IDA: Needs Analysis

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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:

Excellent IDA. You demonstrated mastery of all of the issues here. I almost marked a rating of exemplary, but you had a few minor problems. Problem statement issues: I like step 1 and 2 very much. You did a very good job in describing and explaining the symptoms of the problem. But for step 3, remember Dr. Rieber always advises people to write the problem statement so that the context/system of interest is the subject of this. This means that the Barrow County's Remedial Reading Teacher Department, or whatever "system of interest" you identify, should be the subject of the problem statement sentence. It is this training context where the solution is to be implemented; therefore, in terms of *instruction,* this entity is where a problem is not being addressed. By doing so the organization or group responsible for the problem is identified clearly and subsequently, this shows who needs to “take action” to resolve the problem. To be more specific, note the recommendation throughout this IDA to write the problem statement so that the organization or group responsible for the problem is the subject for this statement. So, rather than identifying the problem as centered on what the students don't know, focus the problem on the course or curriculum needed to solve it. The instructional design concepts we will be encountering next are easier to execute when the problem statement is written this way. Data resources: Ample data resources. Very nice! Description of needs Very good job in describing remedial reading teachers’ needs for their collaboration. Instructional goals Your instructional goal is simple and shows that you understand what it is. Good job! Note from Lloyd: I wonder, though, if the problem you have identified is instructional in nature. You stated that the teachers don't have opportunities or resources to collaborate. Consequently, if they were given more time and the resources, it sounds like the problem would be solved. And, if the problem is that teachers don't collaborate, I'm suspicious that there other reasons for this problem that I doubt instruction would help. Anyhow, something to think about.

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:

Barrow County's Remedial Reading Teacher 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:

Each middle school in Barrow County has one remedial reading teacher. The county has four middle schools. The remedial reading classes are comprised of one instructor to a maximum of 18 students. Each teacher has two 6th grade classes, 2 7th grade classes, and 2 8th grade classes in a normal school day.

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 remedial reading teachers in the county are not following the same curriculum map. Students who transfer from school to school have a difficult time conforming to the new materials. Although the teachers basically teach to the same performance standards, there is no consistency among schools as there is in academic classes that follow a traditional textbook. Students show evidence of a gap in the standards taught to them.

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 remedial reading teachers are not collaborating when creating curriculum maps and lesson plans because they don't have adequate tools/time. When students transfer within the district (which happens often), they have difficulty acclimating to the new curriculum. All of their other classes follow the same curriculum map except for this one. If one remedial reading teacher skips around on the standards and a student transfers, the likelihood that student will have a gap in his/her learning is great.

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 remedial reading teachers of Barrow County are not following the same curriculum map.

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 students on what they have covered in remedial reading at their previous school; Pre/Post Tests show that students may cover the same standards twice when transferring because the teachers choose to cover them at different parts of the year (this creates a huge gap in standards they haven't been exposed to); Observations of students having a difficult time conforming to a class completely different from another class in the title with the same name and performance standards; Interview remedial reading teachers on their level of collaboration on creating curriculum maps and units to be delivered each school year.

Your final response:

Student opinions on the difference between the same class at different schools; Teacher opinions as to why more collaboration among teachers is not done; Student scores on pre/post tests.

Your final response:

Remedial reading teachers feel they do not have the opportunity or resources to collaborate on curriculum mapping and lesson planning to provide a more consistent curriculum for students who transfer within the district(felt need). Remedial reading teachers do not have a standard textbook or curriculum guideline as do regular academic classes; therefore, the planning of the class can vary greatly from school to school (comparative 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:

Tools for collaboration are first needed for the teachers to create a common curriculum map/units for the school year.

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:

Remedial reading teachers in Barrow County need collaboration tools (such as Google Tools) in order to create a common curriculum map.

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:

Remedial reading teachers in Barrow County will use Google Tools to collaborate in writing a common curriculum map.

Your final response:

If this goal is achieved, the problem should be easily solved. The teachers just need to use the free tools they have access to in order to provide a consistent environment for their students.

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

No specific feedback given on this step.