Chapter 2

OUTCOME-BASED EDUCATION: RESPONSE TO QUALITY

LEARNING
The shift from the traditional input-based education (IBE) to Outcome-based Education
(OBE) is being energized by the increasing demand for vigilant enforcement and accountability in
all sectors of education. Stakeholders consider this student-centered bad constructivist platform as
a timely response to quality learning.
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 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.”
Why Shift to OBE?
OBE is distinguished from other reforms by its focus on outcomes, thereby enabling it to
address the pressing world-wide concerns on accountability, and effectively pairs legislative
control with institutional autonomy (Evans, 1991). OBE makes it imperative to 1ay down what are
the intended learning outcomes of an institution, and commit its educational resources until the
goals are achieved.

In its transformational phase, OBE is the benchmarking concept trending in higher

education. It alms to organize a work-integrated education (WIE) at the program level to link
students and faculty with the industry and eventually engage leaders of the profession and industry
to enrich the teaching and learning activities. As diverse countries are synergizing towards
connectivity propelled by technology, OBE is preparing young learners for global living.

How to Adopt OBE?

In OBE, learning outcomes are constructively aligned in a learning program that fits this
framework:
 Framework of Outcomes-Based Education

Institution's Vision, Mission and Goals

Institutional Outcomes
(Competencies of HE Ideal Graduate; Impact to Society)

Program Outcomes
(Competencies of Program Graduate)

Learning Outcomes

Assessment and Evaluation Learning Environment: Content and Methodologies

Teaching-Learning Systems
Source: CHED Implementation Handbook

a. Institutional Intended Learning Outcomes (IILO) what the graduates of the

university/college are supposed to be able to do
b. Program intended Learning Outcomes (PILO)- what graduates from a particular degree
should be able to do
c. Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILO) - what students should be able to do at the
completion of a given course; and
d. Intended Learning Outcomes - what students should be able to do at the completion of a
unit of study of a course

In the Outcome-Based Teaching and Learning (OBTL) Instructional Program, the learners take
the center stage, as traced back to Tyler's (1949) basic principle of curriculum and instruction: it
is what the students do as evidence of their learning OBTL has a three pronged implication: for
the learners/students, it promotes a deep and lifelong learning skills; for the teachers, it promotes
reflective teaching practices, and for the Institution, it addresses continuous program improvement.

Under OBE, the Word Syllabus is replaced by a learner centered term called a Learning
Program, consisting of the sample elements for a Learning Matrix as shown below (CHED
Implementing Manual, 2013):

Learning Outcome Topic Activities Resources Assessment

• Discuss • Introduction to • Case study • Case files • Case analysis
interrelations attitude and • Discussion • Guide question • Identifying
between attitude, behavior • Role playing • Role playing interrelations
behavior and the • Interrelations exercises • Concept mapping
other factors in between attitude,
society behavior and the
other factors in
society
• Share insights on • The nature of an • Mediated lecture • Reading • Group Report
current issues and educational • Small group • Guide
challenges in an setting • Discussion questions
educational setting • Current issues and • Group reports • LCD Projector
challenges

21st CENTURY ASSESSMENT

Inevitably the 21st century is here, demanding a lot of changes, development, and re-
engineering of systems in different fields for this generation to thrive. In the field of education,
most of the changes have focused on teaching and learning. Preparing and equipping the teachers
to cater to the needs of the 21st century learners are part of the adjustments being done in the
education system. Curricula are updated to address the needs of the community in relation to the
demands of the 21st century.
21st century skills must build on the core literacy and numeracy that all students must
master. Students need to think critically and creatively, communicate and collaborate effectively,
and work globally to be productive, accountable citizens and leaders. These skills to be honed must
be assessed, not just simply to get numerical results but more so, to take the results of assessment
as guide as guide to take further action.
Educators need to focus on: what to teach; how to teach it; and how to assess it (Greenstein,
2012; Schmoker, 20122).
Characteristics of the 21st Century Assessment
1. Responsive
Visible performance-based work (as a result of assessment) generates data that
inform curriculum and instruction. Teachers can adjust instructions; school leaders can
consider additional educational opportunities for students and policy makers can make
programs and resources to cater to the present needs of the school community.
Processes for responding to assessments are thoroughly developed, incorporating
best practices in feedback and formative assessment. Feedback is to eb targeted to the goal
and outcome, rather than just a single test grade, students are informed of progress toward
the attainment of goal. Self-reflection, peer feedback, and opportunities for revision will
be a natural outcome.
2. Flexible
Lesson design, curriculum and assessment require flexibility, suppleness, and
adaptability. Assessments need to be adaptable to students’ settings. Rather than the
identical approach that works in traditional assessment, 21 st century approaches are more
versatile. These approaches best fit for the demands of learning environment at present
since as students’ decisions, actions and applications vary, the assessments and the system
need to be flexible too.
3. Integrated
 Assessments are to be incorporated into day-to0day practice rather that as add-ons
at the end of instructions or during a single specified week of the school calendar.
Assessments are enriched by metacognition. Assessment is about stimulating
thinking, building on prior learning, constructing meaning, and thinking about one’s
thinking. It offers opportunities for students to consider their choices, identify alternative
strategies, transfer earlier learning, and represent knowledge through different means.
4. Informative
The desired 21st century goals and objectives are clearly stated and explicitly taught.
Students display their range of emerging knowledge and skills. Exemplars routinely guide
students toward achievement of targets.
Learning objectives
5. Multiple Methods
6. Communicated
7. Technically Sound
8. Systematic
AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT: MEANING, CHARACTERISTICS AND
PRACTICES
Both assessment and evaluation are based on the judgement of an experienced, thoughtful
human being – an expert. Machines don’t assess, papers don’t assess, tests don’t assess. Humans
assess. And what better person is there to assess the progress and development of his or her
students than the classroom teacher.
Larry Malone
Lawrence Hall of Science
University of California
Berkeley

