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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:

You did a fine job! I tweaked your problem statement, so read those comments below carefully. You also got a little confused at the end.

 

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:

Hill Community Desk Staff

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 community within the Department of University Housing at the University of Georgia has a desk within it that aids its residents. These desks are manned by student workers who provide many different services such as temporary key checkout, campus and building information, security, and, in some instances, conflict mediation. The Hill Community currently employs 30 desk assistants who are supervised by a Graduate Resident. These student workers comprise the staff that man two 24 hour desks, and serve 6 buildings with approximately 1500 residents.

The instructor's feedback to step 1:

Very good description of the systems involved here. However, I don't think this is the appropriate 'system of interest'. I think we need to go 'up' a level to the Department of Housing (for reasons that I'll explain below).

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:

Desk Assistants in the Hill Community are not going through the appropriate course of action when letting a resident into the building as they do not properly cross-check information given against the roster. In addition, they do properly document the incidents on the Access-In cards.

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 Department of University Housing believes strongly in maintaining the security of its buildings. By not checking the claims of the individuals being let into building, the desk workers compromise the integrity of the building's security. Continuation of this problem may lead to larger security issues and a major incident that places residents in direct danger.

The instructor's feedback to step 2:

Very good. (BTW, i assume the word "not" is missing from this sentence: "In addition, they do properly document the incidents on the Access-In cards." Right?)

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 Hill Community Desk Staff does not adequately support the security of the buildings in the community due to their errors in allowing people access into the buildings.

The instructor's feedback to step 3:

No, I think the problem is that these folks aren't provided with enough training. An appropriate problem statement would read "The Department of Housing does not adequately prepare the Hill Community Desk Staff on how to provide proper security of the buildings". (And remember, the subject of this sentence needs to match the 'system of interest' from step 1.

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 desk assistants; Survey the residents who are let in the building; Observation of desk assistants

Your final response:

Desk assistant protocols when allowing people access into the buildings; Questions asked to residents by desk assistants when being let into the buildings; The manner in which desk assistants ask question to people in order to grant them access.

Your final response:

Desk assistants did not see the need to go into depth in ensuring the individual lived there (felt need); Desk Assistants were often busy at the time and thus did not have time to consult the roster (expressed need); Some desk assistant did not know the proper procedure and how to fill out the card (Normative 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:

Excellent!

5. Prioritize your list of needs.Which are most important? Why are they most important?

Prioritized needs

Reasons/evidence for priority

Your final response:

Normative need Felt need Expressed need

Your final response:

Obviously the normative need is number one because the desk assistants can not be expected to properly allow access when they do not know the procedure. Secondly, the felt need must be addressed because the workers must believe in the merits of following the procedure in order to have the desire to do so. The expressed need will be solved with the resolution of the felt need. This will occur because the desk assistants will see merit in proper access procedures and thus will ensure that they follow the appropriate measures even when they are busy.

The instructor's feedback to step 5:

I agree.

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 Hill Community Desk Staff does not adequately support the security of the buildings in the community due to their errors in allowing people access into the buildings.

The instructor's feedback to step 6:

Everything still reinforces my idea that this is the problem statement: "The Department of Housing does not adequately prepare the Hill Community Desk Staff on how to provide proper security of the buildings".

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:

All of the desk assistants will be instructed as to the proper procedure in allowing people into the buildings; Desk assistants will be told why their job in giving access to the buildings is vital to the security of the buildings; Desk assistants will be able to instruct residents as to why the measures that are inacted are necessary

 

Your final response:

It is important to first ensure that the workers know the correct procedure; It is important that the workers see merit in what they are doing; It is important that the workers know the policy well enough to instruct others on it.

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

You've gone astray here. Instead of stating instructional goals, you've launched directly into strategies (which are designed to meet the goals). A good goal would be "Desk assistants will properly document the incidents on the Access-In cards 100% of the time". (To use your wording -- I really don't know what this means!)