OBE

An Experiment before the OBE Implementation Dr Brijesh George John [email protected] +91 9447181284 102

This article mentions an Even before Marian College right from its inception. An Entrepre- experiment undertaken by started implementing Outcome neurship Development Centre was the MCA Department to Based Education (OBE), the MCA inaugurated on the campus through introduce Entrepreneurship Department had been experimenting the setting of the MICAS Lab in 1999. as a specialization in the on this in our curriculum informally. However, a much more coordinated course, and the experiences Thanks to the autonomy granted to effort towards supporting that led to measuring the college. entrepreneurship initiatives was entrepreneurship skills as strengthened when the Kerala Startup a component in OBE for the Introduction of Entrepreneurship Mission, in 2015, selected the Marian MCA Programme, which is as a Specialization in MCA Incubation Centre as a unit of IEDC not very common. Syllabus. for Startup Boot Camp activities. The Department introduced a new The spirit of entrepreneurship started paper in the MCA syllabus – Entrepre- developing in the minds of MCA neurship and Innovation - once students with the introduction of new autonomy was granted to us. The specialization and the development of main aim of this was to foster mi3- Marian Innovation and entrepreneurship skills among Incubation Centre. students and to encourage innovation. More than just delivering mi3 - Marian Innovation and some theoretical aspects of Incubation Centre Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the syllabus was framed in such a way With the support of the Innovation as to impart Entrepreneurship skills and Entrepreneurship Development and encourage innovative thinking. Centre (IEDC), the Kerala Start-up Students were even encouraged to opt Mission and the mi3, the MCA for Entrepreneurship as a students were given workspace specialization for MCA. Later on, inside the college for entrepreneurial based on our experience, activities. Students were encouraged Entrepreneurship and Innovation was to initiate their own start up on the introduced as a paper in the syllabus campus itself. Around fourteen of the BCA course also. campus startups mushroomed just from one batch - the 2017 – ‘18 MCA In fact, Marian College had started batch - and a few of them were fostering entrepreneurship efforts incubated later as matured startups. 103

Fourteen companies mush- One such success story is that of giving inputs on Creativity, roomed on the campus Inbeesight, which is mentioned below. Innovation and technical matters from MCA in one year regarding App development, website itself. One of the Creative Studio and Digital development, video editing etc. projects was selected by Marketing Workshops Redhat and was Theoretical inputs for Business plan premiered in the Apart from introducing the / Project Proposal development were International Partners Entrepreneurship and Innovation also given. This was done by the Meet. paper in the syllabus of the MCA faculty members of the Department courses, Creative Studio and Digital as well as the External faculty team. Marketing Workshops were two out Students were asked to come out with of the box initiatives organized by the ‘out of the box’ ideas for business/ MCA Department for the students to social service. They were asked to encourage entrepreneurship. present a prototype of the idea or else a business plan, and on the second During the first semester of the MCA day these ideas were fine tuned using course itself, all the students were the support of the faculty team. On taken for a fully residential three day the third day, the students exhibited Creativity Development Workshop (8 / presented their output in front of AM – 10 PM) – ‘Creative Studio’. The the college authorities, the faculty first year students, around 60 plus team of the Department and the other in number, were divided into eight batch of MCA students. After a groups. critical analysis, the best performing team was identified and rewarded. The idea was to develop creativity among students, develop their Once such a video developed by a innovative thinking and team team led by Mr Sharvin and Mr Saji spirit, and to make them come out of the 2018 pass out MCA batch was with some creative output in terms of selected by Redhat – the world’s top videos, posters, websites, mobile Apps Linux Company - and the same was etc, that could especially be useful for premiered in the Redhat some social causes or business idea International Partners Meet in 2019. development. Another video developed by the MCA students as part of the three The initial day was dedicated to day workshop on ‘Food Wastage’ was 104

widely appreciated, and the result was A Success Story - Inbeesight Confidence from the social seen in the reduced amount of food experiment wasted in the hostel during the next As mentioned earlier, out of fourteen many days. entrepreneurial initiatives from one The success of this experiment has batch itself, we would like to feature given the MCA Department the The MCA Department also realized the success of one company – confidence to continue with Entre- that Digital marketing would be a hot Inbeesight. Inbeesight is now a web preneurship in the curriculum, which skill for MCA students in the coming development company which also is not followed in most MCA colleges. years, and the best idea to initiate offers services in Pay per Click, This confidence is the secret behind Startups. Hence, the Digital Marketing Branding, SEO, Social Media the decision to map Entrepreneurship Workshop was also initiated side by Marketing, e-commerce website, app skill as a component to measure the side to develop such skills among the development, UI-UX design, etc. This outcome of the MCA course. students. Selected teams were company has successfully completed awarded a few projects on digital 47 projects in a short span. marketing by the college authorities and also from outside agencies and The raw version of Inbeesight was companies. The successful comple- initiated by four students of the 2019 tion of such projects and the MBA batch – Emil George, Shebin subsequent revenue generation have P. T., Manu M. and Alen Joseph. The motivated the young technocrats. students had come out with a lot of ideas during the college days which Framing of Start-up Policy were iterated using the support of the faculty. They were given table space Apart from adding a paper in the for incubation on the campus and syllabus, conducting many seminars other support in terms of Mentoring, and workshops and arranging table Consultancy, etc. Once they space for Start-ups, policies were also graduated from the college, they framed by the MCA Department to moved out to Kochi, the financial encourage entrepreneurship. Lenient Capital of Kerala, and started business attendance and assignment in a big way. Now, Inbeesight is submission policies were introduced headed by Mr Emil George, and is for students engaged in entrepreneur- running successfully. ial activities. Credits were given for their projects and other measurable Dr Brijesh George John is Associate Professor and Head, Corporate Relations, Marian College, outputs. Kuttikkanam, International Trainer, Social Media Influencer, Author and Traveler 105

How OBE Mentoring a virtual For the last two years we, the Transformed learning community who faculty members of Marian us into took admission without College Kuttikkanam, met many Futuristic seeing the college, was the times at different levels to discuss the Teachers biggest challenge. implementation of OBE in our But we succeeded. institution. Prior to that, we had several intellectual talks about OBE. Mr Win Mathew John After a handful of sessions, we got [email protected] some ideas about the same but were +91 9447573105 not in a position to implement it. There were several barriers to implementing it which were: How to transfer this iceberg to the students as we knew only the tip of it, and it was very cold and hard to step on. Many ships, almost all Malayalee ships, on seeing the iceberg, diverted from the route and got rid of it. But our Captain was strong enough to face the consequences of conquering the iceberg. “Noth- ing is impossible if we think it is possible,” was the outcome of the challenge. And now we are proud to say that we have successfully implemented OBE in our curriculum. ‘Transfer the concept’ which was not fully accepted by many of us, to the students on the other side of the virtual classroom. Yes, it was a big challenge, because we 106

The traditional were not able to see the facial providing rubrics for each course counsellor has changed to expressions of the students. We, outcome. an outcome based mentor. however, overcame it through This transformation in us continuous mentoring. We had to strive hard to overcome made us possible to these barriers, and we achieved it by transform a traditional ‘Mentoring a virtual learning continuous learning and sharing. The student to an outcome community’ who took admission mind of a traditional teacher has now oriented learner. without seeing the college. It was become that of an outcome based really a challenging task to facilitator. The traditional counsellor facilitate a learning has changed to an outcome based community who seemed to be mentor. This transformation in us like chat friends. But that too we made it possible for us to transform did successfully through one to a traditional student to an outcome one video conferencing. oriented learner. ‘Preparation of the question bank’ with a bunch of application level questions, was another challenge. This was also successfully over- come by introducing the ‘buddy system’ in which each faculty col- league was assigned to a critical review of the questions. ‘Grading of assessments’ where the traditional thought process of exact answers to the questions has drastically changed to our Indian culture (‘Unity in Diversity’). This was achieved by Mr Win Mathew John, Associate Professor and Senior Academician with professional experience in Computer Science related Pedagogy. 107