The terms assessment, evaluation, testing and marks are terms often used in determining the degree
of attainment of student learning outcomes. At times they are used interchangeably, it will be
useful to clarify their meanings to distinguish them from one another.
Assessment refers to the process of gathering data and information about what students know and
can do. Such information may be sourced through observation of students during their learning
activities, examining the results of their learning activities or testing their knowledge and skills.
Through assessment, the teacher can find out what students are learning.
Evaluation involves the task of interpreting, forming conclusions and making judgements about
the information which was gathered in the process of assessment. The data gathered by assessment
are neither useful nor useless but they reflect the learning process. Such information becomes
meaningful only when they are processed and interpreted as to how well the students are attaining
their desired competencies.
Testing is an instrument of assessment. A test is an assessment tool that reflects the records of the
students’ learning outcomes.
Marks are reports of the results of evaluating information obtained in the assessment process.
Marks have certain components related to the learning activities undertaken by the students.
Examples of such components are:
20% for class participation
10% for completed assignments
20% for quizzes
30% for submitted reports
20% for oral presentation of completed project

100% TOTAL
 Assessment involves review of evidence of learning such as journal entries, written work,
portfolios, skill demonstrations, performance in learning activities, test results and rubrics ratings
which cover a period of time and should reveal the progress of students in competencies.
Evaluation on the other hand occurs when a mark or grade is assigned after a quiz, .a. presentation
or a completed task.
In recent years, higher education institutions in the Philippines have joined in the
international focus on the need to include in the teaching-learning process the assessment and
documentation of student learning outcomes. This focus is in recognition of the importance of
information on learning outcomes in the improvement of the educational experiences that colleges
and universities offer.
Why Authentic Assessment?
“The common practice of using recall and recognition objective the skills and knowledge
they have mastered.” – Richard Stiggins (1987).
“Authentic assessments are products and/or performances correlated with real life
experiences”. – Newton Public Schools
Other names for authentic assessment are performance assessment, alternative assessment
and direct assessment.
Characteristics of Authentic Assessment (AA)
1. AA starts with clear and definite criteria of performance made known to the students.
2. AA is criterion – referenced rather than norm-referenced and so it identifies strengths and
weaknesses, but does not compare students nor rank their levels of performance.
3. AA requires students to make their own answers to questions rather than select from given
options as in multiple choice items, and requires them to use a range of higher order
thinking skills (HOTS).
4. AA often emphasizes performance and therefore students are required to demonstrate their
knowledge, skills or competencies in appropriate situations. AA does not rely on ability to
recall facts or memorize details, instead students are asked to demonstrate skills and
concepts they have learned.
5. AA encourages both teacher and students to determine their rate of progress in
cooperatively attaining the desired student learning outcomes.
6. AA does not encourage rote learning and passive taking of tests; instead, students are
required to demonstrate analytical skills, ability to integrate what they learn, creativity, and
ability to work in a group, skills in oral and written communications. In brief, AA values
not only the finished products which are the learning outcomes, but also the process of
learning.
7. AA changes the role of students as passive test takers into becoming active and involved
participants in assessment activities that emphasize what they are capable of doing instead
tests to measure students’ skills or retained facts has come under scrutiny because of the
limitation encountered in determining the students’ capability to utilize their knowledge
 and skills in work and professional practice. At best, these tests are able to give a “snap
shot” of the students’ ability to recall facts and information at a given time but fail to
provide a “moving picture” of how they will perform in real-world situations which exist
in the workplace.
While multiple choice, true-false or matching tests can be indicators of academic
achievement, teachers and students are often misled by the results of these tests on the kind of
academic work and activities that need to be mastered. It is to be remembered that test items are
not real problems; right answers are not necessarily indicators of critical thinking.
When students complete high school studies or even college degree, they are expected to
be able to live on the outside world armed with skills that comply with certain standards. Often,
such skills do not involve mastery of grammar rules and solutions to mathematical problems. It is
good for students to have mastery of these basic knowledge but if they cannot apply these skills to
real-life tasks, then then have not been prepared for the real world hence the need for authentic
assessment.
What is Authentic Assessment?
Here are some definitions:
“A form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks that
demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills….”- Jon Mueller (2011)
“…Engaging and worthy problems or questions of importance in which students must use
knowledge to fashion performance effectively and creatively. The tasks are either replicas of or
analogous to the kind of problems faced by adult citizens and consumers or professionals in the
field.’ – Grant Wiggins (1987)
“Performance (authentic) assessments call upon the examinee to demonstrate specific skills and
competencies; that is, to apply of their weaknesses. This result is diminished fear of tests and
improvement of self-esteem.
From teacher-centered activities, AA encourages a learner-centered class where the
teacher’s major role is to help students accept responsibility for their learning and become self-
evaluators. The teacher designs activities and evaluates results which provide information needed
for monitoring students’ progress and evaluating the teacher’s instructional strategies.
Phases of Authentic Assessment
The purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment achieves this
purpose by gathering pieces of evidence of student performance over a period of time. Such
evidence may be in the form of written works, journal entries, oral presentations, research paper
results, essays, story writing and examination results. “Closing the loop” encourages the use of
assessment results for further improvement.
In general, outcome assessment goes through five (5) phases:
 1. Identifying the most important knowledge and skills that students should be able to
demonstrate as a result of their learning activities.
2. Determining the criteria and standards of outcomes performance and the acceptable
evidence that may be presented as proof of outcome’s attainment.
3. Implementation of the supporting activities that will facilitate the attainment of the desired
student learning outcomes.
4. Measuring the extent at which the students are attaining the desired learning outcomes.
5. Interpreting the assessment results and evaluating whether they indicate attainment of the
desired outcomes and utilizing them for continuous improvement.
“Closing the Loop” is demonstrated in a diagram of these phases adopted from Jon Muellers
(2010) of North Central College Nashville, Illinois. Both assessment and evaluation are based on
the judgement of an experienced, thoughtful human being the classroom teacher.
Phase I Phase II

