HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

Centre for Holistic Teaching and Learning (CHTL)

Outcome-Based Teaching & Learning
Checklist for Course Syllabus
Introduction
As we move towards a full implementation of Outcome-Based Teaching and Learning (OBTL) in
all of our academic offerings, the following checklist is provided by the CHTL to aid our
colleagues who have course syllabus author and/or reviewer responsibilities to check their
developed/developing course syllabuses against the essential OBTL elements.
The checklist is based on an updated course syllabus template (also available for download)
which has been agreed upon by the Academic Registry. At our current stage of OBTL
implementation, some academic units have already adopted their own course templates. This is
NOT an attempt to make everyone redo the paperwork. Rather, by checking against all the OBTL
elements presented in the enclosed checklist, colleagues can retain their existing templates (if
they wish) while ensuring that important OBTL concepts are being adopted. As OBTL
encompasses continuous improvement to the curriculum, academic units can switch to the
updated course syllabus template as new courses are being proposed or existing ones revamped.
This checklist is intended only to serve as a tool to aid the course author/reviewer in their course
development/maintenance duties and any queries pertaining to this checklist should be forwarded
to the CHTL via email at chtl@hkbu.edu.hk
Thank you.
Updated/AR & CHTL/March2010/v2

Outcome-Based Teaching & Learning Checklist for Course Syllabus

Course Code: ________________________________________________
Department: _________________________________________________
Tasks

Check
( )

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

A course Aims & Objectives / Course Description has been completed/reviewed.
Students ILOs are clearly stated and appropriate for the course.
There are between 3 to 6 ILOs.
The ILOs are expressed from the students perspective, and in the form of action verbs
signifying observable and assessable learning outcomes.
The ILOs pertain to different knowledge and cognitive skills, as well as mental attitudes
(no need to be neatly divisible, an ILO may straddle more than one of them).
The ILOs are consistent with the programme outcomes as well as the
Department/School/Faculty Mission (if and where relevant) and HKBUs Graduate
Attributes.
Teaching & Learning Activities (TLAs)
Different TLAs have been incorporated to address all the ILOs. Each TLA can be
mapped to one or more ILOs, and vice versa.
The TLAs show what kinds of activities will be used to help students achieve the ILOs.
The TLAs show clear evidence of how the activities align with the course ILOs.
Assessment Methods
Each student ILO is assessed. Details about the nature of the assessment are required,
(just stating assignment, tests or final exam is not sufficient).
The purpose of each assessment is stated and its relationship to the course ILOs as a
whole is clearly evident to the student.
The assessment is aligned with the appropriate ILOs to ensure that there is sufficient
evidence to show whether or not students have achieved the ILOs at the end of the
course.
(Optional) Marking keys/scheme and/or marking criteria/rubric are included with
assessments.
Helpful web references:
Bloom's taxonomy:
http://www.casdk12.net/ghs04/SRB/5-Curriculum/Blooms%20Taxonomy%20chart.pdf
http://www.nwlink.com/~Donclark/hrd/bloom.html
SOLO's taxonomy:
http://www.montclair.edu/academy/Documents/SOLO%20Taxonomy%20Developed%20by%20John
%20Biggs.pdf
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/solo.htm