HANDLING CHange is the key to Happiness Mr Robins A. Kattoor [email protected] +91 9447940995 108

Restructuring the The only constant in life is changes, in consultation with the Database change. peer team members, to ensure that all Management courses taught in the PG Department syllabus helped Heraclitus of Computer Applications adhere students to make use to the standards of Outcome Based of OBE methodologies If not for the Greek philosopher Education. in a practical way. Heraclitus and his propounded theory of universal flux which he In subsequent meetings, Program expressed in oracular language, it Objectives and Program Specific would not have been easy to keep Outcomes were finalized. This gave track with the constantly changing individual faculty members the op- methodologies of higher education in portunity to design their own course the modern day. outcomes for the courses assigned to them. While we, the members of the Board of Studies of the PG Department of We felt content, when our approach Computer Applications, sat around towards OBE bore its sweetest fruit the discussion table on 03/04/2020, in the form of a state award to our enjoying a hot cup of coffee and the students, when they competed with slow mist from the serenity of Kut- around 600 contestants from all over tikkanam hills lashing us from all the State and emerged winners in the around, little did we know that we ‘Vaigai-agri hackathon ‘conducted by were paving the way for young learn- the Ministry of Agriculture, Kerala ers to create history. State . This achievement was indeed the result of the practice that they It was the decision taken in the had had by taking part in many hack- meeting that each faculty member athons as a part of their specialization take charge of the subjects entrust- stream. ed to them and make the necessary As part of implementing the OBE, it 109 was decided that the students should do a software project in all the semes- ters. The fact that above 50% of the students got placement offers within two weeks of their course comple-

Task oriented tion, even before their results were strates his/her understanding of a activities assigned to published (offer letters available for system using some design tools like students helped them reference), is a visible impact of the ERDiagram. The associated CADL ac- to concentrate on the success of the OBE implementation . tivity is that the students submit the practical side of the ERDiagram of the software project he/ tasks, and that, in My Experiments with OBE using she undertook that semester. turn, led them to their PMC2002 Database Management dream jobs faster than Systems Such task oriented activities assigned ever. to the students helped them to con- It was my long-time wish coming true centrate on the practical side of the when our college obtained autono- tasks, and that, in turn, led them to mous status, because that gave me their dream jobs faster than ever. the opportunity to restructure the curriculum and plan the evaluation This does not mean that the imple- strategies that would assess the mentation of OBE is full and com- student’s learning rather than his/her plete. There is definitely a long way memory. to go, but the path taken so far has been promising, and it gives the cour- Regarding Database Management age to march ahead with confidence. Systems, I redesigned the course in such a way that each module is di- rectly linked to one course outcome. The course outcome was designed in such a way that the students would be able to apply what they have learned, and their assessments would be done directly in connection with their abil- ity to do things. For example, the Module1 course outcome is that the student demon- Mr Robins A. Kattoor is senior faculty member of the PG Department of Computer Application with experience in handling diverse topics in Computer Science. 110

Forget about all other ideologies. What counts now-a-days is MARKSism. Result 111

OBE - A Slow and Steady Approach Mr Satheesh Kumar S. [email protected] +91 9400755768 112

This article may be Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat Now, let us see how these two profes- considered as an for a day. Teach a man to fish, sors approached the same problem. introduction to the and he’ll eat for a lifetime. The two approaches OBE concept. The OBE concepts unfold as a In the context of the Outcome Based Professor A sequence of events Education (OBE), I believe, the “Faster and Smarter” - The “Hare” which the reader above adage is significant for many In the process of designing the (most probably a reasons. To understand the differenc- course, Professor A took the easier university level es and the efforts required to develop and the faster approach. Her approach teacher) can easily an OBE based curriculum, let us was as follows: relate to. imagine a hypothetical situation. • Referred the syllabi of other uni- Since we started with a reference to fishing, let us assume that a universi- versities that taught courses on ty has found (through various means) fishing and copied some content that ‘fishing’ is the current buzzword she thought was relevant to her in society (like the ‘AI’ of today). course. • Referred some popular books on A Committee was set up and fishing and took a few topics from entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the course in the university. The Committee, in turn approached two professors ‘A’ and ‘B’ considered to be domain experts, and gave them the task of designing a curriculum on ‘Fishing’, which was to be finished in a month’s time. Eventually, the Committee would evaluate both the syllabi, and the best approach would be taken forward . 113

The OBE concepts that. Earlier she had attended a workshop are simple to • Consulted some of her peers and on OBE and was eager to implement understand, and are what she learned there, and thought not specific to any included some topics based on this was the right opportunity for domain. that. that. Even though she knew from the • Arranged the topics into five beginning that this was going to take modules so that they matched the time, she decided to take the route. credits for this course • Included a reference section at She went through her notes from the the end. OBE workshop where it stated, • Defined the overall assessment strategies based on the existing “OBE organizes the entire education- patterns. al system towards what is considered essential for the learners to successfully It took her merely two weeks to com- do at the end of their learning expe- plete the entire set of tasks, and she riences. In this model, the term ‘out- was very content with the outcome of come’ is the core concept.” her effort. Without wasting time, she submitted the curriculum to the Com- Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ mittee and was quite confident that Outcome-based_education#cite_note- her proposal would be the one which :1-11 would be selected for implementation as she had learned from some of the How should she start this process? Committee members that there was Again she went back to her workshop no communication from Professor B notes where it stated, “From the on this matter. requirements that you have col- lected from stakeholders and needs Professor B of the institution, define the goals and skills you want the students to “The Slow and Steady” -The achieve.” “Tortoise” After due consultation with all the Meanwhile, Professor B decided to major stakeholders (she even con- experiment with a new approach in sulted some hobbyist fishermen), education called ‘Outcome Based she arrived at the following course Education’, popularly known as OBE. 114

OBE - DELIVERY MODES • Lecture • Guest Speaker • Practical Work- Face-to-Face Active • Presentation • Industryial Training Based Delivery Modes • Tutorial • Work Attachment Learning • Seminar • Field Trip (WBL) • Colloquium • Visit • Lab Experiential Cooperative/ • Problem- Based • Demonstartion Method Collaborative • Case Study • Workshop • Project-Based Technology- Based Delivery • Online- Learning • Teleconference • Simulation 115

outcomes: The next step outlined in the notes students know how to operate was this: them individually. At the end of this course, students 2. Demonstrate each task before shall be able to Deciding on delivery modes them. 3. Make them actually perform the 1. Prepare the fishing pole. While on this topic, her attention was tasks in a simulated environment. 2. Respool their reel. drawn towards the following diagram 3. Put the hook, sinker and bobber in her notes. Then, she defined assessment strat- egies based on the benchmarks she on their line. Source : https://s2.studylib.net/ had defined earlier. 4. Put the bait on the hook. store/data/005429335_1-b39c7bc- 5. Cast the line. 28de22c3f55bdfb12194577e5-768x994. She created ‘Rubrics’ for every as- 6. Catch the fish. png sessment she planned. Rubrics are Armed with this information, some of nothing but tools used to grade each Source :https://www.siue.edu/~creller/ the strategies of delivery she planned student for his/her performance in fish5.html included the assessments. Once the outcomes were defined, it 1. Taking the actual fishing equip- She also documented that the last was time again to refer to her work- ment to the class and letting the outcome of the course should be shop notes for guidance, where it said the next step was the following: 116 Demonstrating outcomes This is the phase where the students are expected to demonstrate their accrued knowledge. For this, the key is to define the benchmarks for each outcome. Since the outcomes were very definite and straightforward, setting the bench marks was quite easy. It was a matter of assessing the students’ progress with their han- dling of the fishing equipment, and how well they progressed with each individual task.

