Tuning Journal for Higher Education

ISSN 2340-8170 (Print)

ISSN 2386-3137 (Online)

DOI: http://doi.org/10.18543/tjhe

Volume 9, Issue No. 2, May 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18543/tjhe922022

Resilience and responsiveness in challenging times

Articles

Learners’ attitude towards outcomes-based teaching and learning in higher education

Ruth A. Ortega-Dela Cruz[*]

doi: https://doi.org/10.18543/tjhe.1965

Received: 12 January 2021
Accepted: 11 January 2022
E-published: May 2022

Abstract: As outcomes-based education (OBE) is now being pursued in the Philippine higher education, learners have expressed their varied sentiments to this new approach. This cross-sectional study on the undergraduate and postgraduate learners sought answers as to what attitudes they may foster towards the success of implementing outcomes-based teaching and learning approach in a State University. It also aimed at determining the relationship between learners’ demographics, and their attitude towards OBE. Findings reveal that learners have positive attitude towards OBE. Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between learners’ demographics, and their attitude towards OBE. Analysis of variance reveals significant differences in the attitude of learners across degree levels. As the values formation seems to be a source of dispute among the learners of this new approach, it may also be the source of hope for its brighter future. Taking positively, it simply demands both the learners and educators the kind of character that will help them achieve their goals. For it is within the values of everyone to continue with what the implementers have started while waiting to reap its fruit towards excellence in higher education.

Keywords: Attitude; higher education; learners; outcomes-based teaching and learning; Philippines.

I. Introduction

Outcomes-based education (OBE) is a new approach in the Philippine higher education system. OBE called for the approach shift from teacher-centric education to lifelong learning; and from education as transmission of expert knowledge to education as building learner competencies, including learning how to learn.[1],[2] This is a learner- or student-centred approach in higher education that entails a shift from a more input-oriented curricular design based on the description of course content, which is developed in terms of learning outcomes. In this approach, students are made aware of what they ought to know, understand and be able to do after completing a unit of study.[3] Pedagogy and assessment are geared towards the acquisition of appropriate knowledge, skills and competencies as defined by disciplinal and multi-disciplinal communities of scholars and professional practitioners. In short, the development of these learning competencies is the expected outcome of higher education programs.

Outcomes-based teaching and learning (OBTL) is a constructive alignment of intended learning outcomes with appropriate outcomes-based assessment methods and teaching and learning activities. This is OBE applied in the classroom level. This is what the higher education system in the Philippines has started implementing after the issuance of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order No. 46, series of 2012 “Policy Standards to Enhance Quality Assurance (QA) in Philippine Higher Education through an Outcomes – Based and Typology – Based QA.[4]

Implementation of this new approach is in response to the current situation of the country. As early as in 1993, the Educational Commission (EDCOM) of the Senate of the Philippines reported a mismatch between the products of educational system and the needs of the labour market.[5] This has led to slow economic development of the country.[6] Besides, several studies recognize this slow economic performance to other quality indicators such as inadequate skills and global competencies of the workforce and unemployability of graduates in the global environment.[7]

OBE is no longer new for it has been implemented in the educational systems of the European Union, the United States, Malaysia, South Africa, and Australia as early as 2000.[8] Its full implementation in the University of the Philippines started in 2015.

Thus, this change process also called for the review and revision of the curricular programs as well as developing linkages with other professional institutions and organizations, which serve as the field/laboratory for the learners’ practical experiences. Most importantly, it called for a brand of school governance which is transformative in nature. Therefore, OBE will change the focus of educational institutions and their systems from the content to the student.

The result will be vastly different from the ones recent generations attended. Several changes have been observed in most of the higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the country. This is in response to what have been observed by the members of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) from where the University of the Philippines patterned its educational system. For instance, yearly and daily schedules have started to change. Same with the teachers’ roles and responsibilities, classroom activities, the evaluation of student performance, and most importantly, the perception of what it means to be an educated person will eventually change. These are just few among the many other factors that need to be altered to fit the needs of the students in response to the demands of the labour market.

These changes in some way or another could lead to the development of certain attitudes among learners who used to be taught and trained by a teacher-centred and content-based educational approach where pen and paper tests are the usual basis of student evaluation.

With this outcomes-based educational approach, the student learning outcomes are evaluated based on their observable behaviour and performance in terms of their acquired knowledge (cognitive), skills (behavioural), and attitudes (affective) that provide concrete evidence that learning has occurred in them. Thus, this educational approach does not limit itself to written forms of assessment, but it involves a variety of student evaluation techniques.