Identify learner outcome. Determine criteria and

acceptable evidences of
performance.

Phase V Phase III

Evaluate results to Implement supporting

determine attainment of learning experiences and
outcome and ensure instructional activities.
continuous improvement.

Phase IV

Implement assessment
strategies.
Examples of Authentic Assessment Activities
1. Doing science experiments
2. Conducting social science field research
3. Writing stories and reports
4. Reading and interpreting literary pieces
5. Solving mathematical problems that have real world implications
6. Performing particular skills/ competencies
7. Simulation or role playing
8. Exhibiting and displaying completed works
9. Submitting portfolios
10. Submitting original creative projects
How does Authentic Assessment Differ from Traditional Assessment (TA)?
Traditional Assessment is commonly associated with pre-determined choice measures of
assessment such as multiple-choice tasks, fill-in-the-blanks, true-false, matching type and others.
Students typically recall or select the answers. Essentially, TA springs from the educational
philosophy which involves the following principles and practices:
1. A school’s mission is to develop useful citizens;
2. To be a useful citizen, one must possess a certain body of knowledge and skills;
3. The school is entrusted to teach this body of knowledge and skills;
4. To determine if the students have acquired these knowledge and skills, the school must test
the students on these knowledge and skills.
Authentic Assessment, on the other hand is grounded on the following principles and practices:
1. A school’s mission is to develop useful citizens;
2. To be a useful citizen, one has to be capable of performing useful tasks in the real-world;
3. The school’s duty is to help students develop proficiency in performing the tasks that they
will be required to perform after graduation in the work place;
4. The school must then require students to perform tasks that duplicate or imitate real-world
situations.
The table below illustrates the basic differences between traditional assessment and authentic
assessment.
Table I – Basic Differences Between Traditional Assessment and Authentic Assessment
Attributes Traditional Assessment Authentic Assessment
1. Action/options Selecting a response Performing a task
2. Setting Contrived/imagined Simulation – real-life
3. Method Recall/ recognition Construction – application
4. Focus Teacher – structured Student – structured
5. Outcome Indirect evidence Direct evidence
Authentic Assessment Complements Traditional Assessment
In conclusion, teachers do not have to select between authentic assessment and traditional
assessment. Mastery of knowledge and skills which is the focus of traditional assessment must be
encouraged among the students to form the foundation on which will be built the activities to
demonstrate and perform the tasks that they are expected to perform in the real world.
Exercises:
A. Determine whether each of the following assessment activities/strategies is traditional or
authentic.
1. Dramatizing a story
2. Writing a business letters for various purposes
3. Administering a multiple-choice test
4. Requiring memorization of historical facts
5. Keeping and updating a portfolio
6. Drawing the parts of a microscope
7. Writing the multiplication tables 7, 8 & 9
8. Submitting a report on observation of insects in a field trip
9. Interviewing the barangay chairman about the problems of the community and
reporting on the findings
10. Providing the answers to a filling the blanks assignment
B. Decide whether each of the following is assessment, evaluation, testing or mark.
1. Administering true-false items to be answered
2. Rating of 73 – 76 which is equivalent to Barely Satisfactory
3. Submission of a research report in Biology
4. Regular entries in a journal in English
5. Rubric ratings show that student needs improvement
6. Writing of a different ending to a story read
7. Multiple-choice items to be answered
8. Experiment performed in a laboratory
9. Assessment results show attainment of learning outcome
10. Proficient level