assessed in a live environment, and Professor A Professor B for that the students would be tak- en to a nearby fish hatchery. There, A large part of the curriculum is Curriculum is planned and de- they would be assessed based on merely repetition of the existing signed according to the needs of their performance in fishing in a real curriculum in other universities. today's students. environment. The focus is on completing the The focus is on developing the It took her almost a month to finalize syllabus. skills needed. and integrate these components and submit her proposed course to the There are no standard measures Clear outcomes and benchmarks Committee just on time. to assess students’ achievement. propel the students to excel in Conclusion the core competencies. The Committee evaluated the course Grades are merely given based on Assessments are formative proposals submitted by both the pro- fessors and came up with the follow- examinations towards the end of based on the defined levels, and ing comparisons: the curriculum. grades are given based on the The end achievement of these levels. The curriculum designed by Professor B was recommended for implemen- tation based on the above evaluation. Thus the “Tortoise” emerged victori- ous in this story as well. Mr Satheesh Kumar S. is currently working as Assistant Professor in the PG Dept of Computer Application. He has over ten years of experience in PG level teaching, and has more than five years of experience in the software industry. He was instrumental in establishing the Marian College blog ‘ Marian Pulse’. He is also a certified Yoga trainer. 117

An Empowering The implementation of Introducing to our new students a and OBE enabled students to new stream of the curriculum using Participatory think critically and solve OBE, and that too in a virtual Change Process different problems. It was environment, made me think in a an active and engaging different way. The position of ‘Data process which was a Scientist’ is one of the hottest job transition for the learners positions in the analytical industry. to prepare themselves. Data Science is the stepping stone to Ms Kochumol Abraham achieving that position. Being a [email protected] facilitator of the course, I had to +91 9446286893 enlighten the learning community with the importance of the course. I would like to share my reflections regarding the experiences related to the paradigm shift of Teacher-centred to Learner-centred approach. ‘An empowering and participatory’ change process. The students had to think critically and solve different problems. It was an active and engaging process which was a transition for the learners to prepare themselves. Activity oriented assessments This made the students improve their analytical, problem-solving, communication and team work skills by inculcating appropriate knowledge through real life scenarios. 118

A paradigm shift from Clarity Barriers encountered in the OBE teacher-centred to stu- implementation process: dent-centred learning is a The focus on course outcomes creates key part of OBE. Increased a clear expectation of what needs to • While OBE emphasizes on student involvement be accomplished by the end of the student-centred learning, the ac- allows students to feel course. Students will get to know tual implementation of OBE was responsible for their own what is expected of them and teachers heavily reliant on the teachers as learning and think out of will understand what they need to presenters of knowledge. the box. teach during the course. • Apart from directly objective Shift of paradigm assessments such as tests, assign- ments and projects, conducting A paradigm shift from teacher-cen- indirect assessments was chal- tred to student-centred learning is a lenging. key part of OBE. • Creating a question bank with a Increased student involvement allows sufficient number of questions students to feel responsible for their that had clarity while focussing own learning and think out of the on the evaluation of the course box, seek answers to such questions outcomes proved to be extremely as ‘why they need it’ and ‘how they challenging. should do it.’ • Grading of assessments after Teacher as facilitator specifying what was to be done through adequate rubrics made OBE places students at the centre the grading process a challenging of learning, making them active and job. responsible learners. At the same time, it modifies the role of a teacher Outcome Based Education is the from being a ’giver’ and a ‘presenter’ necessity of the hour, and should be of knowledge to being a ‘facilitator’ of implemented wherever skills and the learning process. knowledge are concerned. Ms Kochumol Abraham is Asstistant Professor at PG Dept of Computer Applications. A person with expertise in multiple IT Domains 119

My OBE Experience Regarding the Course ‘Software Engineering’ Ms Reny Jose [email protected] +91 9446984809 120

The main The rules of the world are Vision and Mission of Marian College. achievement of OBE in changing. It is time for Software Engineering the rules of teaching and The teaching and learning methods is that students are teachers’ work to change used previously in our Programs were able to describe what with them. largely designed by the principles of the customer wants knowledge-oriented education (KOE), in a project, and how Andy Hargreaves in which instructors delivered knowl- it can be turned into edge to students. But we discovered reality. The Principal of Marian College that the result of learning at such Kuttikkanam announced that in a superficial level meant that stu- the new academic year we were dents could just recite the concepts going to implement a new system of or merely possess knowledge of the education called OBE. The teachers courses, but fail to display initiative were asked to take a few classes based or demonstrate problem-solving on the new system. The course allot- skills. ted to me was Software Engineering. I thought it was going to be very easy. This was true in the case of Software But in reality, it was not. My doubt Engineering. Earlier, the students was, without following the traditional were studying different concepts and teaching methods, how could I make processes without knowing where or students understand the basic con- how they could be used in real life cepts? scenarios. This problem could be rectified with the implementation of I started to look through different OBE. OBE could tremendously help books and websites to collect ‘ac- the students understand how useful tivities’. This gave me a new insight Software Engineering could become into the subject and helped me make/ in the field of software project devel- customise scenarios that suited the opment. 121 The main achievement of OBE based education in Software Engineering is that the students are able to de- scribe what the customer wants in a project and how it can be made into a reality.

Students will be Based on predefined course out- • Programming lab used to com- able to understand a comes, my aim was to make students plete projects course based on become software engineers and famil- clearly spelt out iarize them with the development of Assessments chosen for this course learning enterprises scale software, and help included a mix of both formative and objectives: them attain problem-solving capabil- summative ones. The assessments the Course Outcomes ity in software development. were chosen for the course with clear (COs), Program learning objectives by checking the Outcomes (POs) and To achieve these objectives, during compatibility of learning domains, Program Specific the OBE implementation, I used the performance and criteria require- Outcome (PSOs). following: ments. • Case studies to understand dif- A formidable challenge I faced was in ferent projects the evaluation of activities. We had a class of 66 students, and evaluating • Scenarios which would help to each activity based on the corre- understand the use of different sponding topic was time-consuming. process models My observation is that if the number of students is less, then it is very • Case studies for developing Soft- convenient for and fulfilling to the ware Requirement Specifications teacher to evaluate the activities. An- document other observation is that we need to provide activities in a mixed manner • UML diagrams designed, based for the same concept. One activity on different situations may be suitable for a particular group of students but a different one may be • Testing cases developed, based suitable for another group. The same on use cases is applicable for the introduction of concepts and teaching strategies. • Project planning based on the Covering the syllabus within a short Software Requirement Specifica- time frame is another challenge when tions document the syllabus is vast. The learning activities were: Another major challenge arose during the question paper preparations. We • Lectures to introduce the topics to the students • Tutorials for discussions and completion of activities/assign- ments • Problem-solving activities 122

had to create a scenario or a case monthly, whereas other items are Sometimes, change may not be study that could be answered in half purchased daily. The project aims what we want. But sometimes an hour. Within three hours, students to create a mobile app that helps change is exactly what we need. should be able to understand the to create a grocery purchase list Change is a good thing.” scenario, and based on that, they had and share it among the members to answer five questions. Developing of the family. The App helps to such questions is truly a great chal- prioritize the items and also cate- lenge. gorizes purchases that should be done on weekends or daily or on a A few textbooks helped me over- particular day. All members of the come the challenges. One interesting family are able to update the list. thing I found out was that most of the When an item is purchased by one books by Indian authors gave a good family member, it will be shown list of exercises that could be used in as ‘X has purchased on *** date’. the classrooms. Prepare an SRS (system require- ment specification document) for Sample questions the above mobile application. 1. The college library has the usual The major advantage of OBE is the resources [like discussion room, sense of clarity it fosters. Students laptop browsing area etc.] and will be able to understand a course users for these resources. A based on clearly spelt out learning ob- software has to be developed so jectives. The Course Outcomes (POs), that the resources are assigned Program Outcomes (COs), Program without conflict. Draw a use case Specific Outcomes (PSOs) will help diagram and activity diagram the students understand exactly what specifying the above system. they are expected to accomplish. This will enhance the quality of teaching 2. A grocery purchase list is a and delivery as well as learning. common thing for all houses and is created/ added daily by the “Sometimes there are things in women in the house. However, our life that aren’t meant to stay. the purchase by men/women in a house depends on the list pri- Ms Reny Jose is Assistant Professor at the PG Department of Computer Applications, with a passion ority. Some items are purchased to learn new technologies and impart them to students. 123