This study sought answers as to what extent learners are accepting or resisting this new approach in education (i.e., OBE) and/or what attitudes they may foster towards the success of its implementation in the University of the Philippines Los Baños. Determining their attitude towards OBE is essential for the success of any undertaking to shift to OBE approach since it would consequently determine their knowledge, beliefs, readiness, and acceptance towards this new educational approach.

The school’s leadership and administration would then be able to provide ample adjustments based on the stated factors that formulate their attitude towards OBE. Thus, educators would be able to realize what needs to be done to adapt to the OBE system since the study will provide the framework for the assessment of this the new approach.

The learners, as a result of this assessment and in fact OBE’s utmost beneficiaries, would be prepared for the real-world demands, as aimed for. Such educational approach will get them to engage in learning activities that are likely to result in achieving the desired outcomes.

This study specifically answered the following research questions:

1.What is the learners’ attitude towards outcomes-based education?

2.Is there significant relationship between learners’ demographics, and their attitude towards outcomes-based education?

3.Is there significant a difference across degree levels in the learners’ attitude towards outcomes-based education?

The following null hypotheses guided the study and were tested at 95 per cent level of significance:

Ho1:There is no significant relationship between learners’ age and their attitude towards OBE;

Ho2:There is no significant relationship between learners’ level of education and their attitude towards OBE; and

Ho3:There is no significant difference across degree levels in the learners’ attitude towards OBE.

I.1. OBE defined

Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) had been defined by various scholars in the field.

OBE curriculum means starting with a clear picture of what is important for students to be able to do, then organizing the curriculum, instruction, and assessment to make sure this learning ultimately happens. There is no single model for OBE, but the OBE purpose will be achieved if educators apply the four basic principles of OBE consistently, systematically, creatively, and simultaneously.[9] These four basic principles include clarity of focus, designing down, high expectation, and expanded opportunities. The clarity of focus indicates that teachers should focus on helping students to develop the knowledge, skills and personalities that will enable them to achieve the intended outcomes that have been clearly articulated. The designing down means that the curriculum design must start with a clear definition of the intended outcomes that students are to achieve by the end of the program. Once this has been done, all instructional decisions are then made to ensure achieve this desired end result. High expectations means that teachers should establish high, challenging standards of performance to encourage students to engage deeply in what they are learning. Whereas, expanded opportunities indicates that teachers must strive to provide expanded opportunities for all learners since not all of them can learn the same thing in the same way and at the same time.

OBE was viewed in three different ways – as a theory of education, as a systemic structure for education and as classroom practice.[10] OBE as a theory of education expresses a certain set of beliefs and assumptions about learning, teaching and the systemic structure within which these activities take place. Ultimately, the systemic structure and the classroom practice need to be aligned with the theory in order to have genuine outcomes-based education.

OBE is an approach to education as well as a type of learning process wherein decisions about the curriculum are driven by the exit-learning outcomes that the students should display at the end of the course.[11] It is a term used to imply that everything will be designed and organized around the intended learning outcomes (ILOs), which a learner needs to demonstrate at the end of the learning program.[12],[13] In this sense, teachers are expected to clearly state and communicate those ILOs, and minimum acceptable standards for success are established so that students understand what is expected of them. Teachers are then tasked to select instructional strategies that will help students to gain the desired knowledge, skills, competencies, or values. And finally, teachers are to choose assessments that are constructively aligned with the learning outcomes and provide evidence that these have been achieved.[14]

OBE was adopted as an approach that would enable the articulation between education and training, recognition of prior learning, and thus increased mobility for learners between different vocations.[15]

II. Materials and methods

This section presents the research design, sampling technique, data gathering instrument, procedure, and statistical tools used in the study.

II.1. Research design

The study used descriptive cross-sectional research design to analyse the learners’ attitude towards outcomes-based education. Descriptive research is used to obtain information concerning the status of the phenomenon and to describe “what exists” with respect to variables or conditions in a situation.[16] Whereas a cross-sectional study begins by selecting a sample population and then obtaining data to classify all individuals in the sample as having exposed to an OBE approach.[17] This type of research often uses questionnaires and interviews to gather information from groups of subjects. Consistent with the literature on research design, this study utilized a survey questionnaire to gather data regarding learners’ demographic characteristics as they relate to their knowledge, beliefs, readiness, and acceptance towards implementing this new approach in higher education.

In addition to describing what is with respect to the learners’ attitude towards implementing this new approach in higher education, this study also utilized a correlational research design to investigate potential relationship between variables of interest.[18]

II.2. Participants

The researcher used simple random sampling of learners of the College of Public Affairs and Development, University of the Philippines Los Baños (CPAf, UPLB). The CPAf offers relevant academic courses on development and governance studies. It is composed of an institute and two centres. Its institute, namely the Institute for Governance and Rural Development (IGRD), offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in education.[19]

The respondents were composed of 45 undergraduate and 55 graduate learners (i.e., 35 master’s (MS) and 20 doctorate (PhD) learners) who were taking education courses during the second semester of the academic year 2017-2018.

