Outcome Based Education vs. Traditional Education

Basic Concept of Outcomes Assessment

Outcomes assessment is a process which gauges a student’s knowledge and skills and provides for continual teaching and learning improvement. The focus is on providing a meaningful and relevant student learning experience. The process is generally correlated to an institutional mission.

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Basic Concept of Outcomes Assessment

Outcomes assessment is a process which gauges a student's knowledge and skills and provides for continual teaching and learning improvement. The focus is on providing a meaningful and relevant student learning experience.

Performance Criteria

To assess student outcomes meaningfully, we must have performance criteria to guide us. Performance Criteria are specific measurable statements identifying the performances required to meet the outcomes with confirmable, thorough evidence.

Educational Practices

Educational practices and strategies may mean how you would implement various combinations of assessment methods and the frequency and interval of those assessment methods.

Assessment

Assessments are the processes that identify, collect, analyze, and report data that can be used to evaluate student achievement. In this case, achievement is the student outcomes or course outcomes. Assessment is generally a time-consuming data collection process and an analysis of evidence for meaningful evaluation, the next logical step.

Evaluation

Evaluation is a process of reviewing the results of data collection and analysis and making a determination of the value of findings and actions to be taken. In view of this definition of evaluation, evaluation is a critical step to ensure the quality improvement process. Without proper evaluation, the assessment of data collection is rendered meaningless and eventually leads to failure and frustration for the parties involved.

Action Items

With evaluation come action items. Perhaps the most meaningful step in the overall flow cycle of assessment is the action items that allow closing the loop for real quality assurance. With action items as the feedback loop to change or improve student outcomes, performance criteria, and educational practices, the cycle of outcomes assessment is repetitive or a work-in-progress.