OBE – The Future of Education is Here Sr Italia Joseph Maria [email protected] +91 9447678070 124

Education is now The Covid -19 pandemic has to be transforming to flipped class- undergoing a significant pushed the entire education sce- rooms, blended learning, personal- transition from the nario to an online mode. With ized learning, augmented learning, traditional mode to what is digital education already on the fly, and open and distributed learning. called ‘Outcome Based complete online education was con- The evaluation mode did not seem Education’. This article shows sidered not a difficult task. But, edu- to change much, though internal how Outcome Based Education cation which aims at the wholesome assessments had a role in the final re- is becoming the current mode growth of the individual has to focus sults. But, now with complete online of education, and how the today on a generation that is pushed learning on the go, more substantial sames can be implemented. to be online both in academics and transformations are needed, which entertainment. Making students focus emphasizes the need and role of Out- on traditional slides and video lec- come Based Education. tures is simply an act of foolishness these days. Creativity, curiosity and In Outcome Based Education, a sub- dynamism that dwell in the blood of stantial paradigm shift can be seen this new Z-generation who were born in the higher education arena with a with the internet as a part of their move from the process to the product DNA, pose challenges to teachers who model. Here, the teaching and learn- have to engage them. Here comes ing process is transitioned to give the significance of Outcome Based importance to the learning outcomes Education where everything has to be of the education experience. Teachers taught with the end in mind. used to note “WHEN” and “WHERE” students learned in the process mod- Traditionally, education consisted of el, whereas now in the product model, classroom sessions, practical hours teachers, also known as ‘facilitators’, and outdoor activities. What the take note of “WHAT” is learned and students were expected to learn was “WHETHER” it is learned properly. never known to them or ever clearly stated by the teachers. Teachers used An illuminating journey that it is, the to take the students on a tour of what process of finding out the learning was given in the syllabus prepared by outcomes of a course brings to light some experts, with an examination many unknown areas to the teachers that evaluated the students at the themselves. What the students are ex- end. With digital technologies taking pected to learn and how to learn them over, this traditional setup was seen are explicitly provided, and learning 125

• Traditional education has draw- progresses that way. The content of backs in educating the current the courses given in the syllabus is Z-generation students. directly related to the outcomes to be produced by the students. • Digital education was already happening. The students of today are to be prepared for the future of tomorrow, • Covid-19 has pushed education which is none other than a world of to online only mode. disruptive technologies, with already Industry 5.0 calling upon Education • Outcome Based Education 5.0. Not only should their technical focuses on what is learned and skills be sharpened to face and over- ensures whether it is learned. come the challenges of the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous • OBE makes students ready to (VUCA) world before them, but rather face the VUCA world. their humane and value systems should be focused on the betterment • OBE achieves the aims of educa- of the society. In other words, the tion: individual development and outcomes produced by the students as welfare of humanity. a result of their education should be reflected in service to the society at large, in one way or the other. Out- comeBased Education, thus, rightly achieves the aims of education which include a holistic development of the individual and the welfare of human- ity. Sr Italia Joseph Maria is currently pursuing PhD in Computer Science and is an Assistant Professor in the PG Department of Computer Applications. Her research interests include Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Bioinformatics and Educational Technology. 126

Your pass or fail will depend on your ability to climb to the top. Ready? go ! 127

Expand your Vistas. Make them Believe in Themselves Mr Krishnaraj S. [email protected] +91 8281801919 128

The OBE Strategies in When I used to handle Per- the bootcamp with specific learning Communication Skill sonality Development and outcomes in mind. The programme Enhancement as well as Communication Skills was named ‘Creative Studio.’ Students Personality training for the MCA students of the were grouped into teams and assigned Development PG Department of Computer Ap- a number of activities, in many of programmes helped the plications in the earlier years, the which they did not have any exper- students a lot to realize strategies were age old. The students tise. their inner potential. were taught skills that would boost their capability, and lecturing was the They had to produce a short film of main medium adopted to impart the less than five minute duration. They concepts. were not offered any production tools or resources, and were assigned to When OBE was introduced, I had a identify everything they needed. The discussion with the Director of the time allowed was less than 60 hours. Department and the brainstorming resulted in remodeling the methodol- They learned about the power of ogies. We identified the major issues teamwork, dedication, brotherhood, that the students faced in terms quick learning, identifying and uti- of communication skills as well as lizing the right resources, and time confidence level. The issues identified management. Many films were shot were: using the mobile camera, and they ed- ited output using the mobile devices. • Many students with excellent linguistic skills were not able to When the teams presented their fin- communicate verbally with ease ished products on the third day, most and felicity. of them stated that they themselves could not believe that they could do • The primary reason for the same so many tasks within such a limit- was lack of confidence. ed timeframe. The concept of work being completed within the specified • The majority of the students did time was thus demonstrated. To their not believe that they could be astonishment, most of them had successful. mind blowing creative pieces of art with them, all of which had sprout- We planned a bootcamp model ac- ed just as an idea and implemented tivity, and further collaborated and developed the plan for implementing 129

The most visible and evident with little resources, that too, within outcome of the bootcamp extremely confined deadlines. was that the perception of the students changed. Many The outcome of the tasks that they had earlier programme. considered impossible were now possible for them. The most visible outcome of the boot- camp was that the perception of the students changed. Many tasks that they had earlier considered impossi- ble were now possible for them. They understood that the thinking of any goal as an impossible one was just a matter of their own perception. The most visible effects were that they • started believing in themselves. • became possibility thinkers • started perceiving things in a much more creative way. • nurtured an empathetic mindset. • became more goal oriented and optimistic. • started volunteering in class- room activities. Mr Krishnaraj S. is Life Skills Coach, Corporate Trainer, Teacher and Author 130

In classesthroughout I helped you set - With a the year we have personal goals, helped standardized you reach your unique, focused on learning individual potential, and test. in a way that best now the time has come to measure the results. suits you. 131

Plan,Teach,Track and Review- OBE Practices from a Language Point of View Dr Blessen S. Abraham [email protected] +91 9747592185 132

