Outcomes-based Education

[mijan24]

Back in the late 80's early 90's Australia and America changed their curriculums to reflect an outcomes-based education approach, America has reverted to a "Standards Approach" Australia under Little Johnny is still fumbling and bumbling along - whilst Australia's students suffer under the "new age curriculums" and drop behind their international peers.

Will Thailand progress or suffer the same fate under the current PM/Edn Minister ??

Edited September 29, 2005 by mijan24

[haltes]

IMHO the primary failure in Thai schools at the moment is due to a move away from a centralized curriculum and examination structure to one that the individual schools themselves control, this can partly be attirbuted to the fact that there has been a shift towards school based management over the last decade with schools having far more autonomy than they used to have. It is important to have outcomes following say for the sake of argument Bloom's taxonomy, outcomes does give focus in the classroom, and should be part of any standards based strategy and teachers will use outcomes in their lesson plan formulation anyway even if they follow a standards based curriculum but it seems madness to still base everything only on out comes especially after looking at the research.

"The best test of an OBE-type system was Chicago's experiment in the 1970s with Professor Benjamin Bloom's Mastery Learning (ML), which is essentially the same as OBE. ML was a colossal failure and was abandoned in disgrace in 1982. The test scores proved to be appallingly low and the illiteracy rate became a national scandal. Bloom, the father of ML, is well known for his statement that "the purpose of education is to change the thoughts, feelings and actions of students." (All Our Children Learning, page 180.)

A standards based curriculum might seem great but we should ask the question who sets the standards, monitors them, and guarantees that the standards are being met?

This coupled with the fact that it would seem that Thailand never really follows through on any policies and changes them too frequently for anything postive or negative to manifest itself. As most people who have been here for a lengthy time period will acknowledge, teachers here (Thai teachers) have no stimulus to change and I fear few will want to embrace things like brain based learning, multiple intelligences etc etc, and just carry on with a microphone talking at the class. But in a climate where noone can fail does it really matter? I have never heard a Thai school talk about CPD or other important development issues.

Personally, I would lean more towards a standards based approach that is maintained by an independent body but it is worth bearing in mind that no educational system is perfect, in the UK (just as an example) there have been constant complaints that the curriculum has been dumbed down to try to ensure that no student is left behind which still has not yielded a 100% pass rate.

Study after study shows that teacher and quality of leadership are two of the most important factors in student achievement, these are beyond the control of a government who really has no desire to invest the substantial sums of money that are required to see an improvement and guarantee the standards of not just what is taught but who teaches it (whether they have the capacity to do it or just the inclination is perhaps another issue)

[Rhys]

M-24 Thanks for your insights.. Have another area for you.. Outcome based Learning SWBAT.. that type of thing.. What is your opinion of using PBL.. Problem Base learning as a learning approach for English.. PBL often is used in the Medical areas.. where performance and small group learning are key.. Proficiency must be "officially meet with the John Handcock." Or it is REDO.

Specifically this approach is currently being thought of as another BuZZ technique in the U of IWorkAt

While I agree this approach is just another twist on cooperative learning, and in the Thai context of WE DO IT together.. THE SWBAT.. is reached, but for that single student, who plans to study abroad.. it still lacks.

Would you as the SAGE of Learning approaches, endorse PBL for English with " University" students? ... meaning the are in the "R" zone.

Do Tell.... Mahalo

[mijan24]

M-24 Thanks for your insights.. Have another area for you.. Outcome based Learning  SWBAT.. that type of thing.. What is your opinion of using PBL.. Problem Base learning as a learning approach for English.. PBL often is used in the Medical areas.. where performance and small group learning are key..  Proficiency must be  "officially meet with the John Handcock."  Or it is REDO.

  Specifically this approach is currently being thought of as another BuZZ technique in the U of IWorkAt

  While I agree this approach is just another twist on cooperative learning, and in the Thai context of WE DO IT together.. THE SWBAT.. is reached, but for that single student, who plans to study abroad.. it still lacks.

