Outcomes-based Education at Philadelphia University

A Paper written for the National Conference for the Development of Study Plans !eachin" and #earnin" and Scientific $esearch %une &'-&( )*&*+ by ,ohammad A+ Awwad Vice President for Academic Affairs Philadelphia University, Jordan

Abstract
Higher education in Jordan has witnessed over the last decade important changes in the design, provision and delivery of high-quality teaching materials, and in the development of quality assurance delivery and assessment mechanisms conducive to the enhancement of the teaching learning process !he focus of this paper will "e on the theory and practice of outcomes-"ased education at Philadelphia University #PU$ in respect of curriculum design, implementation and assessment with special emphasis on applying learning outcomes in the Jordanian national conte%t, and relating them to the development of the nation&s human capacity and 'nowledge society !he paper will also present the outcomes-"ased model of education adopted "y PU, and highlight its positive impact on the competence, performance, and employa"ility of PU(s graduates, as well as the University(s visi"ility -eywords) *utcomes-"ased education, curriculum design, 'nowledge society, Philadelphia University

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.ntroduction

+ince ,-./ the responsi"ility for higher education institutions in Jordan has "een entrusted to the Higher 0ducation 1ouncil, the 2inistry of Higher 0ducation #2*H0$, the Accreditation 1ouncil, and3or the Higher 0ducation Accreditation 1ommission #H0A1$ esta"lished in ,-./, ,-.4, ,--., and 5//6 respectively At present this responsi"ility is shared "y 2*H0 and H0A1 with the latter "eing responsi"le for)

7 8 improving the quality of Higher 0ducation in the 9ingdom and assuring its quality: encouraging institutions of Higher 0ducation to open up and interact with international universities, institutes of scientific research, and accreditation and quality assurance agencies, and developing Higher 0ducation through assessment criteria congruent with international standards7 Article ; of <aw = ,> for the year 5//-, #the amended version of !he Higher 0ducation Accreditation 1ommission <aw = 5/ for the year 5//6$ !he a"ove responsi"ilities are informed "y, and in harmony with provisions a, d, i, and ' of Article !hree of <aw = >> for year 5//-) Higher 0ducation and +cientific ?esearch <aw, which states the aims of higher education in Jordan !hese provisions focus on the alignment of disciplines and qualifications with the needs of society: ma'ing availa"le to the students an academic, research, psychological, and social environment conducive to e%cellence, innovation, and critical thin'ing: encouraging, supporting, and raising the standard of scientific research with special emphasis on applied research that contri"utes to the development of society: and esta"lishing close lin's "etween academic institutions and the private and pu"lic sectors in order to develop these two sectors through academic consultation and applied scientific research carried out "y competent Higher 0ducation institutions @n its quest for e%cellence, and in order to contri"ute to the development of Jordan(s human capacity and 'nowledge society, 2*H0, with the support of the 9ing Hussein Aund for 0%cellence and the help of the British Cuality Assurance Agency, developed the process of academic assessment and quality assurance and enhancement at Jordanian institutions of higher education Philadelphia University #PU$ realiDed the importance and value of quality assurance, and adopted it in theory and practice "ecause it holds institutions of higher education accounta"le to)

 the students and their parents as regards the quality of academic and professional training the government as regards investment and funding the society and nation as regards "uilding the nation(s human capacity, and contri"uting to the general welfare of society and "ecause it focuses on) "enchmar'ing of academic programmes measuring success in terms of performance that is a function of competence through the realiDation of outcomes identifying the institution(s strengths, wea'nesses, opportunities and threats through periodic performance analysis measuring the degree of success in realiDing the institution(s intended learning outcomes, and the effectiveness of strategies adopted for realiDing them improving wea' points revealed "y the institution(s self and peer review and evaluation Philadelphia University(s adoption of an outcomes-"ased approach to Higher 0ducation in curriculum design and implementation as an integral component of its quality assurance policy is informed "y the provisions of the 5//Higher 0ducation <aw, the 5//- H0A1 <aw, and 2*H0(s process of academic accreditation, validation and assessment @t is also underpinned "y its mission statement, which aims at developing Jordan(s human capacity "y providing the mar'et with competent university graduates trained in an academic, cultural, professional, and social environment contri"utive to the development of citiDens who are 'nowledgea"le, open-minded, reflective, caring, "alanced, principled, life-long learners, successful communicators, entrepreneurs, and ris' ta'ers

