SUMMARY - Outcome-Based Education: Promise or Pitfall?
Outcome-based education (OBE) sounds logical: define what students should know and be able to do, design instruction to achieve those outcomes, and assess whether outcomes are met. This approach promises clarity about educational goals, alignment of teaching and assessment, and accountability for results. Yet outcome-based approaches have generated controversy wherever implemented, with critics warning of narrowed curriculum, teaching to tests, and educational reductionism.