Feedback implementing Outcomes Based Education in Foundation Program

FEEDBACK
Implementing Outcomes Based Education in Foundation Program
The Foundation Program at Dhofar University set up a task force comprising the faculty to draft A way to think about the OAC Learning Outcomes. This document resulted in creating an effective framework called Scope and Sequence for the English Language Program. The Scope and Sequence helped in grouping these specific learning outcomes into three levels of Foundation Program corresponding to the level of difficulty. Thus a student who enters level 1 should at the end of level 3 be able to achieve the learning outcomes as set by OAS.
On the basis of the scope and sequence framework, and according to the level of difficulty, the taskforces job was to suggest the course material for each level of the General Foundation Program. This corresponds to Powers second guiding principle.
After having suggested the course material that broadly corresponds to the learning outcome standards, it was felt necessary to make learners independent. To this end the FP included Journal Writing and Writing Portfolio in all the three levels.
Tests and Examinations and Alternative Assessment:

Tests and exams together with alternative assessment could help in making a comprehensive assessment of students’ learning. One tool of alternative assessment is Journal writing on personal experiences which helps learners to feel confident about their writing ability. "Not only does learner-generated writing build confidence, it also encourages autonomy which is crucial to the adult language learner” and they can be “precursors to academic writing” (Pierson 2004:2)
Another tool of alternative assessment is Portfolios. “…. a portfolio is a purposive collection of student writing over time that shows the stages in the writing process a text has gone through and the stages of the writer’s growth” (Coombe and Barlow,2004: 19). As a reflecting tool “students develop and express their voice in the portfolio.” (Santos1997: 2). In Dhofar University the introduction of portfolios is meant to record students’ real productive work generated in their Academic English classes with ‘a voice of their own.’ Therefore, students are assessed on their ability to produce some written pieces of work under various genres satisfying the standards of writing set by the OAC.