Value-Added Courses with industry endorsement for Bridging Curriculum Gap in the Outcome-Based Learning: An Effective Strategy to Post-graduate Studies

Abstract

In outcome based education (OBE), curriculum design with industry involvement is most recommended approach which enables relevant execution of teaching learning process. Globally, acceptance of OBE is increasing since four decades. This article investigates the OBE curriculum design by adding Value-Added Courses (VACs) which are endorsed and participated by industry experts jointly with academicians. It is found that VACs are instrumental in reducing the curriculum gaps to attain program outcomes (POs) of any given curriculum along with targeted skills. Analysis presented in this article focuses on the program outcomes gap in the curriculum which enables identification, design and implementation of different VACs. Further, it determines that attainment achieved through VACs significantly reduces the curriculum gap. Hence it is one of the best tool which improves over all PO attainments and shows better path towards the expectation of industries. Proposed framework of analysis showed that VACs contribute to POs by nearly 20%. This article contributes a comprehensive idea for offering several VACs that boost the achievement of POs.