A total of 100 respondents participated in answering the survey questionnaire. It represents 56 per cent of the total research population, which is 179. The researcher included students from three levels in higher education such as 55 BS, 35 MS, and 20 PhD to explore any significant difference in the learners’ attitude towards OBTL.

II.3. Instrumentation

The instrument was adapted from the previous researcher’s study on the “educator’s attitude towards OBE”.[20],[21] This instrument is made up of 50 statements that help the educators in examining their attitude towards outcomes-based teaching and learning approach to IT education. These attitudinal statements were based on the OBE principles.[22] The statements include items reflecting to the knowledge and beliefs, feelings, competence, readiness, and acceptance levels of IT educators towards OBE. The researcher also asked one open-ended question that synthesized the respondent’s overall impression on OBE.

The instrument had been subjected to validation process and test of reliability which had a total degree (0.79) with a reliability factor of ‘acceptable’. But as this study deals with the learners’ attitude, the previous instrument for educators was modified accordingly to suit the objectives of the study. The instrument for learners’ attitude is composed of 31 statements that assist the respondents in examining their attitude towards this new educational approach. These attitudinal statements are measured using four-point Likert scales ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (4). Learners’ demographics in terms of age, and level of education as indicated by their degree level were also determined. Since the study used a modified questionnaire, the researcher conducted test of reliability with test-retest and Cronbach-Alpha method. This was administered to a group of 20 students composed of seven BS, seven MS and six doctorate students from another university. The result got a total degree (0.85) with a reliability factor of ‘good’.

II.4. Ethical consideration

The researcher being a member of the academe made ethical considerations in the conduct of this study. In particular, she asked the consent of the student-respondents first before administering the survey questionnaire to them. Being the program coordinator for education courses, she has a direct contact to these group of learners. The researcher clearly explained to them the objectives of the study. She made assurance that their participation is voluntary in nature and in no way affects their status as learners. The learners have the freedom to withdraw at any time they feel uncomfortable with their participation in the survey. This study covered the learning experiences of the learners during the past semesters, in which the researcher was not yet their teacher. Thus, conflict of interest and potential bias in no way influenced the results of the study.

II.5. Confidentiality

Confidentiality was addressed by assigning a code number to each respondent as they complete the survey and using only that code to indicate survey responses. This code was entered on each survey enabling the researcher to link the survey and the respondent. This link allows the survey results to remain confidential without being anonymous to the researcher. Aggregate data reported contain no individually identifiable information. Individual student identities were masked by this code. No individual quotations were used from respondents’ responses.

II.6. Data analysis

Quantitative data gathered was analysed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics such as the mean, frequencies, and percentages were used in tabular presentations of the results. Pearson’s chi-square test was utilized to determine the relationship between categorical variables. Whereas Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the significant difference in the attitude of learners across degree levels.

In addition, thematic analysis was applied for responses to open-ended question. The researcher closely examined the qualitative data to identify common themes, ideas, and patterns of meaning that come up repeatedly from the set of texts. These qualitative data were incorporated in the discussion of findings.

III. Results

This section presents the major findings of the study. Quantified data were tabulated, analysed, and interpreted.

Table 1

Demographic profile of learners

Age range

f

19 and below

21

20-30

41

31-40

20

41-50

14

51-60

4

n

100

Degree level

f

Bachelor’s Degree

45

Master’s Degree

35

Doctorate Degree

20

n

100

Table 1 shows the distribution of the respondents in terms of age and their level of education. Most of their ages ranged from 20-40 years old which is 61 per cent of the total population. A total of 100 respondents participated in filling out the survey questionnaire. Forty-five per cent were taking bachelor’s degree 35 per cent of them were taking their masters’ degree, while 20 per cent were in their doctorate degree.

III.1. Learners’ attitude towards Outcomes-Based Teaching and Learning

Attitude is measured using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 31 attitudinal statements reflecting the learners’ knowledge, beliefs, acceptance, and readiness towards outcomes-based education.

Table 2 presents the result based on the order of overall frequencies of strongly agree scale from the highest to lowest value/s computed in each of the statements that quantifies the learners’ attitude.

Table 2

Learners’ attitude towards OBTL

Item no.

Attitudinal Statements

Degree level

Overall

BS

MS

PhD

16

I believe that traditional pen and paper tests are not always beneficial in assessing my competencies as a learner.

28

19

11

58

26

I believe that more research is needed before OBTL can be successfully implemented.

27

21

8

56

7

I believe OBTL will augment the standards of learners’ achievements.

