A recommended closed-loop assessment of learning outcomes process for hospitality programs

Abstract

Purpose Because of the increasingly higher expectations of accrediting organizations, calls for greater accountability from state governments, and students’ demand for an education that prepares them for a career, most hospitality programs are now required to have an effective assessment of learning outcomes process. The increasing popularity of the assessment of learning outcomes process is viewed as highly positive because it can be considered as best practices in higher education. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach This is Part 1 of a two-part article that provides an overview of the justifications for implementing an assessment of learning outcomes process, the steps that were developed by two hospitality programs and the experiences of the two programs during implementation of the seven steps. Part 1 includes foundational principles of the process and the first three of the seven steps. Findings The steps in a closed-loop assessment of learning outcomes process are relatively detailed; however, because of changes in expectations of stakeholders and the requirements of accreditors, they are now mandatory for most hospitality programs. Therefore, the choice is not whether to implement them, but when to implement them. From a competitive standpoint, it is to the program’s advantage to begin as soon as possible. Another factor to consider is that the implementation of an effective closed-loop assessment of learning outcomes process will take several years to complete. Originality/value This paper is presenting a critical view of one of, if not the most important concepts in higher education, the closed-loop assessment of learning outcomes process. Hopefully, the information on the process that is provided and the experiences of the two programs can shorten the learning curve for other hospitality programs.

The IMPORTANCE AND CHALLENGES OF OUTCOME-BASED EDUCATION €“ a CASE STUDY IN a PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

“…Primarily, this refers to constructive alignment. This is supported by Reich et al (2019a) and Gunarathne et al (2019) and further asserts that this is part of the continuous quality improvement that can help academics understand and uncover the methods of teaching and assessing students in a dynamic environment. It is also suggested that the OBE and constructive alignment processes should include relevant stakeholders such as industry experts and alumni for insights and suggestions on the programmes.…”

“…Observations and questioning were conducted on the academics and administrative staff to identify outcomes and challenges of the OBE process. This was important as it allowed insight and suggestions to be collected from academics and administrative staff that would ensure the successful implementation of the OBE process (Barradell, 2012;Hill & Wang, 2018;Reich et al, 2019a).…”

“…This is a critical scaffolding process that could identify the learning processes needed for students to support and enhance their learning experiences, and establish a sense of responsibility. Moreover, scaffolding is important to ensure the continuity and sustainability of courses and programmes that could be done through curriculum mapping (Matthews & Mercer-Mapstone, 2018;Reich et al, 2019a). Kember (2001) suggested that the integration of teaching and learning activities into the syllabus is vital to transmit the necessary information.…”

“…OBE is a transformation process that helps students to develop different skills at different levels, and ensures that their performance are measured accurately to enhance the quality of the programmes and graduates (Barradell, 2012;Gunarathne et al, 2019;Reich et al, 2019a). This section discusses the OBE implementation process at a business school in a private higher education institution.…”

“…In this circumstance, most higher education institutions do not assess students' performance on learning outcomes as they lack the appropriate mechanisms to collect and analyse assessment data in a systematic approach. Moreover, the institutions may find this process to be a waste of time and effort (Reich, Collins, DeFranco, & Pieper, 2019a), while some may argue that the process is too task-oriented (Kennedy & Birch, 2020). These are the common issues encountered by most higher education institutions in Malaysia.…”