Bengaluru: In an era marked by rapidly evolving pedagogical paradigms and dynamic global workforce demands, institutions of higher education are called upon to rethink and restructure their academic delivery models. In alignment with this imperative, St Joseph’s University, Bengaluru, organised a comprehensive series of workshops in July 2025, focusing on Outcome-Based Education (OBE).
This progressive academic framework prioritises the articulation of clear, measurable learning outcomes and their alignment with pedagogical strategies, curriculum design, and assessment mechanisms.
This report presents a detailed synthesis of the workshop proceedings, insights, activities, and recommendations articulated over three focused sessions conducted for faculty members across varied schools.
The workshops were conceptualized under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Ronald J. Mascarenhas, Pro-Vice Chancellor, and coordinated by Dr. W. Jothy. The program benefited immensely from the contributions of three nationally and internationally renowned resource persons: Dr. N. Jayasankaran, Hon’ble Former Vice-Chancellor of Kanchi University; Dr. Suresh Mony, Hon’ble Former Director of the NMIMS Bengaluru Campus; and Dr. Meena Chintamaneni, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of NMIMS, Mumbai. Each brought invaluable expertise in curriculum design, institutional benchmarking, and the implementation of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) in higher education institutions.Participating Schools and Thematic Structuring
Considering the diversity of academic disciplines and their unique curricular imperatives, the workshop series was conducted in three sequential segments:
• 11-12 July 2025: Targeted at faculty from the Schools of Languages and Literatures, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Social Work.
• 18-19 July 2025: Designed for Schools of Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, and Physical Sciences.
• 25-26 July 2025: Attended by the Schools of Business, Communication and Media Studies, Information Technology, and the Department of Statistics.
Each workshop was precisely planned and delivered over two full days, incorporating structured sessions that addressed the theoretical foundations of OBE, interactive hands-on tasks, departmental presentations, feedback cycles, and ideation around implementation. The overarching aim was to sensitise, capacitate, and mobilise faculty towards building strong, future-ready academic ecosystems rooted in clarity, competency, and continuous improvement.
Visionary Inaugurals: Leadership and Institutional Commitment.
The workshop series was inaugurated by Rev. Fr Dr Victor Lobo SJ, Vice Chancellor, whose address underscored the urgency for a paradigm shift in higher education. He emphasised the notion of 'teaching for tomorrow', a clarion call to reorient educational processes towards future-readiness, social contribution, and lifelong learning. Fr Lobo articulated the idea that education must holistically engage the head (cognitive domain), heart (affective domain), and hands (psychomotor domain), enabling students to not only acquire knowledge but also to apply, analyse, and innovate across varied contexts. His reflections set a transformative tone for the workshops, urging faculty to see themselves not merely as transmitters of content but as designers of experiences and architects of change.
Contextual Foundations of OBE: Global Pedagogical Shifts
Prof. Dr N. Jayasankaran delivered the foundational overview of OBE, situating it within both historical and contemporary educational discourse. Referencing the 1948 Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan Committee Report, he highlighted that the Indian education system has long been aware of the need for transformation but has faltered in implementation. His discourse revolved around the critical shift from an instruction-centric to an outcome-centric framework, wherein what students achieve becomes the focal point of all academic planning. He underscored the ethical responsibility of teachers as stewards of social transformation, citing John Ruskin’s ideals that place educators among the noblest of professionals. The session also dissected prevalent institutional challenges ranging from curriculum stagnation and infrastructural deficits to student disengagement and positioned OBE as a strategic intervention capable of reversing these trends through clarity of outcomes, structured feedback mechanisms, and intentional pedagogy.
Pedagogical Philosophy and Structural Elements of OBE
Dr Meena Chintamaneni offered a conceptual deep dive into the theoretical underpinnings of OBE, tracing its evolution from Carroll’s Model of School Learning to Bloom’s Mastery Learning approach. Her session delineated the four-tier student development model: Academic Mastery, Applied Performance, Life Engagement, and Self-Empowerment. Each layer emphasises a different but interlinked surface of holistic education, reinforcing that learning must be demonstrable, relevant, and sustainable. Dr Meena advocated for the use of diagnostic tools, corrective feedback, and inclusive assessment strategies as essential components of the OBE paradigm. She also highlighted the importance of stakeholder engagement, policy mapping, and benchmarking against global best practices in defining Graduate Attributes (GAs).
Strategic Importance of Need Analysis.
Dr. Suresh Mony facilitated extensive conversations around institutional needs assessment, articulating it as the cornerstone for meaningful curriculum development. He introduced the SWOC framework and the KSA (Knowledge, Skill, Attitude) model, drawing attention to the complex expectations placed upon higher education graduates. His session emphasized the importance of conducting regular industry surveys, engaging alumni, and mapping job roles to ensure that academic offerings remain relevant and responsive. Particularly compelling was his analogy of the ‘Voice of the Customer’, which equates the graduate attribute framework with product specifications in industry, defined by end-user needs, quantifiable, and continually refined.
Graduate Attributes: Discipline-Specific Articulation
Departments collaborated in thematic groups to define Graduate Attributes that align with institutional vision, academic programs, and stakeholder expectations. These included:
• Subject knowledge and domain expertise
• Ethical, environmental, and societal awareness
• Digital literacy and communication skills
• Critical thinking and problem-solving
• Research aptitude and lifelong learning
• Interdisciplinary integration and global outlook
• Entrepreneurial mindset and employability readiness
Each department was guided to ensure the measurability, consistency, and discipline appropriateness of these attributes. The articulation exercises led to dynamic discussions on curriculum gaps, disciplinary depth, and pedagogical redesign.
Bloom’s Taxonomy and Learning Outcome Design
A cornerstone of the workshop series was the alignment of learning outcomes with Bloom’s Taxonomy, traditional, revised, and digital variants. Faculty were introduced to the taxonomy’s three domains —cognitive, affective, and psychomotor —and trained to incorporate appropriate action verbs into their Course Outcomes (COs), Program Outcomes (POs), and Enabling Outcomes (EOs). Dr. Meena explained how hierarchical learning objectives can support structured and progressive learning experiences, ensuring skill development and assessment validity. Departments were encouraged to diversify their pedagogical tools, incorporating group tasks, simulations, flipped classrooms, and case-based learning, to reinforce the application of the taxonomy in day-to-day teaching.
Interactive Mapping Exercises and Curriculum Alignment
Perhaps the most engaging component of the workshop series was the hands-on group work. Departments collaborated to draft outcome matrices, starting with job roles and tracing them backward to POs, EOs, and individual COs. Exemplary mapping exercises were conducted by departments such as Chemistry, Biotechnology, Food Science and Technology, and Communication & Media Studies. Each presentation received detailed feedback from the resource persons, who emphasized the need for outcome coherence, precise terminology, and logical progression. Particular attention was given to maintaining cognitive levels across mappings, avoiding redundancies, and ensuring vertical and horizontal curriculum alignment.
Feedback Mechanisms, Institutional Action Plans, and the Way Forward
The concluding segments of the workshop emphasized the long-term institutionalization of OBE practices. Dr. Jayasankaran and Dr. Suresh Mony reiterated the importance of departmental reviews, faculty orientation, student sensitisation, and continuous outcome monitoring. Rev. Fr. Dr. Victor Lobo SJ, in his valedictory address, acknowledged the faculty’s commitment and encouraged a reflective, iterative approach to curriculum design. The sessions ended with a call to action to reimagine the curriculum not as a static syllabus but as a living, evolving roadmap shaped by graduate aspirations, national priorities, and global standards.
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