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Another reason why PU adopted an outcomes-"ased approach to university education has "een in response to the fact that most Higher 0ducation sta'eholders #students and their parents, university academic staff, university administrations, accrediting "oards, 2inistries of Higher 0ducation, and employers$ consider the educational system lac'ing in preparing students for real life and mar'et demands and are calling for improved curricula, teaching3learning materials and methodologies, evaluation procedures, and rigorous tools of accounta"ility A third reason has to do with PU(s focus on) providing e%cellent education informed "y the most-recent findings of research and scholarship playing a maEor role in the development of Jordan(s human capacity providing students with the appropriate academic, cultural, professional, and social environment conducive to the development of their 'nowledge and intellect contri"uting to student employa"ility and mo"ility wor'ing toward esta"lishing a national, and regional area of education contri"uting to the internationaliDation of education

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/istory and characteristics of O0E /istory of O0E

*B0 is not as recent and revolutionary as many educationists thin' !he use of intended learning outcomes #@<*s$ to measure the acquisition of educational competence and performance "y students goes "ac' to ,->/ when ?alf !aylor pioneered an o"Eectives "ased approach to education in the United +tate of America As 2aher #5//;);F$ points out, outcomes-"ased curriculum development was underpinned "y Bloom(s "A Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives, 1956", which influenced curriculum development and quality assurance across time and space with its emphasis on the classification of student thin'ing and learning into si% maEor ta%onomies) 'nowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation !hese ta%onomies greatly influenced the British Cuality Assurance Agency with its emphasis on 7"enchmar'ing, programme specifications and institutional audit, that pushed the H0 sector as a whole towards a learning outcomes approach7 #i"id) ;6$ @n 5//. the panel of the Bologna +eminar on 7<earning outcomes-"ased higher education) !he +cottish e%perience7 held on Ae"ruary 5,-55, 5//. at Heriot-Galt University in 0din"urgh endorsed learning outcomes as 7 the "asic "uilding "loc's of the Bologna pac'age of educational reforms7 and that this methodological approach is at heart of the paradigm shift from teacher to student-centered learning7#?o"erts 5//.)-$ Judith Vincent at the University of Gest +cotland argued that 7<earning outcomes had resulted in enhanced coherence of the learning e%perience, greater transparency, increased dialogue with sta'eholders, more opportunity for students to manage their own learning, and "etter support for transitions into and

out of learning programmes at points that suited the needs of the students7 #i"id) ,$ Jill <ittle of the 7Hational Union of +tudents +cotland7 focused on the impact of learning outcomes on the students, and argued that they 7provided students with a clear idea of what was e%pected, helped them to identify their own personal and professional development, increased their sense of ownership of their educational e%perience and encouraged them to engage more actively in their learning8 Iand facilitatedJ the process of recognition and mo"ility "etween study programmes and institutions 8 IandJ enhanced employa"ility "y providing clearer information to potential employers a"out what an applicant had learned7 # i"id) 5$ )+) Characteristics of O0E

!he maEor distinguishing characteristics of outcomes-"ased curriculum design and implementation are as follows) @t underscores the educational e%perience "eing learnercentered, interactive, and activity-"ased instead of "eing teacher and content "ased @t focuses on formative ongoing assessment al"eit not to the e%clusion of summative assessment @t considers lecturers 3 instructors as mediators "etween students and learners rather than dictators or mere facilitators) 7 we teach to facilitate: we do not facilitate so as not to teach7: we are tas'ed with creating opportunities for active learning for our students, this is not at all the same as thin'ing it is alright to leave students to 7get on 7 with learning on their own7 #+A@K0) ,4$ @t follows a design-down approach in the provision of 'nowledge @t follows an up-ascending process for the realiDation of outcomes

