Overall Instructor Rating: Satisfactory
Ratings explanation:
- Exemplary - A model answer in almost every way (this is given out very rarely).
- Satisfactory - Very well done; you've met the expectations of the assignment. There are some minor problems, so read my feedback well.
- Marginal Pass - You pass, but there are lots of issues to consider. Read my feedback very carefully and be sure you understand the points/issues I raise.
- Not satisfactory, redo and resubmit - The assignment was not completed appropriately. I am concerned that you do not understand the process well enough yet. To get credit for the assignment, you need to redo it, most probably on another topic. Read and consider my feedback very carefully before redoing.
Instructor's Overall Feedback:
You did a good job here. You seem to understand the process well.
1. Preliminary: Describe the context within which this potential instructional problem takes place. This will pinpoint where the problem is located. If instruction is deemed necessary, this will be the place where it will be designed and implemented.
a. List the context, also known as the "system of interest".
Your final response:
Parker Shoals Afterschool Tutorial Program
b. Describe or show how the context relates to the bigger environment. Show how this context relates to other levels of the system within which it works.
Your final response:
Parker Shoals Middle school is one of 18 Middle Schools in the Willington County School Systems located in Park Lake, Georgia. Parker Shoals developed the Afterschool Tutorial Program to provide additional assistance to it's students who are below grade level in their math skills.
The instructor's feedback to step 1:
Good
2. Symptoms of a problem. Write a brief description of some symptoms that make you stop and wonder if something is wrong.
Your final response:
Overall, scores on the pre and post test have very little difference between them. Some scores even dropped on the post test. Student survey results show a lack of motivation and confidence from the students. The teacher:student ratio is 1:15 and students attend the program 1.5 hours 2 days per week, but still there's little improvement in post test scores.
Using the evidence cited above, describe why you believe that these symptoms signal a problem. Keeping these questions in mind, describe the reasons for identifying these symptoms as problematic.
Your final response:
If the students' appear to be unmotivated and there's little to no improvement in post tests scores with the additional time and tutorial assistance, then the time spent in the tutiorial program is not successful in helping the students achieve academic success in mathematics.
The instructor's feedback to step 2:
Good
3. Preliminary Problem Statement. Based on 1 and 2, write a preliminary draft problem statement. Your context should be the subject of the statement. This is just the initial pass -- the statement will be revised in subsequent steps.
Your final response:
The Parker Shoals Aterschool Tutorial Program does not successfully prepare its students to master the academic knowledge and skills necessary for moving towards, and ultimately achieving, on or above grade level success.
The instructor's feedback to step 3:
Good
4. Verify the problem and determine specific needs. Two things will now happen concurrently. First, you need a systematic procedure to identify and collect data in order to verify that a problem exists. Second, you must identify information that the data sources may help uncover.
Data sources (who, what) |
Information gathered |
What did you find? (Needs)* |
Example: Interview participants in course; administer class survey; administer test of understanding.
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Example: Participant opinions on IDAs and course; Participant score on test. |
Example: Participants believe there is too much jargon (felt need); Participants don't understand ID vocabulary as compared to other classes (comparative need); Participants don't score above national average (comparative need); Participants don't/couldn't see the relation between their work and the ID process) |
| Your final response:
1. Administer a pre/post test.
2. Student survey and observation of students.
3. Interview Teachers
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Your final response:
1. Participant's test scores.
2. Results of the student survey and observations.
3. Teacher opinion on the afterschool program and its effectiveness.
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Your final response:
1. A comparison of the pre and post test scores indicate that 95% students lack basic computation skills in mathematics.
2. 70% of the students in the program reported that they do not know their basic multipication and division facts. 80% reported difficulty remembering the process of multiplying and dividing whole numbers. 85% of the students were observed being passive participants and/or often seemed unmotivated.
3. Teachers are concerned that the majority of their students still do not have a grasp on basic computation skills with increased time and assistance from the tutorial program. They also expressed concern that the results of the survey indicate that 85% of the students often seemed unmotivated and lacked confidence.
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*Note: You are not required to gather data; you can draw on your experience or imagination to list the data you might gather.
