Outcome-Based Education

(OBE)
Overview
Mohamed Nadzri Mohd Yusoff (Hj.)

CURRICULUM VITAE
Mohamed Nadzri bin Mohd . Yusoff (Hj.)
MSc.Medical Imaging Science (Aus)

Address
Telephone No.
Email

:
:
:

Lot.6471-B, Jalan Teratai, Kg.Paya Jaras Hilir, 47000 Sg Buloh, Selangor D. E

012 4558130 (HP)
nadzy65uitm@salam.uitm.edu.my
nadzy65uitm@puncakalam.uitm.edu.my

Website

https://sites.google.com/site/nadzy65/home/obe

Current
Employer

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Fakulti Sains Kesihatan , UiTM Kampus Puncak Alam

Senior Lecturer (UiTM),

PSMB Certified Trainer
MQA Training Centre Trainer
MQA Panel of Assessor

Presentation Outcomes
At the end of the presentation, the participants will be able to:
Explain the concept, philosophy, principles and applications
of OBE
Explain why MOE advocates OBE as the basis for higher
education in Malaysia
Explain the relevancy of OBE in Malaysian higher education
and its relation to existing governments policies and
regulations

Why OBE?
About 44,000 graduates are without jobs as they
have nothing outstanding to offer to the job
markets although they possess degrees and
diplomas.
Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim of
Univ. Malaya said this was one problem which
must be looked into.
He said this had been mainly caused by students
memorising facts without knowing how to apply
them in a particular situation.
As a result, most of them cant even do simple
things or solve simple problems. Another factor is
their laid-back attitude. This is one
phenomenon that is evident today
NST August 20, 2002

The number of unemployed graduates is quite

worrying. Some 53,000 graduates are unemployed
after six months of graduating, Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Razak revealed in his budget
speech as he outlined measures to address the
problem.
Are our colleges and universities churning out too
many graduates beyond what the industry can
cope with or are they focusing too much on
courses that are no longer relevant to industry
needs?

(New Straits Time, 22/10/2014)

NST August 20, 2003

Metro March 7, 2000

Employers rate the importance of candidate

qualities/skills

Communication (verbal & written)

Honesty/Integrity
Teamwork skills
Interpersonal skills
Strong work ethics
Motivation & initiative
Flexibility/adaptability
Analytical skills
Computer skills
Organisational skills
Detail oriented
Leadership skills
Self confidence
Friendly/outgoing personality
Well mannered / polite
Tactfulness
GPA (3.0 or better)
Creativity
Sense of humour
Entrepreneurial skills/risk taker

National Association of Colleges and Employers/

4.69
4.59
4.54
4.50
4.46
4.42
4.41
4.36
4.21
4.05
4.00
3.97
3.95
3.85
3.82
3.75
3.68
3.59
3.25
3.23
Nace Research, Job Outlokk, 2005

Why OBE? OBE in PSPTN

Why OBE? OBE in Act 679

Why OBE? OBE in Act 679

Why OBE? OBE in MQF

What is OBE?
Outcome based does not mean curriculum based
with outcomes sprinkled on top. It is a
transformational way of doing business in
education. (William Spady, 1993)
OBE is an approach to education in which decisions
about the curriculum are driven by the learning
outcomes that students should display at the end of
the course.
These decisions include curriculum content,
educational strategies, student selection and
assessment.

What is OBE?
OBE is education based on producing
particular educational outcomes that:
focuses on what students can actually
do after they are taught;
expect all learners/students to
successfully achieve particular
(sometimes minimum) level of
knowledge and abilities.

What is OBE?
Education that is outcome-based, is a
learner centered, results oriented system
founded on the belief that all individuals
can learn
James Towers (1996)

What is OBE?
ITS NOT WHAT WE TEACH,
ITS WHAT THE STUDENTS LEARN

BASIC TYPES OF OUTCOMES FROM

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
First:
Includes performance indicators such as test
results, completion rates, post-course
employment rates, etc

Second:
Less tangible
Usually expressed in terms of :
What students know
What they are able to do
What are they like as a result of their education

(Roy Killen,2000)

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT OF
OUTCOMES-BASED EDUCATION
MASTERY LEARNING
Acquisition of cognitive, affective and psychomotor
skills under appropriate conditions.
COMPETENCE-BASED EDUCATION
Acquisition of a group of skills that bring about
competence in specific field, which is assessed against
pre-set benchmarks mostly defined by industry
OUTCOMES-BASED EDUCATION
Demonstration of acquired generic skills in different
contexts, that are assessed against pre-set criteria
agreed upon by all stakeholders

(Robert E. Gerber, 1996

OBE vs. Traditional Education (ContentBased Learning)

Content Based Learning System
Passive students
Assessment process exam & grade
driven
Rote learning

Outcomes Based Learning System

Active learners
Continuous assessment

Critical thinking, reasoning, reflection &

action
Content based/broken into subjects
Integration knowledge, learning relevant/
connected real life situations
Textbook/worksheet focused & teacher Learner centred & educator/ facilitator use
centred
group/ teamwork
See syllabus as rigid & non negotiable Learning programmes seen as guides that
allow educators to be innovative &
creative in designing programmes/
activities
Teachers/trainers responsible for
Learners take responsibility for their
learning - motivated by personality of learning, learners motivated by constant
teacher
feedback/ affirmation of worth
Emphasis what teacher hopes to
Emphasis outcomes what learner
achieve
becomes & understands
Content placed in rigid time frames
Flexible time frames - learners work at

Paradigm Shift in the Education

& Training Philosophy

From teacher-centered
(TCL)

to a student-centered
(SCL)

Traditional teaching teacher

owns the knowledge and
convey it to the students.

