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Instructional Design Activity: Needs Analysis

 

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:

Hi Anna: Your Needs Assessment is complete and answers all of the questions effectively. One suggestion I had as I read the problem statement was that the emphasis was being put on the teachers and not the methods, or lack of correct methods, used in teaching students in the first and second grade. You shifted this emphasis in your later revisions which improved it. The only other question relates to "the awareness of phonemics". Does this include being able to state the reasons why it helps one become a better reader? That would be motivational or affective goal that is worthy of teaching. Nice work on this IDA. Dr. Law.

 

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:

3rd Grade Speech Classroom

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:

The speech therapy classroom is provided for students who are having difficulties in the regular education classrooms at Upson Lee Elementary. Upson Lee Elementary is within the Thomaston-Upson County School District which consists of three schools. The Thomaston-Upson County School District is mandated by the State of Georgia to serve children with special needs. The state of Georgia must comply with the Federal Government's No Child Left Behind Act.

The instructor's feedback to step 1:

No specific feedback given on this step.

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:

Third grade speech students are not reading at the appropriate age level. They are unable to break words into sounds correctly.

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:

In third grade, a student should be reading well enough so that he or she can read for comprehension as well as beginning to read more complex materials. These students can not read single words; therefore, they are not succeeding in reading for comprehension. If these students do not learn to read, it is likely that they will continue to struggle in school as the academics get more challenging.

The instructor's feedback to step 2:

No specific feedback given on this step.

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:

First and Second grade teachers are not adequately teaching phonics to ensure success in reading development.

The instructor's feedback to step 3:

No specific feedback given on this step.

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.

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:

Third grade speech students will be given phonemic awareness tests. First and Second grade teachers will be interviewed about their methods of teaching phonics.

Your final response:

1. Students are unable to sound out words. 2. Students pronounce many words incorrectly while reading aloud. 3. Students do poorly on answering questions after reading a passage. 4. First and Second grade teachers taught reading by learning site words not phonics.

Your final response:

Third grade speech students are not reading at the appropriate grade level (normative). First and second grade teachers at Upson-Lee Elementary did not teach reading by phonics (comparitive).

*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:

No specific feedback given on this step.

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. Third grade speech students are not reading at the appropriate grade level. 2. First and Second grade teachers do not teach phonics.

Your final response:

The main goal will be to help the students to read at the appropriate age level before it is too late. Secondly, the school system should begin to use phonics programs to teach future students so this problem can decrease.

The instructor's feedback to step 5:

No specific feedback given on this step.

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:

First and Second grade teachers do not teach phonics to aid in reading development.

The instructor's feedback to step 6:

No specific feedback given on this step.

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. Students will have a better understanding of phonemic awareness. 2. Students will be able to read at the appropriate age level. 3. Students will be able to read for comprehension.

 

Your final response:

I believe that phonics is the foundation for reading development. Therefore, phonemic awareness is the first step in reading success. Secondly, reading is something that a student is required to do each day. If the student cannot read at the appropriate age level, then he or she will struggle for the rest of his or her academic career.

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

No specific feedback given on this step.