 @t underscores the importance of improvement through evaluation and feed"ac' @t contri"utes to the higher education institutions( transparency and visi"ility @t contri"utes to the mo"ility of "oth academic staff and students @t contri"utes to the employa"ility of the graduates of higher education institutions as it provides them with candidate profiles specifying the required professional and practical s'ills, interpersonal s'ills, and communications s'ills required for the Eo" @t ena"les parents and students to choose the appropriate line of study 1+ Adoption of Outcomes-based Education by PU2 As part of its quality assurance process, and after its Aaculty of @nformation !echnology participated in the quality assurance process #initiated "y 2*H0$ and was awarded the 9ing Hussein Aund for 0%cellence #9HA0$ first priDe among all participating pu"lic and private universities in 5//>, it adopted the quality assurance process and culture for all its programmes @n order to manage and enhance the CAP, it esta"lished !he Kevelopment and Academic !raining 1enter #KA!1$, and !he Accreditation and Cuality Assurance *ffice #ACA*$, with the following responsi"ilities) KA!1(s terms of reference are as follows) @mproving the overall scope and quality of instruction *rganiDing and conducting seminars and wor'shops to promote e%cellence in teaching and research 1ooperating with PU faculties in improving programme structure, delivery, evaluation, and modification in the light of internal and e%ternal reviews and reports
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ACA*(s terms of references are as follows) 2anaging the University(s CA process Keveloping and implementing measures for promoting, coordinating and monitoring the effectiveness of selfevaluation, and e%ternal audit reviews +haring and disseminating good CA practice within and outside the University <iaising with 2*H0 and 9HA0 in respect of matters relating to accreditation and CA ?eporting to the University CA committee on current practice, and future developments !he outcomes-"ased curriculum design and implementation model in effect at PU is indicated in Aigure ,, which informs its action plan indicated "elow
National Generic Outcomes Course Improvement Program Outcomes

Course Evaluation

Course Outcomes

Student

Course Delivery and Mediation Course Lesson Outcomes

Course Unit Outcomes

Course Content

3i"ure &2 an outline of outcomes-based curriculum desi"n and implementation

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Aigure ,) *utcomes-"ased curriculum design and implementation diagram

PU(s action plan for using the outcomes-"ased curriculum design and implementation comprises the following steps) +tep ,) 1onducting needs analysis aimed at esta"lishing students learning needs, i e national inter-programme outcomes +tep 5) 0sta"lishing the learning outcomes for BA programmes in the faculties of Arts and the Humanities, Administrative and Ainancial +ciences, +cience, <aw, 0ngineering, @nformation !echnology, Pharmacy, and Hursing, with emphasis on 'nowledge and understanding, critical thin'ing, practical s'ills, professional s'ills, selfmanaged learning s'ills, communication s'ills and computer literacy s'ills +tep >) 0sta"lishing the learning outcomes for the programme courses, the course units, and the course lectures and presentations +tep ;) ?eviewing and restructuring the curriculum in order to align it with the new learning outcomes +tep 4) Agreeing course content as regards "oth printed, and audiovisual material on the one hand and required and support material on the other hand +tep F) Kelivering the programme and course content through lectures, tutorials, seminars, de"ates, la"s, wor'ing groups, self-learning, e-learning and we"-"ased learning +tep 6) Assessing student achievement through formative quiDDes, tests, homewor' assignments, reports, research proEects, and summative e%aminations +tep .) Ketermining and reflecting upon learning outcomes acquired and internaliDed "y students and comparing them with the intended learning outcomes +tep -) 2a'ing the necessary changes, modifications, and3or emendations, and improvements in the light of data provided in step . a"ove @n order to manage the implementation of the a"ove action plan, PU formed CA committees at the different management levels comprising its top level administration, faculties, academic departments, wor'ing
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groups, faculty mem"ers and students, and also esta"lished the lines of communication among them, and "etween them and relevant faculty and department councils, academic staff mem"ers, and students as indicated in Aigure 5
QA Committees
University President U ! Committee