13

25

16

54

20

I believe that being co-creator of knowledge and acting as a facilitator in an OBTL requires more preparation time for me as a student than in a traditional content-based classes.

24

16

14

54

5

I believe that OBTL requires more responsibilities from the learners than content driven approaches.

23

18

10

51

14

I believe that an OBTL would not be a waste of time.

17

19

14

50

9

I believe that the OBTL requires that every academic be a specialist in his/her subject field.

16

20

13

49

1

I believe that most OBTL prepares me better for the workplace.

12

20

16

48

23

I believe that my interest in OBTL enhances my ability to be a good facilitator.

14

20

13

47

31

I believe that OBTL will lead to greater efficiency and quality in education.

16

16

14

46

8

I am more interested in OBTL than content driven pedagogical approach in all of my classes.

16

13

14

43

13

I need the support of my colleagues/other classmates with ideas when using OBTL.

14

16

13

43

18

Knowing that OBTL is mandatory motivates me to become more prepared for my classes.

11

16

13

40

10

I believe that student pass rate would increase with OBTL.

8

16

14

38

12

I believe that my academic experience will help me to adapt to OBTL.

11

14

12

37

17

My university has an excellent support system for effective implementation of OBTL.

6

18

13

37

24

The impression that OBTL requires more practical work sessions in class would lead to the abdicating of content responsibilities.

12

13

8

33

19

I have a support system at home allowing me to cope with OBTL in all of my classes.

12

8

12

32

21

I believe that OBE approach is the best solution to address labour mismatch in our society.

5

13

13

31

2

My daily schedule gives me sufficient time as a learner in an OBEdised class setting.

1

16

10

27

4

The possibility that OBE approach may not be accepted by academics, does not impact on my attitude towards OBTL.

7

9

11

27

25

I believe that OBTL is the best approach in higher education.

4

14

9

27

29

I believe that OBTL will provide all learners with equal educational opportunities.

2

13

11

26

3

I believe that our scheduled contact time in various classes is sufficient to OBTL in higher education.

2

13

9

24

27

I believe that an OBTL would require more partnership with industry.

5

9

10

24

22

I believe that it is possible to have large groups/classes using OBTL in higher education.

4

11

8

23

30

It would be easy for me to transform from content-based education to OBTL in higher education.

3

9

10

22

11

I have the available resources to present my outputs in the class using OBTL.

3

5

10

18

15

I can have the available books and other reference materials to comply with the standards of OBE.

7

3

5

15

6

I have conflict of interests between OBTL and the content-based teaching and learning.

4

6

3

13

28

My knowledge of OBE is adequate.

0

3

8

11

Based on the data gathered, majority of the respondents have approving attitude in terms of knowledge, beliefs, and readiness in shifting to outcomes-based educational approaches. Majority of them tend to be more optimistic, positive and are open to curricular reform. Most of them upheld the principles of OBE. And they strongly believed that shifting to OBE approach to teaching and learning will never be a waste of time. Accordingly, they strongly believed that OBE would raise the standards of their academic achievements. As they believed that traditional pen and paper tests are not always beneficial in assessing their competencies, they considered that the OBE would require practical approaches which will need more liaisons with industries and other institutions/organizations. These would help the learners to acquire and be equipped with the skills they need for their field of work.

III.2. Relationship between learners’ demographics and their attitude towards OBTL

On the other hand, results of correlation analysis in Table 3 revealed a significant relationship between learners’ demographics, and their attitude towards outcomes-based education. That is, there was a highly significant relationship between learners’ age and their attitude 2(4, n=100) = 36.700b, p=.000 as well as a highly significant relationship between learners’ degree level and their attitude 2(2, n=100) = 9500a,p=.009. These statistical findings rejected the Ho1 and Ho2.

Table 3

Significant difference in the learners’ attitude across degree Levels

Sum of Squares

df

Mean Square

F

Sig.

Between Groups

2.537

2

1.268

7.588

.001

Within Groups

16.213

97

.167

Total

18.750

99

This further implies that learner’s attitude towards OBE changes (either increases or decreases) as the level of his/her age and education changes. Adult learners who are in their higher level of education, the doctorate or PhD learners, find their attitude towards OBE approach more favourable than those who are in their bachelor’s degree. Basically, the graduate learners were already in the field and their education and trainings helped increase their knowledge and understanding of OBE. Their experience and expertise in education helped shape their overall attitude towards this educational reform as manifested by their willingness to be challenged and take greater academic responsibility for the sake of achieving quality in education. Likewise, such statistically significant findings were generalizable to a larger population of learners as they find OBE challenging and yet rewarding.

