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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:

Lindsey, My first impression when reading this was that the need was for a dog training class and that was what you were designing. After reading on, I realized that there IS a dog training class, but the need is for better training for the instructors. The participants (dog owners) feel the instructors are not adequately prepared to teach this course. Make sure when you continue with the future IDAs that you specify that your are designing a course for dog trainers to take before teaching a dog training class - and not that you are designing a dog training class, because that has already been implemented. So, for 1a. the context would more appropriately be "Dog Training: Instructor's Course" - or something like that. 1b. You appropriately included information about Athens and Bishop park, but you need to include information on how the trainers are trained. What platforms (books, leashes, collars, treats etc... will be used as dog trainers are being educated on the proper way to train dogs? Will there be classroom education for the trainers? Indoor and/or outdoor training? See Lloyd's example to help you with this delivery platform part. note: this is a minor issue! 4b. You provided excellent examples of hypothetical data that would result from the reports and your surveys. Everything else looks great. You seem to have a very solid grasp on the Needs Assessment process. Great job! Email me if you have any 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:

Dog training class

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 dog training class is offered at the Bishop community park in Athens, Georgia to dog owners in the nearby community. The class is open to 15 owners and their dogs who meet at the park for one hour, once a week for six weeks. The dog owners will bring dogs who have not been in a class before or who seem to be lacking in initial social-behavioral skills. Two of the fifteen dogs show aggressive behavior before entering the class.

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:

The dogs in the class bark continuously both throughout the class and during entry and exit times. The dogs also seem to be aggressive towards each other and the owners of other dogs, this includes lunging, growling, and barking at each other from across the circle as well as snipping in a biting fashion anytime another dog is within close proximity.

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:

These symptoms indicate an error because many of the dogs came into the class without aggressive behaviors and after a week of being with the lead trainer and the other dogs in the class, the owners are complaining of aggressive behaviors. The class itself was created to solve remedial problems of social issues between dogs and other dogs or people and seems to have only aggravated the issues.

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 dog training class does not adequately teach owners to have control over the dogs aggressive behaviors.

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:

Interview dog owners in the class about aggression of dog and ways to handle it Administer dog owner survey about ideas given by instruction on handling aggression Conduct tests to find dog owners current techniques

Your final response:

The dog owners all had different ideas about how to handle aggression (yell no, spray your dog with water, crate, spank with newspaper etc, choke collars, etc.) Out of the 15 dog owners in the class, zero thought that the instructor had given clear directions on how to discipline a dog with aggressive behavior. During the field tests, 3 out of the 15 dog owners were able to successfully calm their dogs aggressive behavior within a minute. The rest of the dog owners seemed to take too long to get the dog under control or were unable to gather control at all. Information from the survey and interviews shows dog owners are disgruntled with the aggressive behaviors their dogs are showing and the lack of guidance they are receiving from the class in response to this problem. 12 out of 15 indicate they are wasting time in class each week with information that is not helping them at home.

Your final response:

Dog owners believe their time is wasted with useless information (felt need) Dog owners do not know appropriate techniques for gaining control of their dogs (anticipated 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:

Dog owners do not know appropriate techniques for gaining control of their dog. Dog owners believe their time is wasted with useless information.

Your final response:

It is more important that the dog owners understand techniques for gaining control of unruly dogs because this can be a menace to society. If this is taken care of and they believe they are gaining information on how to handle their dog, the second need will follow and they will no longer feel their time is being wasted.

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:

The dog training class does not appropriately teach techniques that will help owners to calm and manage aggressive behaviors displayed by dogs.

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:

Dog owners in the dog training course will be able to properly gain control of their dogs using calm, assertive behaviors in any setting. Dog owners in the dog training course will be able to calm a dog using vocal sounds and physical touch in any setting. Dog owners in the dog training will be able to use their time during class in a way that best suits their own personal and canine needs.

 

Your final response:

The first goal in the needs assessment is the most important because the goal of the class was to help create healthy social behaviors for all dogs and their owners. By being able to calm and gain control over a dog in any place without using aids, a dog owner has officially mastered the social and behavior skills to owning and being the master of a dog. The second goal is a bit less advanced and so it is placed second. Although it will still meet the goals of the course, it will not be quite as advanced and will have to be aided by audio and visual cues given by the dog owner. Furthermore, the dog owner may even have to touch the dog or use a choke collar or something of the sort to gain control, which is not quite as ideal.

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

No specific feedback given on this step.