The advancement Indian educational system, conceiv- problems we face in education and following the ably more than at any other time, training could be solved by this installation of faces compressions for cataclysms model.’’ (Jessup 1991). It is in this Outcome Based in response to the rapid develop- context that we discuss the OBE Education at Marian has ments in the field of academics. The practices and methods that we changed the definition of influence of Artificial Intelligence, big Marianites follow. mere lecturing to data and machine learning along with facilitation, and a the other advances in Information The advancement following the lecturer to a Technology, globalisation influencing installation of Outcome Based facilitator. science and technology, changing Education at our campus has changed political and public expectations, the definition of mere lecturing to demands from within the profession facilitation and a lecturer to a and developments in how we look at facilitator. From my understanding, teaching and learning, have led to the Marian teaching community has a strategy to improve our system of envisaged the academic growth of our education. learners by incorporating their efficacies by encouraging the The greatest catalyst for change, it learners to differentiate between has been argued, is a language that learning and studying. Learners have will allow us to discuss what we are been entrusted by their facilitators expecting learners to learn and how with the onus of experiencing the we should assess this (Jessup 1995). different discourses by exploiting the This themed issue of a facilitator learning outcomes to the maximum, illustrates how learning outcomes using a wide array of references and can provide this necessary language. resources provided. The Department Jessup’s essential thesis concerning of Communicative English displays an Outcome Based Education (OBE) is unflinching commitment and ‘‘If education or training is defined by participates very actively in the outcomes, it opens access to learning process of OBE at Marian. As a and assessment in ways which are not department with academic reach possible in a traditional syllabus or to all the different departments at programme-based systems. Once Marian, the first-year undergraduates learning is targeted on outcomes, the received comprehensive training in all other features of the model follow as the skills of English language during a natural consequence. Many of the the current academic year. 133

The Department of Globally, Outcomes Based Educa- deliverance with the objective of Communicative English tion (OBE) was initially treated as a unlearning and relearning the core displays an unflinching controversial model of educational essentials of English Language was commitment and restructuring that defines learning as indeed a prodigious practice for the participates very what learners can demonstrate that department. Our main goal was not actively in the process they know. However, William Spady’s making the learners speak like native of OBE at Marian. As a radical vision had paved the way for speakers of English, but helping them department with aca- academia in considering self-eval- to communicate English in such a demic reach to all the uation, using performance data and way that everyone understands their other departments at other information, targeted to tongue. Marian, the first-year sustained self-improvement. The undergraduates re- progress being made against the As non-native speakers of English ceived comprehensive targets set by the Department of language, our learners initially found training in all the skills Communicative English are being it challenging as they had carried of English Language monitored on an ongoing basis. The forward a language register from during the current set targets are for average their school education. The process academic year. performance to achieve the goals of unlearning the register was the framed as per the OBE. As key players most hard-hitting part along with the in the process of a learner-centric influence of mother tongue in the process of education, the deliverance of the topics, when the Department of BACE at Marian have learners found the alienated aspects clearly understood and formatted its of Phonetics and Phonology quite style of course deliverance through a grim. The unlearning part was fol- process that while progress has been lowed by introducing and learning the made, there is a pressing need for speech sounds in English Phonology, continued improvement in how speech sounds are produced with educational attainment. the help of our various body parts in- cluding the lips, the tongue, the teeth, With the aim of introducing the the pharynx and the lungs. Though essential features of good pronunci- the production of sounds and its prac- ation, the Department of Communi- tise was cumbersome for a majority of cative English facilitated the first- our learners, they found it interesting year undergraduates with a common and understood the clear differences course, UCE2001-Essential English in sound-spelling correspondence, for Undergraduates. The process of especially the low in English language 134

Nevertheless, the and the high in their mother tongue. words, while only the acquired sys- challenges during the tem is able to produce spontaneous pandemic are on the After learning the different speech speech, the learned system is used to high, raising standards sounds (International Phonetic Al- check what is being spoken. started with every phabet, IPA) and how they are pro- learner in the Depart- duced, our learners started practising Nevertheless, the challenges during ment and so every the language using the features of the pandemic are on the high, raising facilitator played their native language users. It is import- standards started with every learn- part through a system- ant to understand that many of the er in the Department and so every atic learners continue to use the newly facilitator played their part through and organised contri- learnt pronunciation skills in English a systematic and organised contri- bution to the process language, with a clear understanding bution to the process of OBE. Con- of OBE. of how sounds are produced, trans- sidering the second course outcome mitted and received. The lessons we mentioned in the curriculum of UCE delivered helped our learners improve 2001: Articulate words and sentences the general standard of their per- clearly stressing the right syllables, formance in everyday conversation it is evident from the responses that and make them intelligible to people we receive from the learners that they coming from various parts of India have raised their standards from mere and abroad. students to learners and they have Considering the challenges posed by adapted to those standards excep- learning the exact speech structure of tionally well. To our astonishment, we a foreign language when the learners have found that many of our learners acquire a second language, expert started writing simple sentences us- academic sessions were made avail- ing the International Phonetic Alpha- able to the learning community, when bet (IPA). This is indeed a construc- the world-renowned linguist Profes- tive sign in the process of unlearning sor Stephen Krashen of the Univer- and relearning English language sity of Southern California delivered following the internationally accepted his viewpoints on Second Language methodology of language learning. Acquisition and his Monitor Hypothe- sis. This session clearly demonstrated However, more emphasis should be that our learner’s learned system acts given to raising overall performance as a monitor to what kind of speech and narrowing the gap between the sounds, they are producing. In other highest and the lowest achievers, and 135

As facilitators, the chances between the most and the least disad- Everything that we do is we receive for our continu- vantaged learners. This is achievable focused on what we want ous professional only by the collective and sincere our learners to know, development must lead to efforts of our teaching fraternity. understand and to be effective self-evaluation and Along with some excellent practices capable of doing. the actions that flow from it of the teaching-learning process, it is will deliver educational evident that a hands-on approach or a improvement for the first-hand involvement of the learn- learners. ers in the progression could lead to better practices in their professional and personal life. The development of learning through experience is more narrowly defined as “learning through reflection on doing”. As an educational institution that consistently strives for excellence and development in the field of academ- ics, Marian College has framed some outstanding standards and criteria for its academic framework. This has undeniably created a sense of setting targets for the facilitators by themselves using self-evaluation, performance data and other available information, leading to sustained self-improvement. As facilitators, the chances we receive for our continuous professional development must lead to effective self-evaluation and the actions that flow from it will deliver educational improvement for the learners. Based on the performance trends and 136

As an important improvement plans, each facilitator fined framework of the taxonomy of aspect of instructional should set a more challenging target learning. It certainly identifies all the design, creating a  for themselves for further advance- three domains of learning: Cognitive, proper lesson plan adds to ment and the intended result. When affective and psychomotor, and helps the process of getting ready setting targets, facilitators should the facilitators frame some exclusive with the rudiments of the wish to take into account a range of question banks in search of the learn- OBE framework to create factors, including: er-centred responses. learning objectives, organise and deliver course • trends in performance during The principles of Outcome Based Ed- content, and plan and the current/previous academic ucation are structurally organised and prepare to learn activities semesters clearly defined in all the assessments and materials. that we do as facilitators, which serve • the prior attainment of each as a tool to measure our learners. semester Everything that we do is focused on what we want our learners to know, • the context within which Marian understand and to be capable of do- is operating and how it com- ing. It is with a clear focus that we as pares to other colleges in similar facilitators design and create Bloom’s circumstances taxonomy-based assessments based on high expectations, which could • the priorities set by the IQAC lead to expanded and greater oppor- tunities for our learners. The outcomes, which are defined at However, as a facilitator who strin- three levels as Program Outcomes gently shadows the ethics of the (POs), Program Specific Outcomes outcome-based teaching-learning (PSOs) and Course Outcomes (COs), process, an extra sense of concern have all contributed analytically to regarding the planning of lessons the professional development of our remains at the crossroads of my facilitators and also to a focussed teaching mind. A promising learning vision of our learners’ learning abil- outcome is possible at the outset of ity. The course UCE2001: Essential a proper lesson plan only, which is English for Undergraduates had seven where we fail in acknowledging the different Course Outcomes (COs). Ev- expectations of the OBE method. As eryone has got a feeling that the most an important aspect of instructional important aspect of the outcomes design, creating a proper lesson plan framed by Marian is that they are observable and measurable according to the standards set by the well-de- 137

