Faculty-Deans-OBE-SC
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Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) Higher Education Development Program (HEDP) Outcome Based Education & Student Centered Learning Workshop for Faculty Deans Final Report 20th-22nd May 2017 Table of Contents Background ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Rationale ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 OBE-SCL Workshop for Faculty Deans: ........................................................................................................ 4 Training Objectives: .................................................................................................................................. 4 Outcomes of the Dean’s workshop ......................................................................................................... 4 Workshop Schedule ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Batch 1 – parallel to Batch 2 .................................................................................................................... 5 Batch 2 – parallel to Batch 1 .................................................................................................................... 5 Location: ....................................................................................................................................................... 6 Participants: .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Training materials: ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Training Modality: ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Challenges:.................................................................................................................................................... 7 Lesson Learned: ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Expectations from Deans ............................................................................................................................. 8 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................... 8 Annex 1: Deans Information List .............................................................................................................. 8 Annex 2: Some Photos from within the workshop ................................................................................. 11 2 Background Afghan universities are largely traditional, with teacher-centered pedagogy and passive student learning. International trends in universities are increasingly moving toward active student centered learning (SCL) and outcome-based education (OBE). These also combine with blended learning where on-line e- learning methods are integrated with on-site, face-to-face interaction between students and teachers. Afghan universities urgently need to modernize teaching and learning to reflect and keep pace with these international trends. As one of the components in the Higher Education Development Program (HEDP) efforts are taken to modernize and enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. Hence, Outcome Based Education & Student Centered Learning concepts come into play to achieve this goal. The objective of this theme is to assist universities in introducing modern outcome-based education (OBE) and student-centered learning (SCL) in line with current international trends in higher education. The introduction of OBE and SCL will require new approaches to curriculum design and delivery; innovative teaching methods and techniques; active and dynamic learning models; increased use of higher education publications, and ICT and internet-based resources; and the modernization of assessment systems, in universities. The Staff Development Centers (SDCs) of universities will play an important role in the provision of continuous professional development for university academics, management and technical staff, to introduce and establish OBE and SCL and to use ICT, web-based content and digital resources, for teaching and learning. The degree programs which are considered priorities for the country’s economic development will be the first set of programs to which OBE and SCL will be introduced. Over time, OBE and SCL will be expanded to other degree programs. Rationale The concepts of OBE-SCL have been introduced to the Afghan faculties through various local and overseas workshop. The very first workshop was held on November 21st and 22nd 2015 at the ministry of Higher Education. This workshop was a simple introduction to the OBE-SCL. The OBE-SCL experts from UTM coached the workshop. At the end of the workshop it was agreed to conduct an advanced OBE-SCL workshop in near future. Therefore, on April 24th – 3rd May 2016 the advanced workshop was held in presence of 170 Afghan faculties and 4 OBE-SCL experts of UTM. This workshop helped Afghan faculties have a more solid understanding of OBE-SCL concepts. At the end of this workshop, UTM trainers asked the participants to complete a teaching portfolio so that they can win a fellowship to enhance their knowledge on OBE-SCL at UTM in a more advanced OBE-SCL workshop. Out of 170 participants 24 faculties from 14 universities have been selected and departed to UTM for OBE-SCL Trainer Certificate workshop. They attended this workshop for 12 days and managed to obtain the Certificate of OBE-SCL Trainer and Associate Trainer. These 24 faculties gained the title of OBE-SCL Trainer and Champion. These Champions conducted OBE- SCL workshop at their respective universities for two weeks. These 24 Champions managed to train 260 3 teachers in OBE-SCL. The participants of these workshops conducted by Champions would receive a certificate of participation. There will be more workshops conducted by these Champions in coming years. Some of these Champions have stated that the University Leadership and Management are less supportive of the OBE-SCL workshops, its implementation and practice and they have no knowledge on OBE-SCL and its importance. They suggested that the university chancellor, vice chancellor, faculty deans and department heads should fully support the champions on implementation and conduct of OBE-SCL workshops. Hence, MoHE has decided to launch a series of OBE-SCL workshops for faculty deans and department heads to obtain support from top management level. It was also agreed to hold annual OBE- SCL conference for university Chancellor and Vice Chancellors and related stakeholders to raise their awareness about the OBE-SCL, its objectives, benefits, and importance. HEDP seriously followed the suggestions by Champions and put them into action. OBE-SCL Workshop for Faculty Deans: HEDP managed to hold a 3-day OBE-SCL workshop for 77 Faculty Deans of primary disciplines from 15 Universities on 20th-22nd May 2017. There were 4 OBE-SCL experts from UTM to mentor this workshop. These trainers coached the 1st and 2nd OBE-SCL workshop at MoHE in 2015 and 2016. This workshop was officially commenced in presence of Mr. Abdul Tawab Balakarzai H.E Deputy Minister for Academic Affairs, HEDP team, Malaysian experts, and faculty deans. Training Objectives: The main goal of this workshop is to disseminate the knowledge of OBE-SCL concepts to Faculty Deans at the public universities and get their support in the OBE-SCL practice and implementation. To train the university leadership and management level on OBE-SCL and showcase its impacts on Higher Education To make sure that the University Faculty Deans are fully involved into the program To remove any concept barriers and misunderstanding about OBE-SCL system and approach To clarify the important roles of University Faculty Deans in supporting the OBE-SCL Training Programs To support, promote and institutionalize OBE-SCL at the university with the help of top management Outcomes of the Dean’s workshop By the end of the 3-day Deans’ OBE-SCL workshop, participants are able to: Explain the purpose of OBE in enhancing the effectiveness of Higher Education system to produce quality graduates Explain the terms and processes involved in OBE so that they are able to convince faculty members to practice OBE Assess the effectiveness of OBE implementation at the department using simple checklist approach. Explain the needs to shift from the traditional way of teaching and learning to SCL approaches Describe the How People Learn Framework and Constructive Alignment for evaluating a learning environment that is implemented in their faculties Identify factors required for supporting the implementation of SCL approaches among faculty members 4 The 77 faculty deans were equally divided into two batches. Two OBE-SCL Malaysian experts were in charge of each batches. The following is the schedule of the 3-day workshop. The UTM experts had a rotational role which means that two experts trained 1st batch in OBE and then moved to the 2nd batch to teach them OBE. The other two experts trained the 2nd batch in SCL and then moved to