CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

FOR TEACHERS

MODULE 6 – Curriculum Development

Reforms and Enhancement

LESSON 2:
Outcomes Based Education (OBE) for Teacher
Preparation Curriculum

Prepared by: Jadess Lorraine Z. Fusio DPE 1st Sem. S.Y. 2020-2021
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page/s

Module 6 – Curriculum Reforms and Enhancement

Lesson 2 - Outcomes Based Education (OBE) for Teacher Preparation Curriculum……1
Module Overview ………………………………………………………………...1
Definition of Outcomes Based Education (OBE) …………………....…2-3
Four Essential Principles in OBE ………………………………………3-4
Teaching-Learning in OBE …………………………………………….4-5
Assessment of Learning Outcomes in OBE ……………………………...6
Learner’s Responsibility for Learning …………………………………...6
Take Action …………………………………………………………………….7-8
Self-Check ……………………………………………………………………......8
Self-Reflect …………………………………………………………………….…9
References ……………………………………………………...……………………….10

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 Curriculum Development for Teachers

Curriculum Development Reforms and Enhancement

Module Overview:
Outcomes-based education (OBE) became the fundamental philosophy of
higher education in the Philippines lately. All curricula including that of teacher
education will be anchored on the concept of OBE in terms of course designing,
instructional planning, teaching and assessing students learning. This module will
give you the opportunity to understand what OBE is all about and relate the same
to teacher education curriculum as future teachers.

Lesson 2 Outcomes-Based Education for Teacher

Preparation Curriculum

Desired Learning Outcomes

 Define what is outcomes-based education

 Identify the four principles of OBE
 Describe how teaching and learning relate to OBE
 Describe how assessment of achieved learning relate to OBE
 Describe the learner’s responsibility in learning through OBE

Take Off
Why do we hear a lot of educators talking about OBE? What is Outcomes-
Based Education about? Should curriculum for teacher preparation be influenced by
this? Why? How will OBE address the 21st century teachers?

Content Focus
In recent years, there has been an increasing attention on outcomes-based
education for several reasons. These include return of investments and accountability
which are driven by political, economic and educational reasons.

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Definition of Outcomes Based Education (OBE)

Among the many advocates of OBE, in the early years was William G. Spady. He is largely
noted for his works that attempt to expand and enhance the philosophical grounding and
performance of educators, leaders, educational systems, and learners (Spady & Schwahn, 2010).
Spady defined OBE as clearly focusing and organizing everything in an educational system around
what is essential for all students to be able to do successfully at the end of their learning
experiences. This means starting with a clear picture of what is important for students to be able
to do, then organizing curriculum, instruction, and assessment to make sure learning ultimately
happens (Spady, 1994). This definition points out the clear learning results that teachers want
students to demonstrate at the end of significant learning experiences, that is, the learning
outcomes. This is composed of the knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitude that students
should acquire so that they can reach their full potential and live a fulfilling life as individuals in
the community and at work.

To further define and clarify OBE, teachers should address the answers to the following
questions:
1. What do we want these students to learn?
2. Why do we want students to learn these things?
3. How can we best help students to learn these things?
4. How will you know when the students have learned?

According to Spady (1994), OBE has two key purposes which reflect an underlying
philosophy of “Success for all students and staff.” They are the following:

 Ensuring that all students are equipped with the knowledge, competence, and
qualities needed to be successful after they exit the educational system.
 Structuring and operating schools so that those outcomes can be achieved and
maximized for all students.

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Spady (1994) also provided three premises or assumptions in Outcomes-Based

Education. They are the following:

1. All students can learn and succeed, but not at the same time or in the same
way.
2. Successful learning promotes even more successful learning.
3. Schools control the conditions that directly affect successful school
learning.

Four Essential Principles in OBE

To put the two purposes and three premises into action, four principles should be followed
in either planning instruction, teaching, and assessing learning. Working together, these principles
strengthen the conditions enabling students and teachers to be successful.

Principle 1: Clarity of Focus

A clear focus on what teachers want students to learn is the primary principle in OBE.
Teachers should bear in mind that the outcome of teaching is learning. To achieve this, teachers
and students should have a clear picture, in mind what knowledge, skills, and values must be
achieve at the end of the teaching learning process.

Principle 2: Designing Backwards

This principle is related to principle 1. At the beginning of a curriculum design, the

learning outcome has to be distinctly defined. What to achieve at the end of formal schooling
is determined as the beginning. Decisions are always traced back to desired results which
means that planning, implementing (teaching), and assessing should be connected to the
outcomes.

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Principle 3: High Expectations

Establishing high expectations and challenging standards of performance will

encourage students to learn better. This is linked to the premise that successful learning,
promotes more successful learning (Spady,1994). This premise if parallel to Edward
Thorndike’s law of effect which connotes that success reinforces learning, motivates, builds
confidences and encourage learners to do better.

Principle 4: Expanded Opportunities

In OBE, all students are expected to excel, hence equal expanded opportunities should
be provided. As advocates of multiple intelligences say, “every child has a genius in him/herself
hence is capable of doing the best.” Learners develop inborn potentials if corresponding
opportunities and support are given to nurture.

Teaching-Learning in OBE

Teaching is teaching if learners learn. Learning is measured by its outcome. Whatever

approach to teaching is used, the intent should focus on learning rather than teaching. Students
must learn how to learn, hence should be innovative. How then should teaching-learning be done
in OBE? Here are some tips:
 Teachers must prepare students adequately. This can be done if the teachers know
what they want the students to learn and what they want the students to learn and
what learning outcomes to achieve. Prerequisite knowledge is important; thus, a
review is necessary at the start of a lesson.
 Teachers must create a positive learning environment. Students should feel that
regardless of individual uniqueness, the teacher is always there to help. Teacher
and student relationships are very important and the classroom atmosphere should
provide respect for diverse kinds of learners.
 Teachers must help their students to understand what they have to learn, why they
should learn it (what use it will be now and, in the future), and how will they know
that they have learned.

