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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:

Rachel, You have a basic understanding of the Needs Assessment process, although there are a few areas which need to be addressed. I love your idea of a personal safety course and I also think it is very important - it could be implemented in Athens! 1a. Your context is too broad. As Lloyd used the 'Instructional Design Course' as his context, which is on a college campus, I think your context needs to be something similar to: "Student Safety Course," which too can be on a college campus. Your response of college campus does not tell me what type of instruction will be provided. 1b. You do explain where the instruction will take place, but I'd like to see additional information such as "this is an optional course open to students and community members in the city of Mercer, Georgia." Are there city police officers that also participate in the protecting the public from gang activity? What platforms will be used in this course/program? Classroom, videos, PowerPoint presentations, instructions on use of Mace sprays, textbooks, etc... 2. As your buddy said, I'd like to see you use more specific evidence of the problem "2 rapes have happened in the past year" or "6 people have been attacked after dark in remote parking lots since September, 2006" (yes, I made those up) 4a. What about interviewing current students and faculty? or Interviewing police officers about their perception of the public's knowledge on self protection/self defense? 4b. You provided excellent examples of hypothetical data that would result from the reports and your surveys. 5a-c great job! I think if you make these revisions, you'll be in great shape! Please 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:

The College Campus

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:

A small private University, Mercer, is located in the middle of downtown Macon. Many of the students that attend this university grew up in nice neighbor hoods completely unexposed to dangerous crime. However, there are three rival gangs within a two mile radius of the campus. The campus is equipped with a staff of officers. They patrol and are available for assistance whenever needed.

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 continuously report having valuables being stolen from their cars. Occasionally students are approached on campus and asked for money. Many students reported feeling extremely uncomfortable at nearby gas stations and have seen several city police officers at a time at these stations.

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:

Many students are leaving valuable items in their cars to get stolen. They will get gas from a rough gas station or walk through campus after dark alone. Students are not showing shows of trying to protect themselves. The possibility of them getting hurt increases with these types of actions.

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 University does not adequately educate students on crime prevention.

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 incoming students about environment and crime knowledge; administer surveys on safety and crime prevention.

Your final response:

Students were unaware that the gang existed and often target "good samaritans" during their initiation process. Students said that they felt completely safe and comfortable on campus and they do not even think about the inner city being just outside the campus. 6% of incoming freshman had read any statics about on-campus crime. 28% of surveyed students leave their car doors unlocked when it is in the parking lot. 37% of students admitted to leaving valuables locked in their cars.

Your final response:

Participants feel like it is safe to go to gas stations or walk around campus alone after dark. (Felt Need) Participants do not believe how much crime happens on campus. (Felt need) Incoming students do not know that how the violent gangs can harm them. (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:

Participants do not believe how much crime happens on campus. (Felt need) Incoming students do not know that how the violent gangs can harm them. (Anticipated Need) Participants feel like it is safe to go to gas stations or walk around campus alone after dark. (Felt Need)

Your final response:

Students must first understand that crime is a problem before they will be motivated to learn crime prevention. Participants need to know who is a threat and why. Once they learn about the crime and the dangers, then they will be able to understand why they need to take precautions to be safe.

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 University does not adequately educate students on the dangers of the city or methods for prevent those crimes from happening to themselves.

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:

Educate students on the dangers of the location and the capabilities of the police force. Teach students safe habits like only filling up the car with gas during the day, not leaving valuables in their cars, not walking alone at night, and not going to the ATM alone. Educate students on the difference between the safe areas and the very dangerous areas of town.

 

Your final response:

Students need to understand that there is a problem before they will be motivated to not be a target.

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

No specific feedback given on this step.