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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:

General: Hi Nicole, you did a good job with this IDA, but there are some issues you need to address -- please let me know if you have any questions after you read my feedback below. Problem statement issues: Nichole, you are a little confused about the concept of the context. As Dr. Rieber suggests, the description of the context should refer to an *instructional context*, such as a course, a curriculum, a training department, etc. You may also want to look at the “Analyze Learners and Contexts” on page 6 of Chapter 1 to see the conceptual difference between learners and the context. So here for the context, you may want to refer to the Human Resource Department of Delta or other appropriate departments or organizations that can provide health knowledge training to these Delta employees. You did a very good job with 1b. Again, 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 Delta Human Resource 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. Data resources: It is very creative of you to use the data resource of journals to collect participants’ eating habits before receiving the training. Description of needs Very good! Your instructional goal was right on target. Of course, it is still rather vague, but we'll be focusing on how to make them more specific in the next stages of the course.

 

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:

Adults who eat out often.

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 participants (adults who eat out often) work for Delta airlines located in Atlanta, Georgia. Delta is one of the major airlines in the industry. Delta is comprised of 18 departments ranging from airline attendants, pilots, and corporate workers. Participants desire to learn ways to eat healthy when eating out. These adults balance busy work and family lives, however willing to take part in this study.

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:

Participants have very busy lifestlyes. Many are unfamiliar with ways to eat healthy on the go. These adults experience fatigue, weight gain, and depression due to their eating habits.

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 participants are unaware of ways to eat healthy and therefore do not eat healthy. This could be a result of a lack of knowledge about eating healthy on the go, a lack of personal goals, or concerns about the cost of healthy foods.

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 participants do not possess the knowledge of making healthy eating choices while on the go to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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 participants in study. Participants will keep a journal for the next four weeks. The first two weeks will include recording of participants "typical" eating on the go habits. The last two weeks will include recording of eating on the go with new knowledge of how to eat healthy. Participants will be responsible for documenting how many times a week they eat out, where, and what they ate.

Your final response:

Interview: Participants are unaware of how to choose healthy foods when eating out. Participants opinions about eating on the go. Journal: Participants normal eating habits before learning how to eat healthy while on the go. Participants eating habits after learning healthy ways to eat out.

Your final response:

Participants believe eating healthy food is too expensive. (Felt) Participants think that fast food restuarants do not offer healthy selections. (Felt) Participants worry that eating healthy will still leave them hungry. (Anticipated or Future)

*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 are unfamiliar with making healthy food choices when eating on the go. Participants think that fast food restuarants do not offer healthy selections. Participants believe eating healthy food is too expensive.

Your final response:

The root problem for unhealthy eating habits at fast food restaurants is due to participants being unaware of how to make healthy selections. Next, many do not think that healthy choices are available at fast food restaurants. Finally, eating healthy is just too pricey.

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 participants do not possess the knowledge of making healthy eating choices while on the go to maintain a healthy lifestyle and believe that healthy choices are not offered at fast food restuarants.

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:

Participants will be able to: 1. Develop a personalized eating plan while on the go 2. Recognize healthy choices at fast food restaurants 3. Purchase healthy foods in a cost effective way on the go 4. Converse about the positive effects of eating healthy

 

Your final response:

Participants must first create an individual eating plan in order to recognize and eat healthy at fast food locations.

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

No specific feedback given on this step.