  Would you as the SAGE of Learning approaches, endorse PBL for English with " University" students?  ... meaning the are in the "R" zone.

Do Tell.... Mahalo

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rhys hopefully a simple and quick response is what you are after:

Although the current trend is away from "outcome based approach" I still lean towards it due to my TQM bent.

PBL is not only used in the medical fields but in many manual arts programs.

Not being or having professed to be the SAGE on Learning approaches I can only offer a true laymans opinion - that being PBL for English with "University" students would not be ideal although this opinion would be tempered by the country in which the University is located.

I would be most interested to hear your thoughts on introducing this approach to the U of IWorkAt or probably it is more correct to say the U at WUWork.

[Rhys]

M-24. Exactly right on... Short to the point.. and confirmation.. I'm not sure this approach will fly with the U of IWAT.. located in Thailand..

Thanks for the confirmation and insight.. NOW on .. It is show time.

Are you in country?

[mijan24]

M-24.  Exactly right on... Short to the point.. and confirmation..  I'm not sure this approach will fly with the U of IWAT.. located in Thailand..

Thanks for the confirmation and insight.. NOW on .. It is show time.

Are you in country? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rhys - Q. Are you in country? A. Yes!

[Plus+]

I have a weird feeling this whole thread consists of one person talking to himself.

This person throws around acronyms understood only by himself. Makes them sound like something important, replies to himself in similar code, yet, if you really look at what he/they are saying - it's all loads of crap pulled of free, unrelated internet resources.

I don't know where to start. Just look at this:

"PBL often is used in the Medical areas.. where performance and small group learning are key.. Proficiency must be "officially meet with the John Handcock." Or it is REDO."

It is total and utter nonsense. Omissions are not mine. That's the way the "thought" supposedly flows in this poster's mind.

[mijan24]

I have a weird feeling this whole thread consists of one person talking to himself.

This person throws around acronyms understood only by himself. Makes them sound like something important, replies to himself in similar code, yet, if you really look at what he/they are saying - it's all loads of crap pulled of free, unrelated internet resources.

I don't know where to start. Just look at this:

"PBL often is used in the Medical areas.. where performance and small group learning are key.. Proficiency must be "officially meet with the John Handcock." Or it is REDO."

It is total and utter nonsense. Omissions are not mine. That's the way the "thought" supposedly flows in this poster's mind.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Plus+ please take your own advice Quote[If it was MY thread I'd have asked you to leave long time ago. If I was reading and posting here regularly, I'd have reported you to moderators for irrational behaviour and stalking[/b].]Endquote

When you posted this little tid-bit it was a thread started by Rhys he/she ignored your input - unfortunately "I took the bait" When chastised by KK I apologised, you went on your "merry way"

Well now the pen is in the other hand (mine) you my friend (sic) are Now unless you have some input on the original topic "Outcomes-based Education" crawl back into the hole you have slinked out of. If you need someone to argue with try winding up your other nick "Plus" I am sure he/she is enough of a &lt;deleted&gt; to respond"

If you can't make sense of that (I am sure you will have difficulty) go away and think about it - If necessary it can be posted with a multi-choice response to make it easier 4 U.

[Rhys]

Thinking... hmm maybe.. based on the outcome .. T / F is more appropriate.. That's True and False

I'll be open to PBL (English language teaching) in Thailand.. yet, the challenges and adaptations to the Thai way.. create something entirely different from the concept..

Cheers..

[kenkannif]

Yes please Plus if you feel someone is using two names (as you're suggesting) PM me and I can get the clever chaps to check.

Please don't post on a thread, unless you have something constructive, on topic (or at least mildly amusing) to say.

[Rhys]

Outcome Based Education: Reference to PBL Problem Based Learning

PBL is based on group process and yet when evaluations come up for a final grade..the LECTURE, Objective test is used. What options are available for a Final Grade? Peer review is usually in the Thai way: Give everyone an A..

Participation is one option, but that is more for group process. A group paper?

Cheers