Outcome Based Education (OBE) A Cultural Transformation by Ann Wilson

This is taken from Ann's book, Pavlov's Children: A Study of Performance-/Outcome-Based Education

The following article on Outcome-Based Education is taken from the December, 1993 EXTRA issue of Georgia Insight by Sue Ella Deadwyler, 4168 Rue Antoinette, Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083. 

"We're talking about a cultural transformation." - Gwinnett County School Superintendent 

Culture envelopes both knowledge and morals. Therefore, OBE is a deliberate transformation of knowledge and morals.

"Student outcomes must produce graduates that provide more for less money." - Roy Richard, CEO, Southwire Company (Lieutenant Governors OBE Conference, May 13, 1993)

Two Foundational Facts from 1987 Johns Hopkins Report on OBE: 

1. The structure of OBE demands: 

• Achievement level for every student should be held constant. (Puts a ceiling on learning.)
• Time is allowed to vary. (Presently, time in school is the same, achievement level of students varies.)
• All students who achieve at any point are generally given an 'A'. (Stops competition or excellence.)

2. With these changes, OBE will accomplish two central goals: 

• Reduce variation in student achievement. (No student will learn more than another.)
• Reduce or eliminate any correlation between aptitude and achievement. (Natural abilities ignored.)

 

Do you want your first grader to be taught arithmetic by using a calculator or to guess at words rather than read?  Do you want him to do his very best and then be given another child's grade or spend precious class time teaching the slow learners?  Do you want educators to change the beliefs and behaviors you have taught your child?  Do you want homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality to be taught as normal and acceptable?  Do you want fine, experienced teachers to be told to get on the program or seek other employment?  OBE does all of this and more. It's not education. So, what is it?

 

OBE is not education. It's a combination of academic control and behavior modification. It is social engineering which uses behavior modification and values clarification to control the level of knowledge acquired and change attitudes, behaviors, beliefs and values.

OBE restricts academic achievement to the level of the lowest achiever. No student will achieve more than another. Fast learners will be held back until slow learners catch up. 

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) are used to change complex human behaviors. HOTS, "critical thinking skills" and "higher order thinking skills" are the same, and they all change students' beliefs in absolutes of right and wrong/good and bad, which most parents teach children. 

The Origin of OBE: 

Benjamin Bloom, a developmental PSYCHOLOGIST, and James Block developed the idea of OBE, or Mastery Learning, which first appeared in a program called PPBS in 1965 (The Source of the River of Pollution, "Planning, Programming, Budgeting System", by Cavell Bean, Educator Publications, 1972). 

In the late 1960s, California implemented PPBS, thinking it was only an accounting system, only to learn later that they had implemented education by behavioral objectives. 

In 1977, William Spady, a Harvard SOCIOLOGIST, developed the organizational framework to implement OBE (Free World Research Report, "The Roots of OBE" July '93, page 9), based on B. F. Skinner's work. Skinner was a BEHAVIORAL ENGINEER (Education Leadership, December 92/January 93, page 67, "On Outcome-Based Education: A Conversation with Bill Spady," by Ron Brandt). 

A developmental PSYCHOLOGIST, a SOCIOLOGIST, and a BEHAVIORAL ENGINEER, created OBE, which has been tried many times but has never improved academic achievement. 

Traditional Education focuses on teachers instructing students in academics during twelve years of education, or its equivalent, in specific subjects to accomplish the required Carnegie Units. Knowledge is tested and passing grades result in promotion. Graduation occurs when all required subjects have been passed. 

Outcome-Based Education focuses on what the student IS, not on what he knows. It is designed for students to FEEL successful ("Gwinnett Organizing Around Learner Success") although they might not BE successful. Teachers are facilitators, coaches, or monitors (Designing Successful Learning, Teacher Manual, "Performance Assessment Rationale," Gwinnett County, Georgia). 

OBE changes specific complex behaviors (Dr. Barbara Kapirus, Georgia Lieutenant Governor's OBE Conference, May 13, 1993), to conform to predetermined outcomes which control curriculum design. (ibid, "Putting All Together, Designing Down, Gwinnett County). 

Accreditation for Georgia schools is linked to OBE since standard-setters are focusing on Collaboratively-developed beliefs, building consensus, student performance and achievement of desired learner outcomes; and schools must implement "psychological counseling" at ALL grade levels. [Southern Association of Colleges & Schools (SACS)]. 

Curriculum is designed around the outcomes. Students' performance assessments determine whether the outcomes are met. If not, they are recycled until they do. 

Grading with A, B, C, D, F will be changed such subjective assessments as: "not yet, somewhat, definitely," etc. (ibid. "Invention Rubric"). 

Let's compare the differences between the education you received and OBE: You were taught to read and write, learn history, math, science, biology and other subjects. 

• OBE focuses on what the student IS when he COMES OUT of school, NOT WHAT HE KNOWS. You were tested to determine how much you had learned.

