CURRICULUM DESIGN
Part 2 of 2
PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL
OBJECTIVES
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
COURSE OUTCOMES
The heart of
OBE is a
EAC
Stakeholders
Definition of Terms
PROGRAMME EDUCATIONAL
OBJECTIVES (PEO):
PEO are broad goals describing expected
achievements of graduates in their career and
professional life after graduation.
PEO must be responsive to the expressed
interest of various groups of programme
stakeholders and linked to PO.
Definition of Terms
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES (PO):
PO are narrower programme level statements
that describe what students are expected to
know and be able to perform or attain by the
time of graduation from the programme.
PO must be linked to PEO,
i.e must directly address the PEO and must
encompass certain specified outcomes
(Outcomes (a) to (k) of EAC manual)
Definition of Terms
COURSE OUTCOMES (CO):
CO are statements of student actions or
what the student is able to do as the course
progresses that serve as evidence of the
achievement of PO. These statements are
more course specific and relate to the
course content.
COs are linked to POs.
Programme Educational Objectives
Programme Outcomes
Course Outcomes
of Course 1
Course Outcomes Course Outcomes
of Course 3
of Course etc.
Course Outcomes
of Course 2
Planning
Curricular Revamping?
Starting from scratch?
or
Modify existing curricular?
Delivery Methods/instructional Techniques
Assessment & Evaluation Methods
Steps towards implementing
OBE in curriculum design
1. Formulate PEO
2. Formulate PO
3. Identify Programme Core
– A set of courses in the programme
curriculum designated to address the PO.
Preferably, courses that all students will
take. Elective courses may or may not be
chosen.
Steps towards implementing
OBE in curriculum design
4. Define for each core course a set of
one or more COs
5. Prepare a matrix of COs against POs
(CO-PO Matrix)
 indicate the level of emphasis on PO
by each CO

entries 1, 2, and 3 to be
inserted in the matrix to
indicate the level of
emphasis whether slightly,
moderately, or
substantively addressed.
Should be based
on a review of
course materials
conducted by a
committee
Steps towards implementing
OBE in curriculum design
6. Prepare a matrix of courses
against PO (Course-PO Matrix)
 indicate the level of emphasis on PO
by each course
 Average out the entries in the CO-PO matrix
and insert in the Course-PO matrix
 Make sure PO are covered and distributed
throughout the program
Steps towards implementing
OBE in curriculum design
7. Identify delivery/teaching method
to ensure the student’s attainment
of the PO – PBL, co-operative
learning, capstone project, etc.
Students Workload
The content as well as the delivery
method contribute to students
workload.
Remember, students available time
in a week is 54 hours!!
Maximum Number of Subjects
per Semester
~ Also, remember 1 credit = 40 hours student
learning time per semester of 14 weeks
~ Therefore, 1 credit = 40/14 = 2.86 or about 3
hours per week
~ This means, humanly possible credit per
week = 54/3 = 18 credit
~ How many subjects of 3 credits each?
18/3 = 6 subjects
Steps towards implementing
OBE in curriculum design
8. Identify instruments and methods to be
used in assessing the student’s
attainment of the PO
9. Identify instruments and methods to be
used in assessing the graduates
attainment of the PEO
Steps towards implementing
OBE in curriculum design
9. Identify the performance targets, i.e. the
target criteria for the Outcome Indicators


eg. the (average score, score earned by at least 80% of)
the programme graduates on the (capstone design report,
portfolio evaluation) must be at least 75/100.
eg. the (median rating for, rating earned by at least 80% of)
the programme graduates on the (self-rating sheet, peer
rating sheet, senior survey, alumni survey, employer
survey, final oral presentation) must be at least (75/100, 4.o
0n a Likert scale, “Very good”)
Continuous Quality Improvement
(CQI)
To ensure CQI of programme (which
is mandatory in OBE), if the
performance target is not met, track
which component/s in the course
(content, delivery, assessment
methods, etc.), and try to improve or
change where necessary.
Continuous Quality Improvement
(CQI)
What steps might be taken at
the program course levels to
raise the level of achievement
of the outcomes (PO)?
ASSESSMENT OF CQI
INSTITUTIONAL MISSION
Educational
Objectives
Assess &
Evaluate
Constituents
Programme
Outcomes
Feedback for
Continuous
Improvement
Evaluation:
Interpretation of
Evidence & Data
Measurable
Performance
Criteria
Programme Learning
Practices/Strategies
Assessment:
Collection &
Analysis of
Evidence & Data
Example of Illustrative Course Outcomes
Example PO:
An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to
analyse and interpret data in relation to research works
Example of Related CO:
The student will be able to:
• design an experiment to (insert one or more goals or
functions) and report the results (insert specifications
regarding the required scope and structure of the report).
• conduct (or simulate) an experiment to (insert
specifications about the goals of the experiment) and
report the results (insert specifications regarding the
scope and structure of the report).
Example of Illustrative Course Outcomes
Example PO: an understanding of professional and ethical
responsibility
Example of Related CO:
Given a job-related scenario that requires a
decision with ethical implications, the student
will be able to:
• identify possible courses of action and
discuss the pros and cons of each other
• decide on the best course of action and
justify the decision
Example of Illustrative Course Outcomes
Example PO:
an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
Example of Related CO:
The student will be able to:
• identify the stages of team development and give
examples of team behaviours that are characteristic
of each stage
• summarise effective strategies for dealing with a
variety of interpersonal and communication
problems that commonly arise in teamwork, choose
the best of several given strategies for a specified
problem, and justify the choice
• etc.
References
•
Felder R. M. and Brent R., 2003, Designing and
Teachning Courses to Satisfy the ABET
Engineering Criteria, J. Eng. Education.
•
Abet’s presentation in various workshops and
seminars.