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 A teacher must use a variety of teaching methods. The most appropriate strategy
should be used taking into account the learning outcome teachers want the students
to achieve. Also, to consider are the contents, the characteristics of the students, the
resources available, and the teaching skill of the teacher.
 Teachers must provide students with enough opportunities to use the new
knowledge and skills that they gain. When students do this, they can explore new
learning, correct errors, and adjust their thinking. The application of learning is
encouraged rather than the mere accumulation of these.
 Teachers must help students to bring each learning to personal closure that will
make them aware of what they learned.

Here are additional key points in teaching-learning in OBE which show the shifts from a
traditional to an OBE view.

FROM TRADITIONAL VIEW TO OBE VIEW

Instruction Learning

Inputs and Resources Learning Outcomes

Knowledge is transferred by the Knowledge already exists in the

teacher. mind of learners.

Teachers dispenses knowledge Teachers are designers of methods

Teachers and students are Teacher and students work in teams

independent and in isolation

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Assessment of Learning Outcomes in OBE

Assessment of learning happens when teachers use evidence of student learning to make
judgments about student performance based on goals and standards (summative evaluation).
Assessment in OBE must also be guided by the four principles of OBE which are clarity of focus,
designing backward, high expectations, and expanded opportunity. It should help improve
students' learning goals because in OBE, it is first necessary to establish a clear vision of what
students expect to learn (desired learning outcome), and then the assessment becomes an
embedded part of the system.
To be useful in the OBE system, assessment should be guided by the following principles:

1. Assessment procedure should be valid. Procedure and tools should assess what
one intends to test.
2. Assessment procedure should be reliable. The results should be consistent.
3. Assessment procedure should be fair. Cultural background and other factors should not
influence the assessment procedure.
4. Assessment should reflect the knowledge and skills that are important to the students.
5. Assessment should tell both the teachers and students how students are progressing.
6. Assessment should support every student’s opportunity to learn important things.
7. Assessment should allow individually or uniqueness to be demonstrated.
8. Assessment should be comprehensive to cover a wide range of learning outcomes.

Learner’s Responsibility for Learning

Student responsibility arises when students play an active role in learning by admitting that
they are responsible for their academic achievements. When students make choices and take
actions that move them towards their educational goals, they demonstrate their sense of
responsibility. In OBE, students are responsible for their learning and progress. Teachers can only
facilitate that learning, define the learning outcomes to be achieved, and assist the students to
achieve those outcomes. Students have a bigger responsibility to achieve those outcomes. In this
way, they will be able to know whether they are learning or not.

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The benefits of outcomes-based education enable students to be aware of what they should
be learning, why they are learning it, what they are learning, and what they should do when they
are learning outcomes. This in return, concludes with the achieved learning outcomes. Also, OBE
produces students with greater self-esteem because they will be allowed to develop at their own
pace, be trained to work effectively in groups, become analytical and creative thinkers, problem
solvers, and effective communicators. They will know how to collect, gather, and organize
information and conduct research. Lastly, students will be more aware of their responsibilities to
the environment and the people around them.
In terms of students' perspectives, there are common questions that will guide them as they
learn under the OBE Curriculum framework. To guide the students in OBE learning, they should
ask themselves the following questions:
As a student,
1. What do I have to learn?
2. Why do I have to learn it?
3. What will I be doing while I am learning?
4. How will I know that I am learning, what should be learning?
5. Will I have any say in what I learn?
6. How will I be assessed?

Take Action

Activity 1: Finding OBE in the Classroom (by groups)

1. Seek permission from the teacher to observe the class for one complete teaching lesson.
2. Borrow the teacher’s lesson plan. Identify the Intended Learning Outcomes (Objectives)
at the beginning of the lesson. Record observation.
3. Observe the class activities with the guidance of the teacher. Record observation.
4. Observe if the intended learning outcome at the beginning was achieved (achieve
learning outcome) at the lend of the lesson.
5. Summarize all recorded observations in the matrix below. Use the example as your
guide. Write down your report in the proper cell.

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Intended Learning Activities to accomplish the Achieved Learning

Outcome/s of the Lesson Intended Learning Outcomes at the end of the
Outcomes Lesson

Example: Example: Example:

Classifies objects into solid or Children mess up with objects Classified objects into solids
liquid trying to group them into two or liquids.
clusters: solids or liquid

My report: My report: My report:

Self- Check

Based on Activity 1: Finding OBE in the Classroom, answer the questions below:

1. What did the teacher intend to accomplish in the lesson at the beginning?
2. Was it accomplished or achieved at the end? Has learning occurred?
3. What learning outcome was achieved?
4, During the activity, was there an opportunity for all children to learn? Describe.
5. How was the achieved learning outcome assessed? Explain.

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Self- Check

As a future teacher, reflect on your observations and report on finding OBE in the
classroom and complete the sentences. Choose only one to answer.

1. I like OBE because …….In the future when I become a teacher, I should …….

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. I do not seem to like OBE because ……. In the future, when I become a teacher,
I should …….

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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References

A. Books

Bilbao, Purita P., Dayagil, Filomena T., Corpuz, Brenda B. (2015). Curriculum
development for Teachers. Cubao, Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing.
Spady, William G., Schwahn, Charles J. (2010). Learning Communities 2.0: Educating
in the Age of Empowerment. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education.
p. 169. ISBN 978-1-60709-608-5.

B. Electronic Sources

Spady, William G. (1994). Outcome-Based Education: Critical Issues and Answers.

The American Association of School Administrators; accesses 28 October 2020,
< https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED380910.pdf>.

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