Some Assumptions and Criticisms of the Movement toward Outcomes Based Learning

Those who support the idea of outcomes based learning claim that:

• learners will be better prepared for future socio-economic realities
  
• what is to be learned is clearly identified leading to greater clarity and direction in curriculum planning and evaluation of learners
  
• development of outcomes statements will result in greater accountability and improved quality of programs
  
• the learner's progress is based on demonstrated achievement
  
• outcomes based education provides for the emancipation of the learner. That is, the focus for learning is on the student rather than on the material covered. It is based on the premise that all students can learn but not on the same day and not in the same way. Provision of frequent assessment and remediation opportunities to achieve the outcome is included (Spady, 1991).

Critics of outcomes based education claim that:

• this model views knowledge as a product, and overlooks the importance of the process of learning which has different meanings for different individuals
  
• teaching and learning activities will be focused on assessment only
  
• outcomes that are not framed in content areas run the risk of lessening the importance of academic content
  
• the claim that outcomes can be verified in any meaningful way is a myth
  
• the measurement of attitudes is not possible;
  
• outcomes based education is the latest edubabble for what students should know, be able to do, and value in order to be successful in the twenty-first century(Globe and Mail )
  
• outcomes based education limits inquiry and creativity by focusing on the testing of observable outcomes.

What ideas can you add, either in support of , or in opposition to the idea of outcomes based learning?