change teaching

4 Beliefs underpinning practice: Model A• “The curriculum is mainly about content”• “Teaching is substantially about delivering

curriculum content”• “Feedback aids student learning”• “Assessment measures if students have

learned the content”

4 Beliefs underpinning practice: Model B• “Education is about helping, supporting and

challenging students to achieve outcomes”• “Learning requires appropriate learning activities

by students, supported by appropriate resources”• “Learning needs detailed feedback to each

student about their progress towards the outcomes”

• “Assessment provides feedback to the course and to the teachers as well as to the students”

• “Courses should use feedback to improve themselves”

4 Your course

• How far does your course adopt model A and how far model B?

• What would the ideal shape of your course? How much of model A and how much of model B? Why?

4 OBE and curriculum design, learning and teaching; the whole story in 1 slide!

1. What are the aims?2. What are the intended learning outcomes?3. How will you assess attainment of these

outcomes?4. What student learning activities will help

students attain these outcomes?5. How will you support students to do, and

receive feedback on, these activities?

The answers to these five questions are your course!

4 Learning outcome from UK OU MBA course (Fundamentals of Senior Management)

Original version:• To increase your

understanding of your own role as a manager, and of the context in which you perform(This is one of 12 learning outcomes for 600 study hours)

Modified version:• You will be able to

give an analytical account of your own roles as a manager and of the context in which you work

• You will be able to relate your role to your context

4 Learning outcome from UK OU MBA block (Understanding Stakeholders)

Original versionYou will be able to:• Recognise the range

of stakeholders in your & other organisations

• Be aware of their main interests

(This represents about 10 study hours)

Modified version:You will be able to:• Identify the

stakeholders in your & other organisations

• Identify their main

interests

4 Outcome & activity from UK OU MBA block (Understanding Stakeholders)

Learning outcome:You will be able to:• Identify the

stakeholders in your & other organisations

• Identify their main interests

Learning activity:• Identify the

stakeholders in your organisation and in one other organisation of your choice

• Identify their main interests

4 Possible assessment tasks for the MBA block (Understanding Stakeholders)

1. Who are the main stakeholders in your organisation?2. What are their main interests?3. How did you do these two tasks?4. How would you identify the main stakeholders of an organisation for which you do not work?Your answers must show how you have used relevant theoretical ideas in your analysis

(Question 3 gets students to describe and analyse what they did. Question 4 gets them to say how they would apply their general method. And they have to make appropriate use of theory.)

4 Outcomes-based education on the UK OU MBA• Learning outcomes specified for each:

– module (600 hours total study), – block (~60 hours study) and – (sometimes) section (~6 hours study)

• Learning activities - ~350 out of 600 hours– the rest is reading

• Learning activities – 1 or 2 ( each 5-10 minutes) in every hour of studying / reading

4 Teaching and supporting learning in OBE• Choose a small learning outcome for your

course – maybe the one you worked on earlier

• How would you assess it? Write an assessment task!

• What learning activities will your students undertake to learn how to successfully undertake this assessment task; that is, to achieve the outcome?

• How will you support them?

5 Towards the future of OBE

• Courses will help students to want, passionately, to do things, rather than just ‘be able to’ do things

• Assessment will assess whether students actually and spontaneously achieve the outcomes, rather than just ‘being able to’

• Outcomes will include values and principles and purposes as well as abilities – “education graduates will help every single student to achieve their full positive potential”, for example.