Summary of 3-day workshop on revisiting of COs and POs

Objectives and Outcomes

General Note:

1. New format will be the guideline.

2. (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) of USA which is the mother of
accreditation process across the world is a good reference along with guidelines of our NBA
(National Board for Accreditation).
3. Where felt necessary ABET statements are considered for clarity

Objectives are stated for each programme and they are called Programme Education Objectives
(PEOs). ABETs guideline is,

Program educational objectives are broad statements that describe what graduates are expected to
attain within a few years of graduation. Program educational objectives are based on the needs of the
programs constituencies (in India we can consider CII, Institution of engineers etc).

Outcomes are stated at 3 levels Course level (COs), Programme level (POs Programme refers to
any engineering technology programme) and specific to the actual programme getting accredited
(PSOs specific to the specialization and grade of programme like UG, PG etc). ABETs guideline for
any outcome is,

Outcomes describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation.
These relate to the skills, knowledge, and behaviours that students attain as they progress through
the program.

NBA has declared the POs for engineering and Technology programmes as below.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES(POs) Revised Blooms Taxonomy Action verbs are highlighted in red

Engineering Graduates will be able to:

1. Engineering knowledge: Apply the knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering fundamentals,

and an engineering specialization to the solution of complex engineering problems.

2. Problem analysis: Identify, formulate, review research literature, and analyze complex engineering
problems reaching substantiated conclusions using first principles of mathematics, natural sciences,
and engineering sciences.

3. Design/development of solutions: Design solutions for complex engineering problems and design
system components or processes that meet the specified needs with appropriate consideration for
the public health and safety, and the cultural, societal, and environmental considerations.

4. Conduct investigations of complex problems: Use research-based knowledge and research

methods including design of experiments, analysis and interpretation of data, and synthesis of the
information to provide valid conclusions.

5. Modern tool usage: Create, select, and apply appropriate techniques, resources, and modern
engineering and IT tools including prediction and modeling to complex engineering activities with an
understanding of the limitations.
6. The engineer and society: Apply reasoning informed by the contextual knowledge to assess societal,
health, safety, legal and cultural issues and the consequent responsibilities relevant to the
professional engineering practice.

7. Environment and sustainability: Understand the impact of the professional engineering solutions
in societal and environmental contexts, and demonstrate the knowledge of, and need for sustainable
development.

8. Ethics: Apply ethical principles and commit to professional ethics and responsibilities and norms of
the engineering practice.

9. Individual and team work: Function effectively as an individual, and as a member or leader in
diverse teams, and in multidisciplinary settings.

10. Communication: Communicate effectively on complex engineering activities with the engineering
community and with society at large, such as, being able to comprehend and write effective reports
and design documentation, make effective presentations, and give and receive clear instructions.

11. Project management and finance: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the engineering
and management principles and apply these to ones own work, as a member and leader in a team,
to manage projects and in multidisciplinary environments.

12. Life-long learning: Recognize the need for, and have the preparation and ability to engage in
independent and life-long learning in the broadest context of technological change.

Programme Specific Outcomes (PSOs 2 to 4 PSOs) will focus on attributes of knowledge and skill
specific to field of specialization and grade of programme.

Course Outcomes (COs) will focus on knowledge skills specific to the course.

General Notes on COs, POs and PSOs and their correlation:

1. A course can be taken as a theory, laboratory, mini project, project, field activity, workshop
etc. However, activities like mini project, field activity, workshop etc., should be designed with
proper content, declared outcome (it can be one of the sub-outcomes of a conventional
subject), delivery mode, continuous internal evaluation during period of the activity
(analogous to IA) and end-of-activity evaluation (analogous to final exam)
2. I feel it is better to think of courses which contribute towards building attributes of each
individual PO and PSO. PO-CO PSO-CO can be taken as a whole-to-part exercise at the heads
level. This will help plan meaningful CO statements and use of relevant action verbs for proper
correlation and their levels for CO-PO and CO-PSO mapping.
3. It is better to have similar action verbs in POs, PSOs and COs.
4. Action verbs of COs should be such that they can be preferably (or as far as possible) used in
the questions for exams (IAs, and final exams) so that correlation level is meaning full.
5. While correlating COs to POs and PSOs, it is necessary to get clarity on the scope of the
particular PO. For eg., for PO1, outcome expected is to demonstrate level of engineering
knowledge by being able to explain, describe etc., and not apply them to analysis of problems
which is mainly the scope of outcome of PO2.
6. Correlation levels are very important since they significantly affect attainment scores at PO
and PSO level. Lower correlation leads lower PO and PSO attainment even though a particular
CO attainment is good. If CO and PO are not correlating, it is better to use - than using a lower
correlation number.
CO-PO-PSO Attainments

RIA - Rubrics for IA Faculty have to declare their RIA (S1, S2, S3, M1,M2 and M3) for their course

AL 1 S1 %students score more than M1% max marks for the Q

AL 2 S2%students score more than M2% max marks for the Q AL Attainment level
AL 3 S3%students score more than M3% max marks for the Q

Note No of students who have attempted the question is the basis

RUE - Rubrics for University Exam

AL 1 50% of students score institute av + 20% AL Attainment level

AL 2 55% of students score institute av + 20% standard deviation
AL 3 60% of students score institute av + 20%

Notes 1. No of regular students who appeared for the exam.

2. Institute average and is based on past years data.

Figure below shows algorithm for arithmetic of computing course level attainment CO attainment.

Through RIA
Avg of ALQs
Q1 ALIAQ1
Avg of ALIACOXs
Q2 ALIAQ2 ALIACO1X
CO1X Q3 ALIAQ3
CO2X ALIACO2X
CX CO3X ALIACO3X ALIACX
CO4X ALIACO4X
CO5X ALIACO5X
CO6X ALIACO6X

Using RUE find ALUECX

Now ALCX = 0.8 x ALUECX + 0.2 x ALIACX

CX Xth course
CO1X, CO2X - outcomes of CX
Q1, Q2.. questions mapping to particular CO*X
ALIACO*X Attainment level of each CO using RIA
ALIACX Attainment level through IA for CX
ALUECX Attainment level through university exam using RUE
Figure below shows algorithm for arithmetic of computing course level attainment CO attainment.

Attainment contribution to a particular PO* of a given course

CRL Correlation level

CO-PO* - CO-PO correlation for a
particular PO
ALIACOX Attainment level through IA
for CX

Attainment contribution to a particular PO* of courses mapping to it

If ALPO*C* is attainment contribution of a particular course to a particular PO, then is

algebraic sum of Attainment scores of all m courses mapping a particular PO.

Direct Attainment of PO*

due to different C* is,

DALPO*

Indirect Attainment of PO* due to surveys etc shall be InALPO*

Final Attainment level of PO* is,

DALPO*

The same procedure is used to find attainment of PSOs.