Understanding the Essence of the Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) and Knowledge of its Implementation in a Technological University in the Philippines

The paper offers discussions of the result of adoption of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE)by the Ramon Magsaysay Technological University (RMTU), Zambales most especially on the aspect ascertaining the extent of understanding of the essence of OBE and the knowledge of OBE implementation. The study was conducted during the first semester of 2015 among the 272 faculty members. The research is descriptive and quantitative. Using the weighted mean, it was found out that the faculty members manifest a great extent of understanding of outcomes-based education primarily the active participation of students in the learning activities, however, faculty members’ perception indicated a moderate extent of understanding on the minor role played by the educators in the teaching-learning situation and planning activities that focus around the learners. The faculty members reported a great extent of knowledge of the outcomes-based education mainly the use of different techniques to assess student learning, though there is a moderate extent of knowledge on curriculum alignment and mapping and construction of Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) of the different Colleges. The areas of the outcomes-based instruction which were proposed to be offered for faculty development were seminars and trainings in the syllabus preparation-OBE format, on the utilization of student-centered strategies and on curriculum mapping.

Keywords: Essence of OBE, Implementation, Faculty Development, Knowledge of OBE, Outcome- Based Education