Administrative Councils

U ! Officer

Council of Deans

" ! Committee

" ! Officer

"aculty Council

D ! Committee

D ! Officer

Department Council

!cademic Staff mem$ers Students

Non#academic Staff mem$ers

Aigure 5) Leneral layout of the overall CA management process Aollowing the design-down approach, the line of communication "etween CA committees and other university, faculty, and department councils is as indicated in Aigure >
QA Committees
University 4uality Assurance Committee 3aculty 4uality Assurance Committee

Administrative Councils
Council of Deans

3aculty Council

Department Assurance Committee

Department Council

5uidance
6or7in" 5roup

:Scientific Academic 6or7in" 5roup

,odule 6or7in" 5roups

E9amination 6or7in" 5roup

$esearch Pro8ects 6or7in" 5roup

#earnin" $esources 6or7in" 5roup

Curriculum 6or7in" 5roup

Aigure >-a) Leneral layout of CA committees and councils at the University level

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QA Committees

Administrative Councils

3aculty 4uality Assurance Committee

3aculty Council

Aigure >-") <ayout of CA committees and councils at the faculty #earnin" 5uidance ,odules E9am $es+ Pro8ectlevel Scientific
$esources Committee Committee Committee Committee Committee

Committee

#ibrary Committee

QA Committees

Administrative Councils

Department 4uality Assurance Committee

Department Council

Aigure >-c) <ayout #earnin" of CA committees and councils E9am at the department 5uidance ,odules $es+ Pro8ect $esources Committee Committee Committee Committee level Committee

Scientific Committee

#ibrary Committee

;+ Enhancement of 4A at PU

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0nhancement of the CA process at PU comprises the following measures) @nduction training to all faculty mem"ers in curriculum design: writing, review, and modification of outcomes: testing and evaluation Using the following course sylla"us outline for all courses on offer "y the different faculties
Course Syllabus Outline Philadelphia University course sylla"us outline #for all courses offered "y the different faculties$ o 1ourse description o 0%pected learning outcomes) - 9nowledge and understanding - 1ognitive s'ills - 1ommunication s'ills - Practical3 professional s'ills o +tudy calendar) - Gee'ly course material - 2id-term e%am - Ainal e%amination o ?eferring to the course material and other sources) - 1iting material from the course - Plagiarism #definition and strategies for avoiding accidental plagiarism$ - <isting sources in a "i"liography - ?eferences list styles o Answering questions in an assignment) - Ghat to do if the question is not clear or seems am"iguous - Ghat to do if you disagree with the arguments "eing put in the course material - +hould personal e%perience and material from other sources "e includedM o 2ar'ing criteria for assignments, tests, and final e%aminations) - !he relevance of the answer to the question - 9nowledge and understanding of course material - A"ility to discuss and evaluate e%planations and arguments - A"ility to present and pursue an argument - A"ility to e%press oneself clearly using appropriate academic conventions

#!wo samples of detailed course sylla"i are included in Anne% , and relate to a course offered "y the 0nglish Kepartment, and another course offered "y the 1omputer 0ngineering Kepartment$