Analysis of Variance as shown in Table 4 indicated highly significant differences in the attitude of learners across degree levels F (2, n=100) = 7.588, p= .001. Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD) post hoc test specifies that the differences in the attitude occurred between groups of master’s and doctorate learners.

Table 4

Relationship between learner’s demographics and attitude towards OBE

Age

Degree level

Attitude

Chi-Square

36.700b

9.500a

97.220a

df

4

2

2

Asymp. Sig.

.000

.009

.000

IV. Discussions

The favourable attitude of learners towards OBTL supports the findings of researchers who found assenting and clear perceptions and awareness among higher education Nigerian students towards OBE.[23] Furthermore, the development and implementation of OBE is perceived to have a positive impact on the education system of other countries such as the Solomon Islands. The learning of OBE is crucial for student’s acquisition and mastery of knowledge, understandings, skills and values or attitudes.[24]

Moreover, learners’ attitude towards OBE supports the findings of the two separate studies on educators’ attitude towards OBE in Information Technology (IT) education and another study on educators’ attitude towards OBE in relation to English Second Language (ESL) learning. Similarly, the authors found positive relationship between IT professors’ educational attainment and their attitude towards IT education[25] as well as in the other study whose authors found English professors’ education positively related to their attitude towards outcomes-based ESL learning.[26]

In view of the OBE principles, acquisition of skills is one of the two basic types of outcomes from any educational system.[27] The first type includes performance indicators such as completion or graduation rates, licensure examination results, employment rates, etc. The second type is less tangible and is usually expressed in terms of what students or graduates know, are able to do, or are like as a result of their education. However, when talking about OBE, this second type of outcomes is one that is normally implied.[28]

Assessing the learners’ knowledge and belief about OBE could help determine educators’ strategies in developing the learners’ readiness to accept more responsibilities being co-creators of knowledge in an OBE approach. Learners being co-creators of knowledge is an instructional belief that assumes that learners are not tabula rasa (blank slates) and they do not limit themselves as being recipients of knowledge. Rather they have something meaningful to contribute to a learning experience. They are to find ways on how they could learn more and take advantage of the teaching-learning process. This instructional belief motivates and challenges the learners to think analytically, critically, empirically and outside the box. These favourable responses of learners give support to the educators’ attitude towards outcomes-based educational approaches in both English Second Language (ESL) Learning[29] and Information Technology (IT) Education[30]. Students’ positive attitude is manifested in their active participation in the learning activities. This active participation of the students was brought by the way teachers manifest a great extent of knowledge and understanding of the OBE approach and its implementation.[31] Although there is a need for trainings and dissemination of OBE best practices, for teachers’ overall view on OBE cannot be served by just knowledge, attitudes, and perspectives of OBE principles, but a well-defined role must also be fulfilled.[32]

This is true particularly in terms of teachers’ role in conceptualizing, organizing the curriculum, instruction, and assessment to make sure that learning ultimately happen and that intended learning outcomes are being achieved.[33],[34]

When asked about their overall impression on OBE, 61 per cent of the learners have commendatory impressions on this new approach in higher education. In particular, they viewed OBE as a great and holistic approach to adult learning. It employs good teaching strategies that will help learners achieve their own learning goals and objectives. In response to the open-ended question regarding their over-all impression on OBE, the respondents cited positive remarks such as that the OBE is a better approach for the Philippine educational system, is more suitable today as it prepares learners for their future, is providing the necessary educational opportunities that could cater to the various needs of the learners and is providing a better way of assessing learners’ performance. Forty-one per cent of these learners affirmed the educators’ positive attitude that this educational approach will truly be helpful and relevant for both educators and learners. It makes the process more systemic, organized, integrative, interactive, goal and outcome-oriented while providing fun and holistic learning experiences.[35] These imaginative ways of organizing instructions and learning experiences enable the learners to use their time creatively and productively.[36] In this sense, the learners are becoming more reflective and independent learners.

In addition to being constructive and transformative, OBE is humanistic in the sense that the educators put primary importance on the development of the learners.[37] Learners across degree levels believe in the following advantages of OBE: (i) as OBE is more geared towards development of the learners, it will let learners keep motivated, and be challenged to interact more and learn from explorations, discoveries and experiments; thus, (ii) it will escalate the effectiveness of teaching and learning process; (iii) it will likewise help future educators in promoting lifelong learning among learners; (iv) it will help strengthen the mastery of the student learning competencies since it highlights active learning; (v) it will drive relevant stakeholders to measure and achieve measurable outcomes to gauge the fruit of learning process; (vi) it will provide a better way to resolve the issue on labour mismatch in the country; (vii) it is beneficial to both teachers and learners for quality and efficient learning and development; (viii) it will help in producing globally competitive learners/ graduates and finally (ix) it will respond to the needs and issues in improving the curriculum and ultimately in the development of society.

