Educators' understanding of the premises underpinning outcomes-based education and its impact on their classroom assessment practices

Abstract

This investigation focused on educators’ understanding of Outcomes-based Education (OBE) and the impact it has had on their classroom assessment practices. As assessment practices may not be separated from instructional practices, educators’ opinions were probed on their classroom practices in general (i.e. instructional and assessment practices). Educators are the major role players towards successful implementation of OBE; as such their understanding of OBE is important. It has been about nine (9) years since OBE was phased in, in the South African Education system. Educators have undergone in-service training through workshops in order to implement OBE in their classroom practices. In the early stages of implementing OBE, many educators did not understand what was expected of them in an OBE classroom. Most of them continued to follow direct instruction as the only method in their instructional practices. They were resistant to changes. One of the reasons why they resisted changes is that they had little understanding of OBE. This investigation was meant to determine whether there has been development and improvement on educators’ understanding of OBE. The following qualitative research methods were followed in this investigation: semi-structured interviews, observations and document analysis. A general overview of OBE was given in order to help me to develop criteria on which I could judge educators’ opinions regarding their understanding of OBE during interviews, observations and document analysis. The results in this investigation show that educators still have little understanding of OBE premises and principles. They do not accommodate OBE premises and principles in their classroom practices. Educators’ understanding of OBE must be improved so that they can implement OBE effectively in the classroom.