Outcome-based Education (OBE) and its Implementation

Outcome-based Education

The quality assurance system provides a mechanism to ensure that all HKMU programmes and courses are set at the appropriate level in the Qualifications Framework (QF).

• A new programme proposal would indicate how the programme is set at the proposed QF level by mapping the programme learning outcomes against the QF descriptors, with justifications. Following the usual protocol depicted above, the Advisor Peer Group, School Board, External Examiner, Programme Review and Validation Committee. Finally, the Senate will review the mapping as part of the programme proposal approval. At a later stage, whenever the programme is due for revalidation, the QF level stated for the programme will be re-examined and reviewed.
• The courses at the HKMU are categorised into various levels with reference to the indicators adopted from the four domains of the Generic Level Descriptors of the QF.

To meet the requirements of the QF, the University fully adopts the outcome-based education approach in the pedagogical design of a programme and at the course level. When a new programme is proposed (or a programme is being revalidated), the academics involved have to indicate how:

• the courses in the programme relate to the fulfilment of the programme outcomes,
• the programme outcomes help to promote the expected graduate attributes, and
• the teaching-learning and assessment strategies relate to the programme outcomes.

For new courses, in addition to explaining how the teaching-learning strategies and the assessment are aligned with the course learning outcomes, the content must be matched to the outcomes.

Implementation of Outcome-based Education

The quality assurance system requires documentation on how the programmes and courses align content and assessment with intended learning outcomes in relevant programme proposals, revalidation submissions, and course proposals and reports.

Regular workshops and training sessions on OBE are conducted by experienced instructional designers of the Office for Advancement of Teaching and Learning (ALTO) for new and existing staff every year.

ALTO also provides academic staff with a handbook on OBE that covers the essentials for implementing OBE (such as the concept, writing programme outcomes, writing course outcomes which align with the programme outcomes, assigning course outcomes at the appropriate level, aligning course teaching with the outcomes, and relating course assessment to the outcomes). Document templates are provided in the handbook to facilitate the writing of programme and course proposals that use OBE.

Through ALTO, the University provides ample resources and support to help equip our academic staff with the best practice in teaching, learning and technological advancement.