These findings uphold the study on the perceptions of customs and administration learners regarding usefulness of OBE.[38] Such study revealed how the respondents believe in the capacity of OBE to provide a learning environment that will help learners develop their knowledge, and skills. But one thing that contradicted with their findings is the way the learners perceive it positively in promoting character formation as future professionals. Contrary to this is the perspective of the learners who believe that there will be accompanying issues behind producing well-skilled learners, graduates or even professionals. They made reference to the issues concerning values that may be experienced by teachers, parents and the community in general. For they believed, OBE focuses more on skills but not on values formation or character development. Of course, for the learning to be holistic and effective, it must incorporate the affective dimension. It is where the essence of real education comes in and something that will bring about change in the learners.

Amidst these leverages of OBE approaches to the education system of the country, some learners still expressed their ambivalence as they compare this new approach to the time-honoured system of the country. Learners indicated unfavourable responses to the statement that talks about their ease of adaptability to transform from content-based education (CBE) to OBE and their conflict of interest between the two approaches.

In their response to an open-ended question about their impression on OBE, learners explicitly mentioned about the importance of content-based education in the country. According to them, it would be a long process before State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the country could totally adopt this new approach. They perceived that it is not easy to unlearn things that they are used to. With this, they suggested not to replace CBE completely with OBE. They believed that there must be balance in the application of these two approaches.

The findings revealed what led the learners to have such ambiguity in their mind. Thirty-three per cent of the respondents admitted that they have inadequate knowledge of OBE as indicated by their disagreement with the statement that speaks about it. This was supported by 16 per cent who indicated “no comment/idea” “none/nothing” or simply leaving the space blank where they were requested to state their opinion on OBE.

Furthermore, there were learners who despite uncertainty, provided suggestion and expressed their wishful thoughts for the success of its implementation. Fifty-six per cent of them strongly believed that more research is needed before OBE can be successfully implemented in the country. Some of them perceived that the Philippines is not yet ready for OBE, and so they called for more trainings to educators before implementing it. For them, proper implementation will be a challenge given the type of learners that they have nowadays. Thus, it is important that a teacher should know and understand very well the concept and principles of OBE before applying it. Again, this is supported by their response to an open-ended inquiry where 21 per cent of them even derided other courses who claim, “they were OBEdised.” That is, they were implementing OBE, but in reality, they were still practicing content-based instruction. They challenged them by stating “being OBEdised is not just in paper but must be practiced and observed”, as cited by 10 BS, four MS and two PhD learners.

This finding affirms the need for more trainings and dissemination of OBE best practices for all teachers, as well as systemic changes in the entire education system to ensure optimal implementation of OBE in the Philippines.[39]

Significant difference in the attitude of the learners across degree levels was observed since they too have different background characteristics and level of understanding of what it means to OBEdised courses in higher education. Learners under postgraduate degree level may have broader perspectives and have acquired much academic experiences as compared to students under bachelor’s degree level, which contributed to their having more positive attitude towards OBTL.

V. Conclusions

The study strengthens the findings of prior research on attitude towards outcomes-based education. A new approach in the Philippine higher education system, which bears varied outlook from Filipinos. Where additional fresh insights have been presented by learners across degree levels, certain realizations can now be generalized as to how each individual learner perceives an educational reform in the country. And this has to do with the way they are being exposed to the concept of OBE, understanding its principles, and scrutinizing its practices.

OBE is seemingly a simple concept yet requires a very complicated process. Implementing an OBE system for education will pose a great challenge to its end-users as it provides an excellent way for them to reach the optimum result. With this, both the institution and the educators should work hand in hand to enable and encourage all learners to achieve essential outcomes by providing all forms of support they need in doing their part as implementers of this process. At the same time the learners should actively participate in and contribute towards the learning process by fulfilling their role as co-creators and facilitators in this educational approach.

As perceived by the learners, more study should be done first to prove its worth and relevance in the Philippine education system. But how can one know its worth if he will not give OBE a try? As OBE has not yet been implemented for so long in the country nor it has been practiced consistently in its entirety, there is no assurance that the current propositions for OBE are generally true. The values formation and integration that learners may never see in the concept of OBE is something the implementers should shed light on. It is interesting to note that learners like educators, should also be exposed to a kind of seminar-workshop or training, so they will have a concrete grasp of what OBE looks like. Hence, they would not have the feeling that they were being experimented. As the values formation or character development becomes a source of dispute in this new approach, it may also be the source of hope for its brighter future. It simply demands both the learners and educators the kind of character that will help them achieve their goals. For it is within one’s resolve and deep commitment to continue with what he has started.