Apart from the four key adds to the process of getting ready and personally. The facilitator should language skills - listening, with the rudiments of the OBE frame- keep in mind the endpoint (outcomes) speaking, reading, and work to create learning objectives, when he/she designs the curriculum writing - the Department also organise and deliver course content, (while planning lessons, designing as- endorses higher-order and plan and prepare to learn activi- signments and assessments, lecturing thinking skills, which will ties and materials. It also outlines the and other activities). Everything a fa- enable our language learners type of formative and summative as- cilitator does in the classroom should to get acquainted with the sessment methods that we use in our ultimately lead the learner toward the classifications, principles, classrooms. Besides, it is imperative outcomes of the course. generalizations, theories, to believe that planning a lesson adds In addition to the fine-tuned edu- models, or structures efficiently to the framed outcomes. cational practices followed by the pertinent to the English Marian teaching community, we as fa- language. The academicians at the Oxford Uni- cilitators should promote certain edu- versity Press (India) have efficaciously cational activities such as the creation pointed out the need for appropriate of learning communities, undergrad- lesson planning before delivering uate research, and service-learning the topic to the class. Assessments which are identified as high-impact are valid and conceivable only after practices (HIPs) pointed out by the the facilitators plan their lessons, eminent educationist George Kuh, facilitate the learners with the prereq- because they engage learners in active uisites of the content, track their les- learning that elevates their perfor- sons using a wide array of formative mance on the desired outcomes. Our assessments, and review the course/ CARS and CADL assessments are learning outcome using a range of indeed great tools to promote such summative assessments. practices of excellence. It should also contribute heavily to high-impact Outcome Based Education (OBE) is practices (HIPs), which are active undeniably a learner-centric learn- learning practices that promote deep ing model that helps the facilita- learning by promoting learner en- tors to plan the course delivery and gagement. We, as facilitators, should assessment with the endpoint in bear in mind that our learners should mind. The result should be that the carry forward the legacy of being a learners tame all the essential twen- Marianite in the job market. ty-first-century skills, making them a complete product both professionally The CARS and CADL, alongside all 138

Following the OBE practic- other formative and summative and particular cognitive processes, es, our learners develop a assessments framed by the Depart- thereby showcasing their strategic or sense of ment of BACE, underwrite the factual, reflective knowledge about how to inquiry and research, very conceptual, procedural and meta- go about solving problems, cognitive specific or finite skills, cognitive knowledge in tune with the tasks, including contextual and con- systems, techniques and frameworks prescribed by the insti- ditional knowledge and knowledge of particular tution. Our OBE underlined prac- self. With some stupendous specifi- methodologies that will tices will certainly create a learning cations and sumpsimus practices in enable them to further community irrespective of the majors outcome-based education, it is clear advance their capacities as they follow with the ability to inter- and palpable that Marian College will future globe makers. connect all the language skills, un- emerge as the leader of Indian higher derstand and practise the essentials education in the near future. they receive from within a language classroom. Apart from the four key language skills - listening, speaking, reading, and writing - the Department also endorses higher-order thinking skills, which will enable our language learners to get acquainted with the classifications, principles, generaliza- tions, theories, models, or structures pertinent to the English language. Following the OBE practices, our learners develop a sense of inquiry and research, very specific or fi- nite skills, systems, techniques and particular methodologies that will enable them to further advance their capacities as future globe makers. It is seen from our learners that they are well aware of their cognition Dr Blessen S. Abraham is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communicative English, Marian College, Kuttikkanam and also serves as Resource Person for Oxford University Press (India). 139

Application of OBE System in the Practical The article deals with Courses of the PG Programme of the challenges faced Communication and Media Studies and the solutions found during the application of the OBE system in the practical courses of the programme, MA in Communication and Media Studies. Fr Sobi Thomas [email protected] +91 9744681411 140

The postgraduate programme The Challenges The application of the OBE system at of Communication and Media different levels of learning a sub- Studies in Marian College en- In the beginning, as in the promul- ject was another problem. It meant, dorses the inclusion of more practi- gation of every new system, we also where should the OBE be applied cal courses in the curriculum. When faced a lot of challenges. The first and first? Is it in teaching or in evaluation we applied the OBE system to our foremost problem that we tackled or in the entire curriculum itself? curriculum, the courses became more in teaching the practical papers in interesting and challenging. the OBE system was none other than Facing the Challenges ‘teaching’ itself. How to explain ‘rule The movement from the classical of thirds’ in Photography without After a long discussion, it came to our classroom teaching structure to an drawing diagrams on the whiteboard? awareness that the application of the Outcome Based Education system How to teach ‘shutter speed’ without OBE system in Communication and totally paved the way for a new wave showing a video of it on the screen? Is Media Studies was possible only by in the teaching and learning of it possible to explain ‘types of shots’ demolishing the existing system and Communication and Media Studies. or ‘camera angles’ without classroom constructing a new one in its place. The students became more learners teaching? How can students be made than mere listeners. The transforma- aware of Public Service After spending more than ten days tion is evident from the fruits they Announcements (PSAs)? How can of discussions on the syllabus, a produced. There is also a change from ‘focal length’ and ‘types of lenses’ be new OBE syllabus was created. The the examination-focused to an out- explained? There were a lot of ques- outcomes of each course were recon- put-oriented system or from a quali- tions. structed for effective attainment and fication-based to a quality grounded measurement. The instructions to system. The second trouble was concerning achieve the outcomes of the prac- evaluation. How to evaluate a stu- tical courses were formulated and OBE transformed the entire education dent in the Outcome Based Educa- directions were given to evaluate the system into personalized learning. tion (OBE) system? What should be continuous assessments (CAs). The Teachers became more facilitators of evaluated? What criteria should be syllabus revision is the cornerstone the outcome achievers. They became used in the case of practical courses? on which the foundations of the OBE the designers of instructions that What kind of questions should be system in Communication and Media helped the students to achieve the formulated and asked in the Viva voce Studies was built. outcomes. The satisfaction of teach- examination? Are the formulated ing transformed from the mere com- questions capable enough to evaluate The main discussions at the time pletion of syllabus and attainment a person’s technical knowledge or of curriculum revision were on the of top grades to the achievement of subject knowledge in an examination modification of the course outcomes. outcomes by the students. conducted in less than one hour? To evaluate an outcome, it should be 141

OBE does not measurable. That means, immea- of thirds,’ etc. They also learned photo enchain all students to surable verbs like ‘understand’ and editing by editing their own photos, one evaluation criteria. ‘remember’ should be replaced with designing posters and brochures, etc. measurable verbs like ‘analyze’, ‘cre- The Videography and Editing course Many difficulties were ate’ and ‘evaluate’. For example, after urged them to produce some videos faced but solutions the completion of the Photography by themselves and understand the were found in teaching course, a teacher can easily evaluate types of shots, camera angles, editing practical papers. the students based on their levels of techniques, etc. All these were made achievement. The intention behind possible because of the freedom, flex- the restructuring of the syllabus is ibility, and excitement provided by the creation of a learning environ- the OBE system. Unlike its predeces- ment that supports learning activities sor, OBE does not enchain all students that are appropriate to achieving the under one evaluation criteria. desired learning outcomes. By the time our students finish their The implementation of the OBE sys- PG, they will have enough and more tem helped us a lot in teaching prac- experience to be employed in reputed tical papers like Photography, Videog- firms across the globe. The works of raphy and Editing, etc. For example, the students are assigned and eval- in order to teach ‘slow shutter speed’, uated to match industrial standards. we were used to explaining the same For any course in the stream of Arts to the students and showing them and Humanities, especially the prac- videos of the photos taken near some tical courses, OBE is the best possible streams. But in the OBE system, in way for learning. Although it may order to learn it, the students actu- seem chaotic in the beginning, with ally visited a nearby stream and took proper planning and an enormous slow shutter photos of the stream. amount of patience and perseverance, In order to learn ‘high aperture’, a teacher can perfect the art of being the students took photos of the sun a facilitator in the OBE system. during the noontime. Similarly, they took photos to learn ‘high shutter’, ‘depth of field’, ‘white balance’, ‘rule Fr Sobi Thomas Kannalil is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Communication and Media Studies. He is also a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Kanjirappally. 142

