Outcomes-based Education Assessment Practices of UEP Collegiate Faculty Members: Basis for a Training Design

Abstract

It has been a lament of many educators that despite the mandate of the CHED, HEIs have not yet maximally embraced Outcomes-based Assessment (OBA). Educators are still experiencing confusion on the real OBA, hence, the difficulty in shifting from the traditional way of assessment to the real outcomes-based assessment. A descriptive research design was conducted to determine the assessment approaches utilized by UEP faculty members in terms of assessment for learning, assessment of learning, and assessment as learning; found out the perspectives of the respondents on the OBE framework; found out the different assessment tools used by the respondents; and identified the problems/concerns regarding assessment met by the respondents, data of which were used as inputs in the design of a training to enhance faculty members’ assessment practices. The study utilized four-part survey instrument and employed means and percentages to analyze the data. The faculty members “very much practiced” assessment of learning and assessment for learning while they “much practice” assessment as learning. Majority of the respondents had correct perspectives in majority of the items on OBE. However, they had misconceptions on outcomes-based assessment as a norm-referenced kind of testing and that grading is done in every step of the way of the OBE curriculum. On the assessment tools, majority of the faculty members “always” practice the use of teacher-made tests, “often” use some performance based assessment while many alternative assessment format are seldom used. The specific problems encountered by the faculty members were categorized into three: limited facilities and materials, lack of knowledge on OBE and OBA, and, difficulty in the teaching-learning process. Problems met in implementing the Outcomes-based Education framework center on three areas: lack of basic knowledge of OBE and OBA, lack of facilities, and difficulty in the teaching-learning process. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers came up with a training design which will address the concerns of the respondents on assessment in the Outcomes-based Education Framework.