A conceptual object-oriented model to support educators in an outcomes-based environment

• Main Author: Harmse, Rudi Gerhard
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Port Elizabeth Technikon 2001
• Subjects: Competency-based education > South Africa; Curriculum-based assessment > South Africa; Object-oriented databases
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/47

The introduction of outcomes-based education (OBE) in South Africa has led to a new learner-centred approach with an emphasis on the outcomes that the learners need to achieve. With this learner-centred focus has come a greater need for record keeping. It is now necessary to track each learner’s progress towards the attainment of the learning outcomes. This progress is tracked in relation to assessment standards that are defined for every learning outcome. These assessment standards define the results expected of learners at certain stages in their development. The new OBE system has emphasised accountability and this is expressed in a requirement to keep evidence to justify the assessment results given. The large numbers of learners and the increased managerial demand of OBE cause problems to educators who may find themselves unable to keep track of the learners’ progress under such conditions. This dissertation investigates the structure of the new OBE system as well as its assessment and evidence requirements. From this the features required from a support system for educators in an OBE environment are determined. The supporting processes needed to enable these features to be implemented, as well as the storage requirements of such a system are identified. In addition to OBE, the field of Computer Integrated Learning Environments (CILEs) and Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) are investigated and useful details identified are added to the requirements for an OBE support system. The dissertation then presents an object-oriented conceptual model of the items that need to be stored in order to allow the features of an OBE support system to be implemented. The relationships between these items are also indicated in this model.