Cover Note:
Please note that the enclosed is just a recommended Course Syllabus template. Within this
template, the only consistency we wish to see across different implementations throughout the
university is the CONTENTS (not format) of the three Outcome Based Teaching and Learning
(OBTL) course-level components highlighted in yellow in the enclosed. As for the rest of the
template, while the contents therein are recommended, their adoption and format is left to the
discretion of respective academic units. Further to this, examples of such OBTL implementation
using current course syllabus from different Faculties/Schools/Departments can be found here.
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HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
OUTCOME-BASED TEACHING & LEARNING (OBTL)
SAMPLE TEMPLATE FOR COURSE SYLLABUS
WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES & EXAMPLES
Updated/AR & CHTL/March 2010/v2
1.
COURSE TITLE
2.
COURSE CODE
3.
NO. OF UNITS
4.
OFFERING DEPARTMENT
5.
AIMS & OBJECTIVES
Note: Aims and Objectives are more general than Learning Outcomes and they do not all
need to be directly measurable (e.g. it would be all right to aim at ‘helping students to
develop an awareness/understanding/appreciation of, or greater sensitivity/receptiveness
to, something’ etc.). Objectives are specific intentions that indicate the steps to be taken
to achieve our aims or goals as teachers. They indicate the teaching intentions and we can
explain here the rationale for offering this course.
6.
COURSE CONTENT
Note: Here we provide a list of topics or themes or subject matter to be covered by the
course.
7.
COURSE INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (CILOS)
Note: CILOs are statements of what students are expected to be able to do as a result of
studying this course. They are: expressed from the students' perspective, and in the form of
action verbs leading to observable and assessable behaviour. It would be advisable not to
have too many or too few CILO’s – 3 to 6 outcomes would (in most cases) be optimal, and
they should ideally include outcomes pertaining to knowledge, cognitive skills as well as
mental attitudes (these are not neatly divisible and an outcome may straddle more than one
of them).The CILOs should state the levels of understanding the students are expected to
achieve for the different content topics, and together they serve as a kind of ‘blueprint’ for
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the teaching/learning activities and assessment methods. Also, ensure that the CILO’s are
consistent with the programme outcomes as well as HKBU’s Graduate Attributes.
For generic examples, please see enclosed Appendixes. Specific examples using current
course syllabus from different Faculties/Schools/Departments can be found here.
Help web references for action verbs:
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%20Joh
n%20Biggs.pdf
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/solo.htm
8.
TEACHING & LEARNING ACTIVITIES (TLAS)
Note: This is partly similar to the old heading ‘Teaching Methods’, but with more focus on
what activities students have to do to learn. A brief statement like ‘lectures, tutorials,
discussions’ is not sufficient here. This section is supposed to show (i) how the teacher
intends to achieve the CILOs, through what kinds of learning activities, and (ii) how these
T&L activities align with the CILOs. (This alignment with the CILOs is crucial as
documented evidence where the learning of all the CILOs is facilitated.)
For generic examples, please see enclosed Appendixes. Specific examples using current
course syllabus from different Faculties/Schools/Departments can be found here.
9.
ASSESSMENT METHODS (AMS)
Note: It is not sufficient just to say ‘assignments, tests, final exam’. We need to furnish
more concrete details about the nature of the assessments. AMs should be aligned with the
appropriate CILOs to ensure that there is sufficient evidence to show that students have
achieved the CILOs at the end of the course. (This alignment with the CILOs is crucial as
documented evidence where the required competency of all the CILOs is assessed.)
For generic examples, please see enclosed Appendixes. Specific examples using current
course syllabus from different Faculties/Schools/Departments can be found here.
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10.
TEXTBOOKS / RECOMMENDED READINGS
Note: Try to provide a practical and realistic (rather than overly comprehensive) list of
readings. Remember also to update your references regularly.
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Appendix 1 – Examples for the completion of templates for course proposals
To facilitate the completion of course templates for course proposals in OBTL format, the following shows some
examples of CILOs – TLAs and CILOs – AMs alignment, as well as the actual activities that students are likely
to be involved in during and outside of class.
Example 1 – taken from language studies (for Template items 7 to 9 only)
7. CILO
CILO 1
CILO 2
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of grammar
Construct grammatical generalizations on the basis of empirical data
8. CILO No.
CILO 1
TLAs
The instructor will present concepts and theories on grammar and
grammatical generalisations (or ‘rules’), and teach them how to use an
electronic corpus to search for empirical evidence for the current state of
grammar. Students will:
CILO 2

discuss in class and explain to each other how grammatical ‘rules’ or
generalizations are arrived at, using actual examples of their own
from the databank, and critique arbitrary prescriptive rules of
grammar which have no basis in empirical data.

