HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
Centre for Holistic Teaching and Learning (CHTL)
Outcome-Based Teaching & Learning
Checklist for Course Syllabus
Introduction
As we deepen the Outcome-Based Teaching and Learning (OBTL) implementation 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 (e.g. Course
Leaders/Instructors) to check their developed/revised/developing course syllabuses against
the essential OBTL elements.
The checklist is based on an updated course syllabus template which has been agreed upon by
the Academic Registry. Understanding that 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.
Any queries pertaining to this checklist should be forwarded to the CHTL via email at
chtl@hkbu.edu.hk
Thank you.
Updated/CHTL/January2014/v3
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Outcome-Based Teaching & Learning Checklist for Course Syllabus
Course Code: ________________________________________________
Department: _________________________________________________
Tasks
Check
(√ )
Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)
Course "Aims & Objectives / Course Description have been completed/reviewed.
CILOs are clearly stated in terms of what students can do, made explicit to the
course and appropriate to the level.
There are between 3 to 6 comprehensive CILOs.
The CILOs are expressed from the student’s perspective, and in the form of
low/high level action verbs signifying observable and assessable learning outcomes.
Please refer to the Bloom’s and/or SOLO taxonomies for appropriate action verbs.
The CILOs pertain to the different measurable competencies that students should be
able to do or demonstrate as a result of completing the course.
The CILOs are reasonable given the available resources and neither easy nor
impossible to attain, but somewhere in between.
The CILOs are consistent with the programme outcomes as well as the
Department/School/Faculty Mission (if and where relevant) and HKBU’s Graduate
Attributes.
Teaching & Learning Activities (TLAs)
Different TLAs have been incorporated to address all the CILOs. Each TLA can be
mapped to one or more CILOs, and vice versa.
The TLAs show the different types of activities that will be used to help students
achieve the CILOs.
The TLAs show clear evidence of how the activities align with the CILOs.
Assessment Methods
Each student CILO 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 clearly stated and its relationship to the CILOs
as a whole is clearly evident to the student.
The assessment is aligned with the appropriate CILOs to ensure that there is
sufficient evidence to show whether or not students will have achieved the CILOs at
the end of the course.
Appropriate weighting of assessment methods is shown and tasks take on a variety
of forms including essays, participation, exam, written reports, group discussions,
etc.
(Optional) assessment rubric are included with assessments.
Related resources and links, such as Mapping matrices examples, Bloom’s and SOLO
taxonomies, and regulations from AR can be found at
URL – http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/chtl/main/prog-accreditation/.
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