College A lifetime You’ve Interesting… graduate, eh? of debt got a bright and what did What did you that prepare major in? you for? future kid! Debt 143

OBE as perceived by MCMS Department Dr Michael Puthenthara [email protected] +91 9961344664 144

The contemporary emphasis The novelty or the differential Differently stated, the focus is on out- on Outcome Based Education advantage of the new paradigm put rather than input. But this does (OBE) could be appropriately is that OBE is a student centred not imply that the knowledge base of perceived in the context of the instruction model measuring student a discipline is neglected. However, it National Education Policy (NEP) performance through outcomes. Out- underlines the necessity of striking that education is being currently comes are the results of the learning a balance between conceptual and discussed at the national level processes. More specifically, they are practical relevance. as a comprehensive framework statements regarding what a student to guide the development of can do and what he/she understands OBE is an assessment-driven system, education targeted for imple- contextually as demonstrated at the operating through the setting up of mentation sooner than later. At end of the learning processes. These standards. They make up the param- the level of higher education, results are eters that guide the learners about OBE could also be correctly con- knowledge, skills, attitudes and values values, attitudes, knowledge and skills sidered as a firm step in bringing that are to be manifested within a expected from competent profession- about, as well as, ensuring particular frame of reference. In other als. Therefore, the outcome envisaged quality standards underlined by words, knowledge is applied and skills ought to be explicit, transparent, a new approach different from developed into competencies. At the distinct and traditional models of instruction. same time, values harmonize with separately considered so that students those of need to understand what is being the society and the workplace. assessed and what they are expected to achieve. Naturally, OBE assessment Competencies can be several. tools are more learner centered than However, what OBE envisages are the traditional forms of assessment. three types of competencies such as However, there is no single style of teaching or assessment; instead, a. Pragmatic, meaning knowing classes, opportunities and evaluation how to do things and the ability should all help students achieve the to take decisions; specified outcomes. b. Fundamental, that is, under- Two broad types of assessment are standing of what one is doing identified: formative and summative. and why; Both are designed to improve the quality of the learning experiences of c. Reflective, implying learning and the student. Formative assessment adapting through self-reflection refers to the collection of information as well as applying knowledge appropriately and responsibly. 145

• Competencies about student learning during the descriptions which the student is • OBE is an assessment-driven process of learning and teaching. This expected to know and do by the time happens on a continuous basis. of completion of the course. system • Two broad types of assessment Summative assessment takes place at Lastly, Course Outcomes (COs) are • Three parameters measure the the end of a module/ course, measurable parameters which traditionally taking the form of an evaluate students’ performance for progress of the students exam. Arguably, OBE reference is to each course in every semester. • Structuring the learning criteria, meaning thereby, the Institutions must have the learner’s achievement is measured competence to decide on methods of outcome against a set of predetermined assessment according to what is • Rubrics for assessment of criteria which have no relation to the appropriate to them. Assessment achievement of other learners. tools to measure COs include outcomes mid-semester and end-semester Three parameters measure the exams along with assignments, progress of the students in the OBE project work, presentations, model. employer/alumni feedback, etc. They are: Programme Educational Structuring the learning outcome: Objectives (PEOs); Programme The whole learning design suggested Outcomes (POs) and Course by OBE is based on the ‘Bloom’s Outcomes (COs). PEO encompasses Taxonomy’, proposed by the broad statements describing the American educational, Psychologist, career and professional accomplish- Benjamin S. Bloom as far back as ments that the programme prepares 1956 (modified later by others). the students to achieve. Therefore, structuring the learning outcome with the Bloom’s taxonomy Naturally they are measured after as a framework is vital. the completion of the programme through employer satisfaction survey According to it, the learning plan for and alumni survey done yearly. the students to achieve Placement records and high education expected outcomes envelope three records are included in these efforts. learning domains, such as On the other hand, the Programme cognitive, psychomotor and affective Outcomes (POs) are narrower levels. 146

Authors Briggs and Tang have The Principles are: external stakeholders such as the identified three versions of OBE: government and the employers. a. Clarity of focus on culminat- Accountability requires quality 1. Developed in the 1980s and the ing outcomes of significance; measures, performance indicators 90s, the first version concept of defined as inputs and outputs. OBE is associated with William b. Expanded opportunity and Speedy, according to whom OBE support for learning success; 3. In the third version of OBE, learn- means clearly focusing and orga- ing outcomes are used for the sole nizing everything around what c. High expectations for all to purpose of enhancing teaching is essential for all students to succeed; and learning. In this model, be able to do successfully at the teachers must first clearly state end of their learning experienc- d. Design down from the ulti- and communicate the intended es, that is, to be successful after mate, culminate outcomes. learning outcomes (IL0s) and they exit the educational system. Each of these principles establish minimum acceptable There are two types of outcomes, are interlinked, e.g. given standards for success. Thereaf- e.g. ‘exit outcomes’ and ‘enabling appropriate opportunities, ter, instructional strategies are outcomes.’ While exit outcomes students can achieve high selected that will help students represent the culmination of the standards, which is linked to to gain the desired skills, knowl- student’s career, enabling out- high expectations. In order edge or values. Teachers must comes provide the key ‘building for an educational system to also choose assessments that are blocks’ of learning. Spady’s OBE be outcome based, these four constructively aligned with the paradigm is based on three prem- principles must provide its learning outcomes and provide ises and four principles: philosophical foundation. The evidence that these have been two approaches in the OBE achieved. The premises are: paradigm are: transitional (traditional) and transforma- Cognitive domain is all about the i. All students can learn and tional. The former emphasiz- knowledge base of learners. Know- succeed, but not on the same es mastery of subject related ing some fact, comprehending some day and not in the same way; academic outcomes and the theory, using previous knowledge for latter emphasizes long term, solving problems or ii. Successful learning promotes cross-curricular outcomes creating something new are activities even more successful learn- that are related directly to at the cognitive level. ing; student’s future life role. To be specific, it implies knowledge, iii. Institutions control the 2. Ensuring accountability. OBE is comprehension, application, analysis, conditions that affect directly adopted to provide evidence of synthesis and evaluation. successful learning. accountability to meet the needs of accreditation agencies and 147