search an electronic English corpus for relevant data on particular
grammatical constructions
analyze the data for patterns and regularities and come up with
appropriate generalizations of their own
quizzes will help the students consolidate what they have learnt in
the previous sessions


9. Type of Assessment
Methods
Quizzes
Weighting
Assignments
30%
1-2
Final examination
50%
1-2
In-class and on-line
participation
10%
(formative)
1-2
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10%
(formative)
CILOs to be
addressed
1-2
Description of Assessment Tasks
Quizzes will test and reward students’
facility with concepts and cases from
lectures and readings
Assignments will test the students’ ability to
search an electronic corpus for appropriate
data on particular grammatical
constructions, and come up with their own
generalizations about these constructions,
based on scientific grammatical principles.
The examination will test the students’
ability to:
 evaluate the validity of a given
grammatical rule with reference to
empirical data,
 discover variations on a given
grammatical construction, and
determine the relative frequency,
provenance, context of use and other
notable features of each variant,
 identify and explain grammatical errors
in a given text
Class discussions and on-line discussions
will encourage, reward, and assess students’
active contributions to analysis and their
active engagement with other students
Example 2 – taken from business (for Template items 7 to 9 only)
7. CILO
CILO 1
CILO 2
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
Demonstrate in-depth oral and written skills in the communication of
financial reporting and related advice to clients and peers.
Analyse and critically evaluate the financial performance of an organisation
by demonstrating problem-solving and analytical skills in relation to complex
financial reporting, external reporting and related business problems.
8. CILO No.
CILO 1
TLAs
The students will:
 be given a case study exercise in financial
reporting and/or related advice to clients
wherein each student will present both an
oral and a written presentation of their
respective answer to the class and the
lecturer.
 be working in teams wherein each team
will be given the annual financial report of
a Hong Kong publicly listed
organisation/company. The team is to
critically analyse and evaluate the reported
financial performance of said company
based on their publicly available financial
data and business reporting in the media.
CILO 2

9. Type of Assessment
Methods
Quizzes
Weighting
Assignments
30%
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10%
(formative)
In the above exercise, the students will be
guided on how to analyse and evaluate the
relationship between reported business
problems and their impact on the financial
data of a given company.
CILOs to be
addressed
1-2
1-2
Description of Assessment
Tasks
Quizzes will test and reward the
students’ understanding of
financial reporting concepts and
cases from lectures and
readings.
Assignments will test the
students’ ability to apply the
appropriate tools to analyse and
evaluate the financial data
reported in a company’s
financial statement. The
students’ will also be assessed
on their ability to search and
evaluate business reporting of
companies in public archives,
and to relate these to the
financial performance of a
company. The students’
reporting and written
presentation skills in the
communication of financial
reporting and related advice to
potential clients will also be
assessed.
Final examination
50%
1-2
The examination will test the
students’ ability to:
 Analyse the financial
performance of an
organisation,
 Utilise different
problem-solving skills
to resolve and evaluate
the performance of
complex financial
reports,
 Prepare financial
statements for
reporting to potential
clients.
In-class and on-line
participation/presentation
10%
(formative)
1-2
Class presentation and on-line
discussion will assess and
reward students’ oral
presentation skills in the
communication of financial
reporting and related advice to
potential clients. Furthermore,
students’ active contribution to
financial analysis and their
active engagement with other
students will also be assessed
and rewarded.
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Example 3 – taken from Chinese medicine (for Template items 7 to 9 only)
7. CILO
CILO 1
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the acupuncture meridian
system by describing various acupuncture pathways and functions, and
locate the 150 commonly used acupuncture points.
Perform basic tonification and sedation acupuncture techniques to the
commonly used acupuncture points, and to apply electro-acupuncture,
plum blossom needle and moxibustion techniques.
CILO 2
8. CILO No.
CILO 1
TLAs
The students will:
 be given hands-on instruction on how and
where to locate the 150 commonly used
acupuncture points using a acupuncture
meridian system mannequin.
 be given hands-on instruction on drawing
out the pathways of the acupuncture
meridian system.
 be given written tasks to write out the
functions of the acupuncture meridian
system and relate these to the pathway of
the same and their acupuncture points.
 be working in teams wherein each student
in a team will be taught to apply
electro-acupuncture, plum blossom needle
and moxibustion on commonly used
acupuncture points on a acupuncture
meridian system mannequin.
 be given hand-on experience on how to
perform tonification and sedation
acupuncture techniques using a
acupuncture meridian system mannequin.
