Outcomes Accreditation (OA)
IN4OBE’s leadership team is fully aware that there is enormous interest in Outcome Based Education because higher education institutions across the world have been introduced to OBE through Outcomes Accreditation (OA) processes of various kinds. On the one hand, we’re grateful for all the visibility that OBE has received in this way; on the other, we find the grave misunderstandings and confusion that have arisen over this matter to be highly unfortunate. And that’s why, in the end, we decided to write a book about the confusion. It’s a book that, we believe, represents OA, OBE, and their relationship as accurately as we can.
‘Real’ OBE Practices
and it’s available both in soft cover and as an e-book through our Filipino publisher, Rex Bookstores. Its authors include three members of IN4OBE’s leadership team, Dr. William Spady, Wajid Hussain, and Dr. Francis Uy, along with Joan Largo, Dean of Law at the University of San Carlos in the Philippines. Beyond Outcomes Accreditation is bound to get the attention of higher educators across the world, and for three good reasons.
First, it clearly exposes the fact that Outcomes Accreditation is not Outcome-Based Education, even thought it represents itself as such. The philosophy, fundamentals, authentic practices, and implications of ‘real’ OBE are carefully spelled out in the first section of the book by Dr. William Spady, who then carefully documents their conspicuous and total absence within OA’s requirements, guidelines, and processes. Dr. Spady’s fifty years of experience as the clarion voice and champion of OBE worldwide speaks for itself, and it speaks loudly for the empowering vision and transformational power that OBE projects for those with the insight and willingness to open their hearts and minds to it.
The wisdom of pursuing OBE is persuasively portrayed in chapters by Dean of Law Joan Largo and Dean of Civil Engineering Dr. Francis Uy. They describe the major benefits for both students and faculty that resulted from their departments’ implementation efforts with authentic OBE thinking and practice. These include a 100% pass rate for Dean Largo’s graduates on the recent Law Bar Examinations in the Philippines, an unrivaled Filipino success story!
Second, Beyond Outcomes Accreditation exposes and pinpoints over a dozen of the most glaring weaknesses in standard Outcomes Accreditation practices; and third, it shows how university departments can move Beyond each of those weaknesses with focused recommendations, correctives, and examples. These two related issues are insightfully and capably handled by Wajid Hussain. His exacting expertise in applying the operational principles of OBE to the challenges posed by Outcomes Accreditation’s many requirements and procedures is unrivaled internationally.
Hence, Beyond Outcomes Accreditation is a gold mine of invaluable insights and knowledge for those wanting to improve the effectiveness of their programs and expand the current and future success of their students – all at the same time! Here is its Table of Contents for your review.
Beyond Outcomes Accreditation
Introduction: Will the ‘Real’ Outcome Based Education Please Stand Up!
Chapter 7
Moving Beyond OA: Achieving Tight Alignment among All Levels of Curriculum and Instruction
The Conditions of Success
So, if you’ve been introduced to the concept of Outcome Based Education through your exposure and involvement in Outcomes Accreditation, this is a MUST READ for you! Not only will you learn how ‘real’ OBE works and expands ‘The Conditions of Success’ for both students and faculty, you’ll also learn how to move ‘beyond’ OA’s most serious limitations in achieving authentic life performance outcomes for all your students. That, after all, is why IN4OBE exists!