Remembering is the lowest, and Ayurvedic product; the strategy; creating the highest level of cognitive 3. The differential advantage of the 3. Characteristics of Differential attainment. The operative words at this level are ‘analyze’, ‘distinguish’, brand; advantage; ‘predict’, ‘investigate’, ‘criticize’ and 4. Differential advantage of the 4. key steps in positioning; ‘appraise’.At the psychomotor level, 5. Positioning out to be simply stat- learning hands-on-skill is the objec- brand vis-à-vis other brands of tive. The traditional‘motor’ skill is the same category; ed and consistent; extended beyond combining it with 5. The great idea and USP; thinking. The levels reached are 6. Significance of marketing strategy GRADE: A+ = All five answers; A = imitating, manipulating, executing, for advertising. First four answers; B = any three; C = articulating and naturalizing. Any two; D = Any one GRADE: A+ = 1,2,3 and more; A = The key words are ‘demonstrate’, 1,2,3; B = Any three; C= Any two; D= Question 4: ‘complete’, ‘show’ and ‘calibrate’. any one. On the other hand,in the affective 1. The concept of ‘Hierarchy of domain, the focus is on the quali- Question 2: Needs’; ties of feeling and building attitudes of a learner. It involves receiving, 1. Target segment appropriate to 2. Elaboration of AIDA, as a plan- responding, valuing, organizing and the product, Orthoherb. ning model and the checklist of characterizing. The action verbs are an advertisement; ‘act’, ‘display’, ‘influence,’ ‘solve,’ and 2. Demographic and Psychographics ‘practise’. of the segment; 3. Which need / needs specifical- ly motivate in buying a Maruti Rubrics for assessment of out- 3. Segmentation criteria; Esteem car. comes 4. Hierarchy of needs fulfilled by the 4. Alternatives to positioning. Question 1: brand; 5. Why segmentation? GRADE: A + All the four answers; A: Marketing Strategy - = 1, 2.3; B = 2, 3; C = 2 in detail; D = ORTHOHERB GRADE: A+ = 1, 2, 3,4; A = 1,2.3; B = any one. 1. Marketing Strategy, concept 1, 2 with detail; C = 1,2 no details; D =1. Question 5: and application to ORTHOHERB product; Question 3: 1. A radial tyre and its relevant 2. Target market of the branded facts; 1. Concept of positioning applied to brands; 2. The great creative idea that emerges from the facts; 2. Positioning in the mind of con- sumer, not in the product nor in 3. Creativity is more than a summa- ry of facts; 148

4. Creativity is more than innova- various functions in detail; The celebrity remembered, but tion. 2. Creative agencies, their responsi- the product/brand forgotten; 3. Use of celebrities mainly serve GRADE: A+ = All the answers; A = 1, bilities; the purpose of drawing atten- 2, 3. ; B = Any two answers; C= any 3. Media/specialized agencies; tion of the viewer/reader to the one; D = 4TH answer. 4. In-house agencies; product; 5. Social media agencies; 4. If the celebrity suffers a setback, Question 6: 6. Agency compensation. it will affect the product as well. 1. Prepare the profile of a full- GRADE: A+ = 1,2,3,4, A = 1.2.3; B GRADE: A+ = 1, 2, 3, 4; A = 1, 2,3, B fledged advertising agency; = 1,2,5; C + Any two; D = any one. = 1, 3; C = 2.3; D = 4. Question 8: 2. Emphasize the strength of the agency – Client servicing, Cre- 1. Two fundamental appeals – Ra- Question 10: ative department, Media Planning tional and emotional; and execution , Production De- 1. Advertising copy ( content ) asso- partment, in its various sections, 2. Major appeals – Fear, Humour, ciated with a characteristic of the such as Film making and Event Sex, Music, Scarcity, with exam- product / brand management, Public relations. ples; 2. Characteristic may be particu- 3. Two of the outstanding advertise- 3. Sex appeal used in automobile lar usage, a specific attribute, ments – commercial and in print advertising, a critical evaluation; price-quality relationship. it has so far created. 4. Ethical considerations. 3. Above all, the characteristic 4. Names of persons who are behind should be related to the benefit the agency. GRADE: A + = 1, 2, 3. A = 1,2; B = of the product to the purchaser. 2; C = 4 5. Its geographical distribution 4. Content should also relate to a within the country. Question 9: specific communication task that should be accomplished among a 6. Collaboration with foreign agen- 1. Over dependence on cine actors defined audience. cies – abroad. and other stars is harmful to the growth of professional advertis- GRADE: A+ = 1,2,3; A = 1,2, ; B = 2, GRADE: A+ = All the answers; ing; 4; C = 4; D = 4.s A = 1,2,3.4; B = 1,2,3,. C = 1,2., D = 1. 2. Suffers from ‘Vampire effect’ – Question 7: Dr Michael Puthenthara is author of the books ‘Perspectives of Public Relations’, ‘Advertising’, ‘Pro- files in Journalism’ and ‘Environmental Reflections’. Translated over 32 books from 1. Full-service agency, describing different languages including Sukumar Azhikode’s ‘Tatvamasi’. 149

OBE in Communication The introduction of Outcome Based and Media Studies Education (OBE) in the field of Com- munication and Media Studies is a Mr Eapen Alexander much needed upgrade for the ever [email protected] dynamic discipline. With rapid para- +91 9633264208, +91 8078394024 digm shifts taking place in the field of communication and media studies globally, the Indian system fails to deliver the desired quality of grad- uates who can cope with change. Due to lack of practical experience, innovation and skill acquisition, millions of Indian graduates and postgraduates struggle to find their desired jobs as employers find them ‘unemployable’. But the implemen- tation of OBE is the beginning of the end of such problems. 150

With rapid changes taking actual essence of the programmes a 2019 report by the employability place in the field of Commu- offered by the discipline. Pragmatism assessment company ‘Aspiring Minds’. nication and Media Studies is fundamental for the successful Out of the several observations made which is complemented by the revolu- attainment of the benefits of the pro- in the report, the most important was tionary and unending rise of the fifth grammes in this discipline. Majority that subjects were taught in a very estate where the bar of standards is of the courses cannot be taught with- theoretical manner in colleges, 60% of raised so high, many graduates would in the confined space of a classroom; the faculty did not talk about the ap- find it hard to survive. Such changes the students require a lot of outside plication of concepts in the industry also leave a lot of room for highly practical experience in order to apply and only 47% of the students attend- skilled employees and entrepreneurs what they have actually learned. Such ed any industry talk. Although this who are able to take risks and try new exposure will also sharpen their skills study was conducted in the field of things. Indian students are capable of which are fundamental for succeeding Engineering, it is very much relatable doing that and they perform tremen- in this field. and relevant to almost all disciplines dously abroad because the interna- of the Indian Education System. tional standards enable them to be The Indian system of education de- self-reliant and motivated. However, prived generations of students from This is where OBE plays a critical role. the Indian teacher centric system attaining the true sense of education, It helps to eliminate the aforemen- does not help students to discover and as a result, they often become tioned problem to an extent. OBE the true potential within themselves, unemployable. It is not entirely the enables all courses in the discipline and as a result, they fail to match the fault of the students from India if - Communication and Media Studies standards set by the employers. they fail to meet the expected qual- - to be measurable, reliable and pro- ity. The Indian system, for decades, ductive. The OBE system enables the The dominant role of a teacher in a evaluated a student based on uniform students to be more pragmatic when classroom often eclipses the potential and obsolete evaluation criteria which they deal with theoretical courses. of a student. Teachers in the Indi- only focused on reproducing what was For example, in the traditional system an system are forced to dictate the taught in the classroom, rather than the course Print Media Journalism lessons and lay out uniform learning creating something new based on predominantly focused on learning and assessment plans for students. their skills. The students were evalu- the history of newspapers, important The problem with such uniformity is ated for their memory power or their principles of Journalism, import- that the students, especially in the knowledge level instead of assessing ant personalities of Journalism and Humanities and Arts stream, heavily what skills they had actually acquired important dates, etc. Although such depend on creativity and innovation. and what they did with them. Such details are important, they alone do Such uniformity does not give enough monumental misjudgement has not make a student employable or in- chances for a student of Communi- resulted in 80% of Indian graduates novative. Change begins when ques- cation and Media Studies to gain the being unemployable according to tions are framed in such a way that 151