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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:

Hi, Myungweon, you did a very good job on this. Almost all of my comments are minor in nature and deal with issues that are typical for someone not familiar with the "formality" of needs assessment. You definitely seem to understand the idea of collecting data to support the contention that a problem exists. BTW, I noticed a few typos. In the future, you might want to write your IDA responses first in a word processing, do a spell check, then copy/paste them into this web form. Problem statement issues: I like what you wrote for step 1a. But for 1b, I agree with your buddy's feedback. I see you explained how the GALILEO runs within the system of USG, but you may also want to provide a little more information about the community of the system, such as who designed and developed this system, who is supporting it, the demographics of current users, and the current support in using GALILEO. 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 statement. This means that the GALILEO interface, or whatever "system of interest" you identify, should be the subject of the problem statement sentence. It is this web utility 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. In addition, I think that the Symptoms of a problem step needs a little more explanation, such as listing out the detailed observed difficulties that students meet when they are using the GALILEO. Note from Lloyd: I suggest changing your system of interest to the department or unit within UGA that is responsible for updating the GALILEO interface. Instructional goals: The content of the instructional goals themselves are very good. But you will notice later that usually instructional designers are encouraged not to use vague verbs such as “know” or “understand” when they are writing instructional goals. You may want to use the Bloom’s Taxonomy as a reference ( http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy) . Note from Lloyd: We will be addressing ways to increase the precision of instructional goals in the next phase 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:

The system of interest is GALILEO@UGA, the UGA libraries' interfact to online resources.

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:

GALILEO@UGA (http://www.libs.uga.edu/research/) is offered by the University of Georgia libraries. GALILEO@UGA is operated within the system of GALILEO SCHOLAR (http://www.galileo.usg.edu/scholar/uga/subjects/), an initiative of the university system of Georgia which the UGA is a part of. GALILEO@UGA provides ways to find literature from several electronic databases, including Academic Search Complete, ERIC, psychoINFO, to name a few.

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:

Many of the students at the University of Georgia are uable to find the literature they need.

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:

Searching and collecting literature is the first step in any research. If students are unable to find high quality and relevant literature, they are not likely to conduct good research.

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:

Many of the studnets at the University of Georgia are unable to use GALILEO@UGA properly.

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:

Administering university wide survey ; Interviewing graduate students who often use GALILEO@UGA; Observing students as they navigate GALILEO@UGA interface to find what they are looking for

Your final response:

What kinds of difficulties students usually face when they try to use GALILEO@UGA

Your final response:

● 80% studnets participated in the survey don't understand which databases in GALILEO@UGA have which kind of literature (Expressed need) ● 70% stduents don't know what kind of options GALILEO@UGA webpage provides. Most of the students who participated in the observation also could not use the options properly (Expressed need) ● 50% students said that the interface of GALILEO@UGA is too complicated and not user-friendly compared to that of Google Scholar (Comparative need) ● Many students interviewed said that they wanted to become more skillful at searching high quality literature (Felt 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:

1. Many students participated in the interview said that they wanted to become more skillful at searching high quality literature (Felt need) 2. 80% students participated in the survey don't understand which databases in GALILEO@UGA have which kind of literature (Expressed need) 3. 70% stduents don't know what kind of options GALILEO@UGA webpage provides. Most of the students who participated in the observation also could not use the options properly (Expressed need) 4. 50% students said that the interface of GALILEO@UGA is too complicated and not user-friendly compared to that of Google Scholar (Comparative need)

Your final response:

First one is the most profound need--it is the necessary condition for academic excellence. Second and third needs are ordered according to the number of students who expressed their personal concerns regarding GALILEO@UGA. Lastly, in terms of the fourth need, being simple is not always good. The various options GALILEO@UGA provides, even though it looks somewhat complicated, may be the basis of its power producing high quality search results.

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:

Many of the studnets at the University of Georgia are unable to use GALILEO@UGA properly.

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 at the University of Georgia will be able to find high quality literature they need. Specifically, ● Students understand the steps they need to follow to find literature at GALILEO@UGA (which options GALILEO@UGA provides, where to put key words, etc.) ● Students understand which databases in GALILEO@UGA have which fields/kinds of literature

 

Your final response:

The first goal is related to a prerequisite ability to use preliminary function of GALILEO@UGA. The second goal is more advanced ability which enable students to conduct higher quality search

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

No specific feedback given on this step.