SCL Based teaching :

students (trainee) to learn
as much as possible.

Teacher brings the content

and the answers into the
classroom/ training room
with him / her.

teacher as a coach who

asks questions and
provides guidelines for
the acquisition of
knowledge.

(Robert E. Gerber, 1996 in Shahrin Mohamed, 2007 )

Principles of OBE
a) Clarity of focus about outcomes
Always have the outcomes as the focus.
Let the students know what they are aiming for.
b) Designing backwards
Design curriculum backward by using the major outcomes as the focus
and linking all planning, teaching and assessment decisions directly to
these outcomes.
c) Consistent, high expectations of success
Set the expectation that OBE is for ALL learners.
Expect students to succeed by providing them encouragement to
engage deeply with the issues they are learning and to achieve the
high challenging standard set (Spady, 1994).
d) Expanded opportunity
Develop curriculum to give scope to every learner to learn in his/her
own pace.
Cater for individual needs and differences, for example, expansion of
available time and resources so that all students succeed in reaching
the exit outcomes.

(Chandrama Acharya, 2003)

OBE Requisites
What the students learn must be clearly
identified.
The students progress is based on demonstrated
achievement.
Multiple instructional and assessment strategies
need to be available to meet the needs of each
student.
Adequate time and assistance need to be
provided so that each student can reach the
maximum potential

OBE Emphasis?

ASSESSMENT
OF
OUTCOMES

 OBE is assessment driven

Assessment is used to determine whether or not
a qualification/ condition/ criterion/ skill has been
achieved
To determine whether learners are successful,
(i.e. whether students know they have learnt
well) the learners must be assessed using the
assessment criteria of the outcome

Relevancy of OBE
Rating/Accreditation requirements:
1.

Quality Assurance Audit by the Ministry of

Education: Malaysian Qualifications Framework
(MQF) emphasis on learning outcomes.

2.

Accreditation Requirement for Professional

Programmes by professional bodies emphasizes
learning outcomes

Allahyarham Prof. Datuk Dr.Ir Radin Umar Radin Suhadi

Real Benefits of OBE

Anticipation of real benefits
More directed & coherent curriculum
Graduates will be more relevant to
industry & other stakeholders (more well
rounded graduates)
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is
an inevitable consequence

(Suhaimi Abu Talib,2007)

Therefore, OBE
OBE is an educational process.
Directed/focussed at achieving certain specified
outcomes in terms of individual student learning.
Outcomes - key things students should
understand and be able to do or the
qualities they should develop.
Both structures and curricula are designed to
achieve those capabilities or qualities.
Educational structures and curriculum are
regarded as means not ends. If they do not do
the job they are rethought (Continuous Quality
Improvement (CQI)).

Therefore, OBE
OBE is a process that involves the restructuring of
curriculum, assessment and reporting practices in
education to reflect the achievement of high order
learning and mastery rather than accumulation of
course credits.
Amongst Expected Changes:
Curriculum Restructuring/Revision
Innovative/Flexible Delivery Method
Variety of Assessment & Evaluation Methods
Collection of Evidences
Continuous Quality Improvement (Closing the Loop
(CDL))

OBE PROCESS
Curriculum
Curriculum REVIEW

Planning
(1)

CQI Report

PEO

Academic Level

Program
Standards

Program Learning
Outcomes (PLO)

Closing the Loop (CDL)

Curriculum

Evaluate / analyse

Evaluatin
g (4)

Developin
g (2)

Blooms
Taxonomy

Course L. Outcomes (CLO)

TL Activities

Assessments

Entrance/Exit Surveys
SLT

Test Blueprint
Lesson Plan
Marking Scheme

Rubrics

Student Portfolio
Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment

Blooms
Taxonomy

Implementin
g (3)
Evidences

Curriculum
Documenting

Credit Hour

Blooms
Taxonomy

SO???

RECAP 1
What is OBE?
OBE is an educational process.
Directed/focussed at achieving
certain specified outcomes in terms
of individual student learning.

RECAP 2
What is outcome?
a statement on what students should
know, understand and can do upon
the completion of a period of study.
(MQF)

RECAP 3
Why OBE?
PSPTN Pelan Strategik Pengajian
Tinggi Negara
Objective: Produce human capital
with first-class mentality
Method: Teaching and Learning in
institution must be based on
outcomes (what the students know,
understand and can do)

RECAP 4
Why OBE? (Document of References)
MQF- Malaysian Qualification
Framework
MQA Act 679
PSPTN
Garispanduan Penulisan Akademik
(JPT,KPM)

RECAP 5
What is MQF?
Instrument that develops and classifies
qualifications
How? Clarifies:
Levels of qualifications
Learning outcomes
Credit system based on student
academic workload

RECAP 6
What is MQA ?
a single quality assurance agency in
Malaysia responsible to assure quality of
programs offered by higher education
providers.
established under Act 679 to implement
MQF