The instructor's feedback to step 4:
Good, though my guess is that the kids would likely have had something to say about what they would want to go on in the program.
5. Prioritize your list of needs.Which are most important? Why are they most important?
Prioritized needs |
Reasons/evidence for priority |
Your final response:
1. Felt: Students who are not motivated lack the confidence and skills needed to perform to their full potential.
2. Normative: Increase the results of each students post test at least 10 points by improving their computation skills and moving them closer to grade level status.
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Your final response:
1. Several students expressed a lack of interest and motivation for learning the math afterschool. Many students report being "bored" and have resigned to the idea that they "just don't get it." If these students don't start seeing and feeling success, they may continue to produce substandard results, yielding their status further below grade level in mathematics and lowered self esteem and confidence.
2. Students who lack basic computing skills encounter increased difficulty when asked to demonstrate knowledge of other math concepts, which build on basic skills. Even though these students are receiving additional assistance to enchance basic skills, they have not shown much improvement, if any, on the post test. Also, overall, most students continue to function below grade level in mathematics. Furthermore, these basic skills play an essential role in every day live as students will have to count money and estimate costs.
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The instructor's feedback to step 5:
Good
6. Rewrite your problem statement. Take a moment to look carefully at the initial problem statement that you wrote. Revisit your prioritized needs and check if your problem statement is still accurate and appropriate.
Rewrite the problem statement here:
Your final response:
According to the results of the student survey, observations and teacher interviews, the Parker Shoals Aterschool Tutorial Program does not successfully prepare its students to master the academic knowledge and skills necessary for moving towards, and ultimately achieving, on or above grade level success.
The instructor's feedback to step 6:
Good
7. Identify the instructional goals. The last step in Needs Assessment is to list a few goals of instruction. Remember, not all goals can be solved through instruction. The instructional goals you identify will be the starting information for the next steps in the instructional design process. List the instructional goals in order of priority.
Instructional goals by priority |
Reasons for importance |
Your final response:
1. The teachers in the Parker Shoals Aferschool Program will be trained on strategies for motivating, acknowledging and enhancing the academic success of their students.
2. The teacher will create and/or present lessons using multiple intelligences in an effort teach to the varied learning styles of his/her students.
3. Students will demonstrate leadership skills and academic knowledge by becoming peer helpers in their class.
4. The teacher will administer weekly mini- assessments to monitor student acheivements or areas of weakness.
5. All students in this year's afterschool program will demonstrate improvement of at least 10 points on his/her post test. Additionally, 100% of the 6th grade students 1-2 years below grade level, who continue the in the Parker Shoals Afterschool Tutorial Program, will achieve on or grade level status within the next 2 years.
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Your final response:
1. The teachers need to have a variety of strategies and resources to motivate and help build confidence in their students. When students are in a comfortable and safe learning environment, they are more likely to succeed. Students also like to know that they have done a good job, which often will motivate them to continue success.
2. Providing lessons in varied learning styles will give individual students an opportunity to be successful. Every student is different and one method of teaching is not sufficient for all learners. Once again, if students find success, they may be motivated to continue to improve academically.
3. It's often said that "the best way to learn something is to teach it." Allowing students to become the "teacher" encourages active participation. The students will be motivated to help each other because they get a chance to demonstrate and share their knowledge in their area of strength, which builds confidence. This strategy will also enhance student knowledge of the material being covered, thus a step towards improved basic math skills and, eventually, increased post test scores.
4. The teacher should assess if skills are actually being learned. Mini-assessments are one way to give the teacher an idea of what needs to be covered in more detail and what has been sufficiently covered. It also allows the student to see improvement and/or areas in which they can improve.
5. This goal provides the opportunity to monitor the progress of the students throughout their participation in the tutorial program. It also will give the program directors an opportunity to assess whether or not the program and goals stated are successful.
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The instructor's feedback to step 7:
Oops, how did we get to MIs? Teachers believe the kids are not motivated. However, no data did you collect that indicates that teachers lack knowledge of how to motivate their students. Perhaps there is some other reason why they are not motivating their students. Maybe if they were paid better. Maybe if they believed in the afterschool program. Who knows because you did not collect that data.
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