Return to the list of Needs Assessment IDAs | Return to the IDA Library Home Page

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:

Great job overall. Just a few points for you to consider: 1 & 2: Good! These symptoms really suggest a problem. 3 & 6: Excellent. 4a. You have identified some ways of gathering data here, but you seem to be falling into the temptation of discussing instruction also. We are just in the Needs Assessment phase at the moment, so any discussion about aspects of the training or instruction should be saved for later. Focus on any surveys, portfolio checks, etc. that could verify the need. 4b. This section is simply asking you what *kinds* of data you gathered, not the actual contents of the data (as in Dr. Rieber's example of participant opinions and participant scores). In your case, you would have teacher and student opinions from the surveys, etc. 5a. Good, but a couple of things to think about. First, the "Students do not score well ..." item is an expressed need, but expressed by whom? Maybe you can look at this as a normative need (based on what a good paper should look like). Also, note that if "Students do not understand the importance of learning MLA style in grade school ..." then this doesn't support the idea that there is an instructional need here. According to students, this is not important - they are not agreeing that this is an anticipated or future need. So you will need to use the other data you have as a counter-weight to the students' view, if you are to argue for this as an instructional need. Finally, the last item of 5a ("Students need to be familiar with many types ...") looks like your general conclusion about the needs, rather than one of the needs you identified from your data. Correct? 5c. Good! You are clearly explaining your sense of priority here. A lot of students miss this. 7. Excellent! (Except note a couple of typos: competence & English) Thanks again for a nice job! Greg

 

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:

Apalachee High School English Department.

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:

Apalachee High School is one of two public high schools in the Barrow County Schools district. The english department is made up of sixteen teachers with experience ranging from less than one year to more than twenty-five years.

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:

In the 12th grade advanced British Literature class, students are required to complete a seven to ten page research paper using many primary and secondary sources that should be cited in the paper and on a bibliography page in MLA format. As the students work through the research process, the teacher notices that many students are confused about the research process and especially about bibliographies. Even after detailed instruction on the topic, many students continue to list their sourcees incorrectly. The students question the teacher frequently about citations, but many still struggle.

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:

When assigned a bibliography/works cited page in a major research essay, students in 12th grade British literature are unable to complete the assignment. In the planning process of the paper, many students do not complete note cards with works cited information. At the end of the semester when the assignment is due, students will be graded on thier MLA-style works cited page. Possible explanations for poor work are that they students are unprepared for the assignment by many teachers or that the students have chosen not to put in the time needed to complete the assignment correctly.

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:

Early middle school and high school english classes do not prepare students to create a complete, correct, MLA-style works cited page.

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:

Teacher and student surveys will be used to determine needs of all participants. It may be necessary to train teachers in MLA style as well. A quiz over bibliography skills will be administered before the writing begins. Portfolio checks can be done by teacher with samples from different points in the semester. Students participate in class/instuction on works cited pages, then paper is written and turned in to be graded by the teacher.

Your final response:

Students did not clearly understand the parts/rules of the MLA works cited page. Many students received low or failing scores on the MLA section of their grade. Students do not use multiple types of sources when researching.

Your final response:

Students do not feel confident in their skills to complete an MLA style bibliography (felt need). Students do not score well on major papers because of problems with MLA format (expressed need). Students do not understand the importance of learning MLA style in grade school so they can be successful in college level english (anticipated or future need). Students need to be familiar with many types of sources and how to cite them correctly.

*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:

Students do not score well on major papers because of problems with MLA format (expressed need). Students do not understand the importance of learning MLA style in grade school so they can be successful in college level english (anticipated or future need). Students need to be familiar with many types of sources and how to cite them correctly. Students do not feel confident in their skills to complete an MLA style bibliography (felt need).

Your final response:

The first need is an immediate problem because their grades are affected. With the students being seniors, he need becomes even more important. Second, the students need to understand that the work is important. Without this understanding, they will continue to slack off in their work. Next, students tend to stick with sources that they are familiar with, causing them to miss important information. Finally, once students feel confident in their work, they will no longer have to depend on outside sources to create their works cited pages, making the work less tedious and more enjoyable.

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:

Early middle school and high school english classes do not prepare students to create a complete, correct, MLA-style works cited page from several different types of sources.

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:

Students who participate in this tutorial/remediation will be able to create a MLA-style bibliography with few, if any, errors. Students will be able to demonstrate competance in MLA style citations in a variety of sources.

 

Your final response:

Twelfth grade students should be working continually to hone their english skills so that they will be successful in college. Valuable points are taken off of grades for errors in MLA format. In college level english classes, a student cannot afford to "give away" points on simple errors. Students should broaden their research base by looking at a variety of sources. If they struggle with citing certain types of sources correctly, they are less likely to use them, thus missing important information.

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

No specific feedback given on this step.