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 Preparing and adopting a template for program specifications for all BA and 2A programmes in the university #Anne% 5 includes two samples of programme specifications) one sample for the 0nglish <anguage and <iterature Programme, and another for the 1omputer 0ngineering Programme$ Kiscussing, agreeing, and adopting a standard CA semester agenda #CA+A$ for all courses As indicated in anne% >, the agenda provide a detailed road map for all steps necessary for the proper provision, evaluation, and emendation of courses, and also esta"lish the responsi"ility, and line of authority among the different parties involved in the teaching learning process comprising) Keans, su"-deans, and faculty committees 1hairpersons of academic departments Kifferent department committees and wor'ing groups !hey also esta"lish the time line for the su"mission of reports to the relevant authorities and committees on the progress of course content provision, evaluation, and improvement 1reating PU(s Cuality Assurance Hand"oo' 1reating PU(s Alumni *ffice Preparing and pu"lishing PU(s Undergraduate tudents !andboo" for each academic programme Kesigning and using questionnaires for receiving feed"ac' from students and employers '+ Enhancement of PU visibility due to emphasis on 4A and outcomes-based curriculum desi"n and implementation2 @n 5//, an e%ternal review was conducted "y the British CAA for 1omputer +cience programmes at Jordanian pu"lic and private universities, and was reviewed in 5//> !he 1+ programme offered "y the PU Aaculty of @nformation !echnology was awarded the 9HA0 first priDe among all participating pu"lic and private universities @n 5//; the Business Administration programme was reviewed "y a British Cuality Assurance team, and received 5, points on a scale of 5; points

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 @n 5//F the <aw programme was reviewed "y a British CA team, and su"sequently awarded the first priDe "y the 9HA0 among all participating pu"lic and private universities !he Accounting programme was also reviewed in 5//F "ut "y an American Cuality Assurance team Although it was not awarded the first priDe, it was highly praised "y the team @n 5//6 a follow-up process was conducted on the 1+ programme !he reviewers( report was highly complimentary and referred to the CA process for the programme as "eing the only ro"ust and mature process among all participating institutions @n 5//. !he Ainance and Ban'ing +ciences programme, and the 0nglish <anguage and <iterature programme were reviewed "y an American Cuality Assurance team !he team(s reports were highly complimentary PU was the only private university in Jordan to appear in the 5//. we"ometrics ran'ing of the top ,// universities in the Ara" Gorld @t was also the only private university in Jordan in the same ran'ing in 5//6 in the 2iddle 0ast and Horth Africa @n 5//435//F PU was the only private university in Jordan to receive official permission to start two post-graduate programmes in 1omputer +cience, and 0nglish <anguage and <iterature A final and important indicator of PU(s success in living up to its mission and vision is that its graduates usually have little difficulty in securing good Eo"s as indicated in the ta"le "elow

PU "raduates employment statistics Aaculty Hum"er of Lraduates

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Hum"er of Lraduates 0mployed

Percentage of Lraduates 0mployed

Aaculty of Arts Aaculty of +cience Aaculty of Administrative and Ainancial +ciences Aaculty of <aw Aaculty of Pharmacy Aaculty of 0ngineering Aaculty of Hursing Aaculty of @! !otal

,56,F-4 F>,6 ,;// ./5 ,F,/ ;/> 5/6> &''(>

.6/ ,5;, 4>/; -66,/ ,>-/ 54, ,6F/ &)'*'

N F. N 6> N .; N 6/ N .F N .F N F5 N .4 = <*

$eferences2 2aher, Angela #5//;$, 7 <earning *utcomes in Higher 0ducation) @mplications for 1urriculum Kesign and +tudent <earning7, #ourna$ of !os%ita$ity, &eisure, %ort and Tourism 'ducation, > #5$, ;F-4; ?o"erts, Lraeme, ?apporteur #5//.$, &earning Outcomes (ased !ig)er 'ducation* T)e cottis) 'x%erience, ummary +e%ort +A@K0 <impo Kepartment of 0ducation #5//F$, ,aci$itating Outcomes (ased &earning and Teac)ing* A -uide for Trainers and ,'T Co$$ege &ecturers. b`WefZ[ ghifjZ[ k5//- bcdZ #5>$ OPQ RSTUP VWXYZ[ \]^Z[_ VZUYZ[ O`XYaZ[ RSTUP 5.3-35//- liQUam b`WnUoZ[ b`TpQq[ brXWWXZ VZUYZ[ O`XYaZ[ sUdetu pUWav[ bw`x RSTUyZ zhYWZ[ RSTUyZ[ k5//- bcdZ #,>$ OPQ RSTUP b`TpQq[

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