CILO 2
9. Type of Assessment
Methods
Midterm test
Weighting
25%
CILOs to be
addressed
1-2
Final examination
75%
1-2
20%
(formative)
1-2
Lab
report
participation
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and
class
Description of Assessment
Tasks
This mid-semester written
assessment aims to assess how
well students have achieved
their intended learning
outcomes, so as to provide
feedback for teachers and
students alike.
This systematic examination
aims to assess the major
learning outcomes achieved by
students upon completion of the
course.
Students’ report of their
laboratory practice will be
marked and additional marks
will be given to those who
participated in acupuncture
point location and needling
demonstration actively to
encourage their participation in
laboratory practice.
Example 4 – taken from visual arts (for Template items 7 to 9 only)
7. CILO
CILO 1
CILO 2
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
Critically evaluate old Chinese masterpieces to extract their intrinsic
value and spirit.
Create artworks through re-thinking skills and philosophy of
traditional Chinese landscape painting.
8. CILO No.
CILO 1
TLAs
The students will:
 be given group sessions wherein students
are required to provide critiques of well
known Chinese masterpieces and each
other’s assignment works. Attendance of
these critique group sessions is compulsory
and participation will be assessed.
 be involved in continuous hands-on
studio work under the guidance of the
instructor to apply the skills and
philosophy of traditional Chinese
landscape painting.
 submit 3 assignments and 1 final project
throughout the semester wherein each
student will be required to apply their
interpretation of the skills and philosophy
of traditional Chinese landscape painting.
CILO 2
9. Type of Assessment
Methods
Continuous assessment of
professional attitude
(formative)
Weighting
30%
CILOs to be
addressed
1-2
Assignments
40%
1-2
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Description of Assessment
Tasks
Evaluation is based on the
continuous assessment of the
student's performance. Since
much of the work within this
studio course relies on the
interaction between students
and instructor, it is impossible
to maintain quality and assure a
passing grade if classes are not
attended on a regular basis.
Attendance is required for the
entire class period. Excessive
tardiness will result in a lower
grade.
All assignments are assessed
using the following criteria:
originality (content), technical
presentation and skill
development (craftsmanship)
and final design (formal design
elements, the uses of brush and
ink, and others). Since group
critique is a constructive way of
sharing ideas designed to help
both individuals and the class as
a whole to come up with new
ideas and ways for art
development, it coincides with
the completion of assignments.
Students are required to attend
Final Project
30%
1-2
all scheduled critiques. Problem
solving is also a very important
part of the art making process.
This final project will assess the
cumulative skills set acquired
by the student in this course.
The student’s work on the Final
Project will be assessed for:
1. Originality and
problem solving;
2. Technical proficiency
and visual
presentation;
3. Over-all design or
composition
(expression of content
and form), and
4. Creative re-thinking
skills and philosophy
of traditional Chinese
landscape painting.
Students critique groups will
also provide critical
assessments of the submitted
works of the Final Project.
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Example 5 – taken from mathematics (for Template items 7 to 9 only)
7. CILO
CILO 1
CILO 2
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
Able to understand the basic techniques in digital image
enhancement and manipulate the software Matlab and its Image
Processing Toolboxes.
Able to understand and apply the theory of transform calculus for
image analysis and image compression.
8. CILO No.
CILO 1
TLAs
The students will:
 be given group sessions wherein students
are required to learn about a variety of
digital image enhancement techniques and
implement them in the software Matlab
and its Image Processing Toolboxes.
Attendance of these critique group sessions
is compulsory and participation will be
recorded.
 be taught the theory of transform calculus,
especially in the context of image analysis
and image compression.
 be applying different transform calculus
techniques to analyse and compress
different digital images.
CILO 2
9. Type of Assessment
Methods
Test
Weighting
20%
CILOs to be
addressed
1
Assignments
20%
1
Final Project
60%
1-2
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Description of Assessment
Tasks
The test is conducted in a
computer lab to measure
students' skills in solving image
processing problems using the
software Matlab and its image
processing toolboxes.
Assignments are designed to
measure students understanding
of the theory of digital image
processing.
Final Examination is designed
to see how far students have
achieved their intended learning
outcomes especially in the
Knowledge domain. Students
should have a thorough
understanding of the knowledge
and apply them correctly in
different context to do well in
the exam.