The College of Engineering organised a workshop titled ‘Customising Your Teaching to Outcome-based Learning, Assessment and Active Learning’ on 7th March 2024. The Presenter, Dr Amal Alhadabi, Assistant Professor, Measurement & Evaluation, Psychology Department, College of Education, at Sultan Qaboos University, explained the benefits of using the Outcome-based Learning approach to add variety and keep students engaged with novel activities for student-centred classrooms. Dr Amal added that outcome-based learning and assessment has greatly enriched faculty experience, particularly in terms of student engagement, and made students active in their learning process. A brief overview of the theory behind the approach was given, followed by practical examples of how to use the approach. Participants participated in activities to practice developing effective Learning Outcomes and assessment methods, such as the ‘Specification Table” for increased clarity and fairness in assessment. The workshop was attended by faculty from the academic Department of the College of Engineering.
At the beginning of the Worksop, the Dean of the College of Engineering, Professor Dr Ahmed Al Bulushi, emphasised the need for such a knowledge-sharing workshop in Outcome-Based learning as it significantly impacts the standards of teaching & assessment in an academic environment. Dr Nasset Al Salti, Head of the Applied Mathematics and Science Department, gave the presenter a certificate of appreciation. Prof Dr Sudhir, Head of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, said the workshop provided useful examples for faculty to use in class as effective tools for staff to stay focussed on assessments and practice a Continuous-improvement process.