This study provides a means to uncover the attitude of the learners towards the newly implemented approach in the Philippine higher education. Findings of this study provide insights and an avenue for other researchers and practitioners to explore other aspects of OBE. Since the study deals with the case of the Philippine higher education, it limits the generalisability of the findings. Therefore, this calls for more research on OBE as well in the countries where it is recently launched and in the countries with more experience on this approach. In addition, future researchers can expand the number of study participants and investigate the stand of various groups of scholars who belong to other disciplines or field of studies. Evaluating OBE among the graduates of higher education is another interesting subject of future investigation. For the success of a single educational approach can never be measured by just one trial but by constant inquiry. Such incessant strive for continuing professional development and lifelong learning will eventually lead to reaping the fruit of this pursuit towards excellence in higher education.

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[*] Ruth A. Ortega-Dela Cruz (raortegadelacruz@up.edu.ph, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1118-7117), PhD in Agricultural Education, is Associate Professor, at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (Philippines).

More information about the author is available at the end of this article.

[1] Commission on Higher Education (CHED), “Guidelines for the Implementation of CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 46, Series of 2012,” (2012 Retrieved 22 May 2020 from https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/CMO-No.46-s2012.pdf).

[2] Santiago-Arquiza, Glenda, “Toward an Outcomes-Based Education Curriculum, A Philippine Higher Education Institution Experience,” (2017 Retrieved from https://stti.confex.com/stti/bc17/webprogram/Paper87354.html).

[3] Castillo, Romer C, “A paradigm shift to outcomes-based higher education: policies, principles and preparations,” (International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research 14, no. 1, 2014, 174-186).

[4] Commission on Higher Education (CHED), “Guidelines for the Implementation of CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 46, Series of 2012,” (2012 Retrieved 22 May 2020 from https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/CMO-No.46-s2012.pdf).

[5] Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Perceptions of higher agricultural education toward sustainable agricultural development,” (Higher Education, Skills, and Work-Based Learning, 10 (1), 2019, 187-202).

[6] Santiago-Arquiza, Glenda, “Toward an Outcomes-Based Education Curriculum, A Philippine Higher Education Institution Experience,” (2017 Retrieved from https://stti.confex.com/stti/bc17/webprogram/Paper87354.html).

[7] Pastrana, Ronald, and Manabat, Alicia, “An Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) Approach & Typology-Based Quality Assurance (QA) System: A Proposed Framework and Transition Strategy for Philippine Higher Education Institution’s (HEI) Shift Towards International Standards,” (In Balkan Region Conference on Engineering and Business Education, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 639-644, Sciendo, 2014).

[8] Akir, Oriah, Tang Howe Eng, and Senian Malie, “Teaching and learning enhancement through outcome-based education structure and technology e-learning support,” (Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 62, 2012, 87-92).

[9] Spady, William G, “Outcome-Based Education: Critical Issues and Answers,” (American Association of School Administrators, 1801 North Moore Street, Arlington, VA 22209, Stock No. 21-00488; $18.95 plus postage, 1994).

[10] Killen, Roy, Teaching strategies for outcomes-based education, (Juta and Company Ltd, 2007).

[11] Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Perceptions of higher agricultural education toward sustainable agricultural development,” Higher Education, Skills, and Work-Based Learning, 10 (1), 2019, 187-202).

[12] Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Perceptions of higher agricultural education toward sustainable agricultural development,” Higher Education, Skills, and Work-Based Learning, 10 (1), 2019, 187-202).

[13] Ortega, Rose Ann A., and Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Educators’ Attitude towards Outcomes-Based Educational Approach in English Second Language Learning,” (American Journal of Educational Research, 4(8), 2016, 597-601).

[14] Biggs, John, and Catherine Tang, “Teaching for quality learning at university Maidenhead,” (Berkshire, UK: McGraw-Hill Education, 2007).

[15] Ortega, Rose Ann A., and Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Educators’ Attitude towards Outcomes-Based Educational Approach in English Second Language Learning,” (American Journal of Educational Research, 4(8), 2016, 597-601).

[16] Creswell, John W., and J. David Creswell, Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, (Sage publications, 2017).

[17] Alexander, Lorraine, Lopes, Brettania., Ricchetti-Masterson, Kristen and Yeatts, Karin, “Cross-sectional studies,” (ERIC notebook, 2014, 2nd Edition).

[18] Creswell, John W., and J. David Creswell, Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, (Sage publications, 2017).

[19] The College of Public Affairs and Development, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Domingo M. Lantican Ave. College, Laguna, Philippines, https://cpaf.uplb.edu.ph/.

