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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:

Jennifer, You have a great attempt at this, but I think you're a little confused on where to use and include detail and where to leave it out. Also, I think there are a few places where you could use clarifications. Not to worry, I think you do understand the basics. 1. Context - it is a little unclear what about the Media Center we will be discussing. I don't know what you would call this program, but I would like to see your context be along the lines of: "Sawnee Elementary Media Center Resources Education Program." Basically, I am looking for something that tells me in which part of the Media Center is the problem. (you may use: "media location and usage education program" or "location and use of media center resources program" or there may be an official name to this that I am not aware of) 1b. Although your buddy suggested that you add detail (I agree that detail needed to be added to your first draft) some of the detail you included is not necessary. The upper portion that is written in sentence form is excellent. For the list of resources and materials available, just list the ones that are directly related to the media center and its quest to educate students on locating and using its materials. 4b. You provided excellent examples of hypothetical data that would result from the reports and your surveys. 5a. Great job identifying needs 5b. As stated in the directions, all you needed to do was take what you wrote in 5a and list it in order of importance. No need to reword or rewrite. There are some differences in the text between 5a and 5b while they should be the same except for the order in which they are listed. This is not a major issue. 6. The problem statement is best written with the Media Center as the subject of the problem. By doing this, the media center is clearly responsible for the problem and this shows that they need to 'take action' to resolve it. Example: "The Sawnee Elementary School Media Center does not adequately teach third through fifth grade students to use the OPAC or other online databases to find, use and evaluate information for research projects" Please email me if you have questions! Lindsay

 

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:

The Sawnee Elementary School media center.

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:

Sawnee Elementary is part of the Forsyth County School System. This county is a growing community with many new students added to the schools every year. Within the school is the Media Center, which is the "hub" of the school. The county has over 28,000 students in 27 schools. There are 16 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, and 3 high schools, 1 alternative school, and 1 charter, non-traditional high school in the county. The make-up of the school includes the following: - Facilities - Staff - Materials/Resources - Technology & Equipment - Every classroom has: - one interactive whiteboard - at least 4 desktop computers - sound system - projector - The media center has: - one interactive whiteboard - 9 desktop computers - sound system - projector - over 10,000 books and materials - Program Administration (Philosophy/Mission/Goals, Budgeting, Cataloging, Circulation, Ordering, Inventory, Weeding, Reconsideration, Fundraising, Handbook, Website, etc.) - Quality materials to go along with Georgia Performance Standards chosen for the media center through the county selection policy - Address administration and school goals - Services to students - Help finding materials/resources/information - Teach Information Literacy skills (access, evaluate, & use information) - Stimulate love of reading with reading promotion program - Extra-curricular (reading bowl, book club, etc.) - Recommending materials and technology - Collaborative planning and teaching

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:

Students in grades 3 through 5 are asking a lot of questions on how to find materials when in the media center, according to the media specialist. They are not sure where the materials are once they find them in the OPAC(online public access catalog). Teachers are reporting that students do not know how to find appropriate materials through online databases to answer research questions.

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:

The goal of the Sawnee Elementary media center is "to help students become lifelong learners and effective users of ideas and information they acquire." One way for them to become lifelong learners is to be able to find and use information correctly. Also, the goal states that they should "become effective users of ideas and information." Since the students cannot find the information needed, they are not going to be able to become effective users. The students will need to be able to have these research skills to successfully complete research projects given to them by teachers. They also need to have these skills to be successful citizens in the 21st century where they can locate, use, and evaluate information.

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:

The media center does not adequately prepare 3rd through 5th grade students to find, use, and evaluate information using electronic databases.

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:

a. Interview media center staff. b. Interview students. c. Interview teachers. d. Administer test of understanding to students to see how well they can find information.

Your final response:

a. Media center staff feels that students do not have an understanding of the layout of the media center and cannot locate information/materials without asking a lot of questions. b. Students are not sure what the different sections of the media center consist of. c. Students were not able to find answers to research questions using the internet and other online databases. d. Students were not able to use the OPAC to find needed materials or find them in the media center once it was located in the OPAC.

Your final response:

a & b. Students can't find materials in the media center or in OPAC without asking a lot of questions (expressed need). c. Students need more instruction in finding appropriate resources using the Internet and other online resources (felt need). d. Students need more instruction in the use of the OPAC to find needed materials (felt need).

*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. Students can't find materials in the media center or in OPAC without asking a lot of questions (expressed need). 2. Students need more instruction in the use of the OPAC to find needed materials (felt need). 3. Students need more instruction in finding appropriate resources using the Internet and other online resources (felt need).

Your final response:

1. By first teaching where everything is in the media center, then students can begin to find materials needed for research. The materials for the media center have already been chosen to go along with the Georgia Performance Standards, so they should all be appropriate for student research. The students need to be able to find them in order to use them. 2. It is also important for students to understand how to use OPAC to locate desired materials. This is a key step in accessing information for them to use. 3. Students also need to be able to use online resources for gathering information. Being able to do this is another step in the successful demonstration of information literacy skills. All of these skills can be applied for future use in middle or high school, or even at the public library!

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:

Third through fifth grade students at Sawnee Elementary cannot adequately find, use, and evaluate information for research projects using the OPAC or other online databases.

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 be able to locate books and materials in the layout of the media center. 2. Students will be able to find materials needed for research in the media center using OPAC. 2. Students will be able to find information for research using the internet or other online databases. 4. Students will be able to determine if the information found is valid for their research.

 

Your final response:

1. Students need to be able to locate materials in the media center in order to even begin research. If they are familiar with the layout of the media center, they will have an easier time finding materials once they can use the OPAC. 2. Being able to use OPAC will help them to have successful research projects. This skill will help the students to see what resources are available to them.

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

No specific feedback given on this step.