• OBE diagnoses behavior, attitudes, beliefs and values and uses strategies to change them. You were instructed and challenged to do your best.

• OBE teachers monitor the group while students teach each other and become peer dependent. You were taught national patriotism.

• OBE focuses entirely on global citizenship and the global community.

Gwinnett's Outcomes are vague, nonacademic and focus on specific behaviors. 

Complex Thinker who produces solutions to real life problems based on assembly and integration of data from a variety of sources. 

Collaborative Contributor who cooperates effectively in a variety of settings and with a diversity of people. 
Innovative Producer who creates quality ideas, solutions, or products using effective skills for gathering and organizing information. 

Self-Directed Achiever who develops self respect by accomplishing personal goals based on high standards. Involved Citizen who accepts responsibility for contributing time and talent toward community and global affairs to enhance the quality of life for all. 

Effective Communicator who informs, expresses self, and persuades by sending and receiving verbal and nonverbal languages. 

How are these outcomes accomplished? 

EDUCATION is restructured and does NOT focus on acquiring facts to be "regurgitated." 

INSTRUCTION is in groups or pairs with teachers as facilitators as students teach each other. 

COMPUTERS are used for curriculum and assessment of students. 

INTERVENTION INTO BEHAVIOR is used to graduate compliant workers. 

STUDENT PERFORMANCE is diagnosed to reveal behaviors that need "intervention" (change). 

Businesses, educationists and politicians collaborating to change education (in the state of Georgia): 

* GA Power * IBM * Southwire * Southern Bell * Milliken * CBIS * GA Univ. System * Center for Advanced 
Telecommunications Technology * Trust Co. * West GA College * Tele-Communications, Inc. * GA Tech * Public TV * Governor * General Assembly * GA Department of Education 

To recognize OBE, listen when your children talk about ... 

... using calculators to learn math 
... incorrect spelling is okay 
... getting someone else's grades 
... grading system changes 
... checking someone else's work 
... no books come home 
... whole language (guessing at words when "reading") 
... role playing in class 
... helping others with work 
... teachers monitor 
... class is a "family" 
... re-taking test until it's passed 
... can't talk about schoolwork 
... multi-age grouping 
... work groups, pairs or partners 
... group answers must agree - right or wrong doesn't matter

Insight into OBE 

Quotes from Gwinnett County - Georgia's OBE Pilot Program 

1. "They [students] have to demonstrate that they can do what it is we've decided they should have been taught when they were with us." - George Thompson. Gwinnett County School Superintendent 

2. "Focus is on what we want students to know, do and be like when they exit our schools. - Gwinnett Outcome Based Curriculum Planner, March 30, 1993 

3. "Be Like: What are the targeted attitudes and values?" (Note: Specific attitudes and values are targeted.) 
- Gwinnett OBE Teacher Training Manual Instructional Web, Handout II-2 

4. "Incorporating a value for diversity (of 11 diversities, number 10 is sexual orientation) should become a part of the complete schooling culture. Strategies and positive attitudes can be learned and practiced." - Gwinnett OBE Teacher Training Manual Valuing Diversity Rationale 

5. "Know your students' backgrounds; utilize this knowledge to promote diversity in your classroom." 
- Gwinnett OBE Teacher Training Manual Classroom Diversity Checklist, Handout D-7 

6. "Students learn to think more globally and creatively ... does not impose restrictive barriers." - Gwinnett OBE Teacher Training Manual Interdisciplinary Instruction Rationale 

7. "Cooperative learning, group grading and peer teaching will be utilized." 

Computer assessments (diagnosis) will be kept on every student. There will be a state mandated assessment that includes more higher order thinking skills. - David Lee, Governor's educational advisor from the Office of Planning and Budget 

Assessments serve as impetus for curriculum reform and diagnose student learning. Diagnosis is essential to "bring them along" and discover what they know. - Dr. Pamela Ashbacher, National Center Research on Evaluation, Standards & Testing 

Computer assessment in Gwinnett County is called Grady Profile, and is now operational in Walnut Grove Elementary School. 

Assessments will reflect student progress toward the outcomes by diagnosing whether outcomes have been met by grading such as: "is reluctant to assume the role; "assumes the role when prompted"; or "eagerly assumes the role". The child that "eagerly assumes the role" has met the objective. The child who has not will be recycled until he does. 

Get The Book!

Pavlov's Children: A Study of Performance-/Outcome-Based Education by Ann Wilson - a detailed investigation into the formation, strategy, methods and results of Outcome-Based Education. The facts concerning OBE as social engineering and behavioral manipulation, and NOT education into what most people consider education is and should be. 

Suggested Reading List - the Demise of the Educational System - OBE (Outcome-Based Education), NEA (National Education Association), educational psychology, German psychology & influences, demise of public education, educational sabotage, Wundt, Pavlov, Dewey, Skinner, Watson. 

Say NO To Psychiatry! 

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©Gene Zimmer 1999 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED