Introducing iOBE to Secondary Schools
Monday, June 23, 2025
A Step towards More Insightful Student Assessment at the Secondary Level
Today, I had the opportunity to meet with two teachers from MRSM Transkrian — Cg. Elias and Cg. Amir — in a follow-up session (from an earlier MUAFAKAT meeting) to explore the use of the iOBE software at their MRSM secondary school system.
The conversation built on an earlier introduction, where I presented how iOBE allows schools to visualize student assessment data in compact and insightful ways — especially through box plots and population plots that compress and provide more information than those typically available in many assessment systems (either at the school or university level).
This follow-up discussion marked a positive step towards introducing the iOBE software to pre-university school systems — and outside of the tertiary education system for the first time — demonstrating its versatility to adapt to different assessment systems and processes. The main intention is aimed at helping schools make sense of their assessment data — not just for reporting, but for deeper insights and meaningful actions.
Simple Setup, Powerful Insights
One of the key strengths of iOBE is its simplicity. Preparing the input requires only a standard Excel spreadsheet containing student assessment data — something schools and teachers already manage regularly. From there, the software is run with just a single click, either for a single subject or across multiple courses.
Figure: The only windows panel that users need to interact with when using the iOBE software.
The process is fast and completely offline. It runs locally on any standard Windows-based computer/laptop and produces results within seconds. This ease of use makes iOBE especially suitable for school environments, where time and infrastructure are often limited.
Visualizing What Really Matters
Where iOBE makes the biggest difference is in how it presents information. Rather than displaying raw marks, general averages, or simple bar charts, the system generates box plots and color-coded population plots that offer a multidimensional view of collective student performance.
These visuals highlight trends and variations in learning outcomes across a group of students. Box plots reveal the spread, median, and quartiles of achievement, while population plots show performance distribution in a more intuitive, color-coded form. With a quick glance, teachers can identify strengths, areas for attention, and outcome-specific patterns — without needing to manually sort or interpret spreadsheets.
Figure: Students' collective performance plotted against the subtopics covered in Mathematics.
Figure: Students' collective performance plotted against the typical nine subjects taken at secondary levels.
Note: the iOBE plots shown above are simulated data, not based on real students' data.
Empowering Students, Teachers, and the Wider School Community
The benefits of these visual tools extend beyond the classroom. While the graphs present collective data anonymously, individual students can privately interpret their own position within the broader performance curve. This helps students reflect on where they stand and consider how to improve, based on real evidence.
At the same time, visuals like these can help inform parent-teacher conversations, especially within groups like MUAFAKAT, MRSM’s equivalent of the PIBG groups for national schools. By presenting the overall performance landscape clearly (without revealing information on any specific students), parents and school communities can better understand progress at a cohort level — while respecting individual privacy.
Most importantly, these shared visuals strengthen communication between students, teachers, and parents. Everyone sees the same picture and can work together with greater clarity and purpose.
From Data to Action
More than just a reporting tool, iOBE encourages teachers to turn data into actionable insights. Whether it’s identifying students who may need extra support, reflecting on how well certain learning outcomes are being met, or adjusting teaching strategies based on cohort-level patterns, iOBE helps educators move from intuition to evidence.
It also allows schools to track changes and improvements over time — helping build a clearer picture of learning progress, not just at the end of a term, but throughout the academic year.
Fostering a Culture of Shared Insight
Sharing assessment results — especially in visual form — can be a powerful way to strengthen collaboration across all levels of the school community. When data is presented clearly and collectively, it invites reflection, discussion, and the opportunity to grow together.
The focus of iOBE is to support this kind of environment—one where insights drawn from data help teachers reflect on trends, celebrate progress, and consider areas for continued improvement. At the same time, students and parents gain a better understanding of how learning is progressing across the board, making the entire assessment process more open, meaningful, and responsive.
By encouraging a shared view of outcomes, iOBE helps schools build a stronger bridge between teaching strategies, student performance, and community engagement—moving everyone forward with a clearer sense of direction.
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