obe - School of Civil Engineering - USM

WHAT IISS OUTCOMEE BBASSEE EEDUCATIION [[OBBEE]]OBE is an educational process that is focussed at achieving certain specified outcomes interms of individual student learning. Outcomes are key things students shouldunderstand and be able to do or the qualities they should develop. The Educationalstructures and curriculum in the Programme Bachelor of Civil Engineering USM aredesigned to achieve those capabilities or qualities and they are regarded as means notends. If the outcomes are not achieved they are rethought as to ensure there is aContinual Quality Improvement (CQI) within the education system.WHY DO WE NEED OBE?The Programme Bachelor of Civil Engineering USM requires an official recognition by theEngineering Accreditation Committee and Board of Engineers Malaysia [EAC/BEM]every four years. This accreditation is the provision that enable the civil engineeringstudents to register as BEM graduate member upon graduation and leading to theirRegistered Professional Engineer carrier after several years. The accreditation exercise isalso important to the school of Civil Engineering as part of a Continual QualityImprovement (CQI).There has been a paradigm shift made by EAC/BEM requiring the implementation ofoutcome-based education (OBE) in the engineering education sector. It has also beeninitiated and driven by the Quality Assurance Department at the Ministry of HigherEducation, Malaysia currently known as Malaysia Quality Agency (MQA). OBE is theessential requirement for Malaysia by 2007 to become a fully signatory member of amultinational agreement for the mutual recognition of engineering degrees, i.e. TheWashington Accord (WA). This will be an endorsement that the engineering educationsystem has demonstrated a strong, long-term commitment to quality assurance inproducing engineers ready for industry practice in the international scene

WHAT IISS THEE REEQUIIREEMEENT OFF OBBEEThe EAC/BEM manual states that “each engineering program for which an institutionseeks accreditation or re-accreditation must have in place:1. Detailed published Program Educational Objectives (PEO) that is consistentwith the mission of the institution;2. A process based on the needs of the program’s various constituencies in whichthe objectives are determined and periodically evaluated;3. A curriculum and processes that ensure the achievement of these objectives; and4. A system of ongoing evaluation that demonstrates achievement of theseobjectives and uses the results to improve the effectiveness of the program.5. The programs must demonstrate that their graduates will have minimumspecified outcomes and an assessment process must be in place so that theprogram can demonstrate that the outcomes are being measuredPROGRAM EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES FOR THE PROGRAMME BACHELOR INCIVIL ENGINEERING USMProgram Educational Objectives [PEO] are statements that describe the expectedaccomplishments of graduates during the first several years following graduation. TheSchool of Civil Engineering has published their program educational objectives that areconsistent with the vision and mission of the Universiti Sains Malaysia as follows:1. To produce employable graduates with knowledge in Civil Engineeringcomplemented by appropriate skills and attributes.2. To produce creative and innovative graduates equipped with design and softskills, to enable them to carry out various tasks and solve problems.3. To produce graduates with good leadership skills, right attitudes andprofessional ethics.4. To produce holistic graduates with sustainable development awareness5. To produce graduates with interests in research and lifelong learning, andstriving for the forefront of technology.

Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Mission StatementThe Universiti Sains Malaysia mission statement is quoted below:-We aspire to lead and innovate in achieving excellence at the international levelthrough:advancing and disseminating knowledge and truth;instilling qualities that stress academic excellence and professionalism;developing holistic individuals; andproviding a strong commitment towards the society's aspiration, thecountry’s vision, and universal aspirations.Thhee Missssiioonn SSttaatteemeennttss oof f tthhee SScchhooool l oof f Civviill EEnnggi inneeeerri innggThis mission is reflected within this statement:-To nurture and sustain excellence in delivering of comprehensive education,imparting knowledge, exploring frontiers of technology, and providing services to theindustry and community, at the local and international levels, by applying the mostadvance knowledge and leading expertise, creating innovative ventures, beingtruthful and upholding USM's motto “We Lead”The School of Civil Engineering aims to be a leader in providing the highest quality ofundergraduate education available in the country. The task is to provide all students theopportunity for a broad-based educational experience, enabling students to addresscomplex and comprehensive civil engineering problems. In addition, the school seeks toprovide students with the fundamentals necessary to advance in the profession inresponse to changing technology and societal needs and expectations. Lastly, the Schoolof Civil Engineering intends to offer the preparation and fostering of intellectual interestneeded for graduate studies and research.In general, our program educational objectives were initially established through:-1. Review of the university’s vision and mission statement,2. Evaluation of the desirable characteristics of our graduates,3. Drafting or revising the list of objectives, and review by the school boardmembers.4. Survey to the industry and constituent groups to seek their views and commentsregarding our PEOs. Constituent groups include our current students, alumni,and employers of our students and the parents.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES FOR THE PROGRAMME BACHELOR OF CIVILENGINEERING USMProgram Outcomes focus on those abilities that are measurable at the successful end of astudent’s academic program in Civil Engineering at the Universiti SainsMalaysia. Performance Skills and Abilities are emphasized throughout the 4-yearundergraduate program in order to prepare students to be successful engineers and tomeet the School’s Program Outcomes (revised 2010).1. An ability to apply knowledge of science, and engineering fundamentals2. Acquired in-depth technical competence in civil engineering3. Ability to undertake problem identification and solution4. Ability to utilize systems approach to design and evaluate operational performance5. Understanding the principles of design for sustainable development6. Understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities commitment to them7. Ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers but also with thecommunity at large8. Ability to function effectively as an individual and in group with the capacity to bea leader or9. Understanding of the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities ofa professional engineer, and10. Recognizing the need to undertake life-long learning, and possessing/acquiring thecapacity to do so.

DIFFERENT LEVELS OF OBEPROGRAM EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES [PEO]Few years after graduationPROGRAMME OUTCOMES [PO]Upon graduationCOURSE OR SUBJECT OUTCOMES [CO]Upon subject completionWEEKLY OR TOPIC OUTCOMESUpon weekly / topic completionTEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS IN OBETo ensure that faculty members appreciate and deliver the requirement of the OBEsystem, a standard operating procedure has been established as depictedDOCUMENTUSM Course Academic File [HEA]OBE Course Outcomes FormTeaching PlanList of Weekly Teaching Topics with OutcomesTeaching and Evaluation methodList of Experiment/Field Work/Design/Etc.Assessment method [Rubrics or Others]Soft Skill Development- Informal/Formal CooperativeLearning or Problem-basedList of StudentsCourse Lecture notesCourse Work DocumentationAssignments with solutions [Lab Reports, TermPapers etc.]Quiz and Test with solutionsCourse work marksIndividual/group evaluation method [Rubrics orOthers]Other Evidence [Digital Photos, VCD, etc.]Examination Question [after completion of semester]Question with Answer SchemeStudent’s AttendanceList of student passing courseworkWarning lettersOther DocumentAnalysis of ExaminationExamination performance statistics for each questionsComments on performanceSuggestions from Exam BoardPost Mortem of CourseRESPONSIBILITYCourse ManagerCourse Manager /ProgramChairmanTeaching StaffTeaching StaffTeaching StaffTeaching StaffTeaching Staff/CourseManagerTeaching StaffTeaching Staff/CourseManager