[20] Dela Cruz, Ramiro Z., and Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Educators’ Attitude towards Outcome-Based Information Technology Education in the Philippines,” (i-Manager’s Journal of Educational Technology 13, no. 4, 2017, 14).

[21] Ortega, Rose Ann A., and Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Educators’ Attitude towards Outcomes-Based Educational Approach in English Second Language Learning,” (American Journal of Educational Research, 4(8), 2016, 597-601).

[22] Spady, William G, “Outcome-Based Education: Critical Issues and Answers,” (American Association of School Administrators, 1801 North Moore Street, Arlington, VA 22209, Stock No. 21-00488; $18.95 plus postage, 1994).

[23] Cabaces, Jessica, Blanco, Alexis Jan, Cabañas, John Erick, Casapao, Chester, De Guzman, Jettro, De Villa, Michael Angelo, and Derla, Roy Vincent, “Perception and awareness of Nigerian students towards outcome-based education,” (International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development 3, no. 1, 2014, 208-219).

[24] Daudau, Patrick, “Teachers’ perceptions of outcomes-based science curriculum: A case study from Solomon Islands,” 2010).

[25] Dela Cruz, Ramiro Z., and Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Educators’ Attitude towards Outcome-Based Information Technology Education in the Philippines,” (i-Manager’s Journal of Educational Technology 13, no. 4, 2017, 14).

[26] Ortega, Rose Ann A., and Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Educators’ Attitude towards Outcomes-Based Educational Approach in English Second Language Learning,” (American Journal of Educational Research, 4(8), 2016, 597-601).

[27] Killen, Roy, Teaching strategies for outcomes-based education, (Juta and Company Ltd, 2007).

[28] Killen, Roy, Teaching strategies for outcomes-based education, (Juta and Company Ltd, 2007).

[29] Ortega, Rose Ann A., and Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Educators’ Attitude towards Outcomes-Based Educational Approach in English Second Language Learning,” (American Journal of Educational Research, 4(8), 2016, 597-601).

[30] Dela Cruz, Ramiro Z., and Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Educators’ Attitude towards Outcome-Based Information Technology Education in the Philippines,” (i-Manager’s Journal of Educational Technology 13, no. 4, 2017,14).

[31] De Guzman, Marie Fe D., Edaño, Domingo C., and Umayan, Zenaida D, “Understanding the Essence of the Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) and Knowledge of its Implementation in a Technological University in the Philippines,” (Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research 5, no. 4, 2017, 64-71).

[32] Pepito, Teresita, “Perspectives on outcome-based education among faculty members teaching business courses at a Philippine university,” (The Palawan Scientist 11, 2019).

[33] Killen, Roy, Teaching strategies for outcomes-based education, (Juta and Company Ltd, 2007).

[34] Spady, William G, “Outcome-Based Education: Critical Issues and Answers,” (American Association of School Administrators, 1801 North Moore Street, Arlington, VA 22209, Stock No. 21-00488; $18.95 plus postage, 1994).

[35] Dela Cruz, Ramiro Z., and Ortega-Dela Cruz, Ruth A, “Educators’ Attitude towards Outcome-Based Information Technology Education in the Philippines,” (i-Manager’s Journal of Educational Technology 13, no. 4, 2017, 14).

[36] Spady, William G, “Outcome-Based Education: Critical Issues and Answers,” (American Association of School Administrators, 1801 North Moore Street, Arlington, VA 22209, Stock No. 21-00488; $18.95 plus postage, 1994).

[37] Bustamante, Christian Bryan, “Student-Centred and Outcomes-Based Education: A Foucauldian Reading,” (Scientia, 5 June 2015, 1-23).

[38] Macatangay, Angelica O., Braza, Lyza D., Gamboa, Maedelyn N., Gonzales, Angie D., Fuentes, Reycon Annabel P., Macalalad, Julia A., Hernandez, Katleen T., Montejo, Jeny Rose B., and Mendoza, Filomena M, “Status of implementation and usefulness of outcomes–based education in customs administration program of one Asian university,” (Asia Pacific Journal of Education, Arts and Sciences 3, no. 3, 2016, 62-69).

[39] Pepito, Teresita, “Perspectives on outcome-based education among faculty members teaching business courses at a Philippine university,” (The Palawan Scientist 11, 2019).

About the author

DR. RUTH A. ORTEGA-DELA CRUZ (raortegadelacruz@up.edu.ph, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1118-7117) is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Governance and Rural Development, College of Public Affairs and Development, University of the Philippines Los Baños. Born in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, Dr. Ortega-Dela Cruz graduated with a Bachelor’s degree (magna cum laude) in Secondary Education at the University of Perpetual Help Dalta System in Calamba City. She studied Master in Public Affairs in Education Management and Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Education at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. She had her Post-Doctoral Study at BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.

 

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