Conducting Needs AssessmentsLynda Milne2009Institute forNew Faculty Developers

Basic Questions of Needs AssessmentWhat changes in behavior, attitudes and performance are needed or expected?[How] will we get them?What are the expected economic costs and benefits of any projected solutions?Rouda, R.H. & Kusy, M.E. (1995). Needs assessment: The first step.If professional development is the solution, what’s the problem?

Needs Assessment Methods

Needs Assessment Methods

Which source? Mixed sources, usuallyTriangulation: multiple forms of overlapping, diverse pieces of evidence and perspectives.By using multiple forms of evidence and perspectives, a truer portrait of the student can be developed (Wiggins, 1998). While the same biases in evidence collection still come into play, because more types of evidence are being used to form one's opinion about the student, there are more cross checks on the accuracy of the decision.Multiple data sources (survey, observation, focus groups, interviewEnsure non-overlapping areas of weakness and strength

NOAA’s 12 Steps for Needs Assessment http://www.csc.noaa.gov/needs/Let’s try a few steps.

Examples and Cases CTL Biennial Faculty Development Surveys2003 triangulated with survey of CAOs, survey of presidents, interviews with deans, focus groups of CTL Campus Leaders.Program design from yesterdayNeeds assessment for recruitment/retention of faculty of colorYours?

ReportingReporting data so that stakeholders and decision-makers feel they have enough information is key.What changes in behavior, attitudes and performance are expected?[How] will we get them?What are the expected economic costs and benefits of any projected solutions?

Go forth and inquire!Needs evaluation: University of Texashttp://www.utexas.edu/academic/diia/assessment/iar/programs/plan/types/needs.phpNeeds Assessment: George Mason Universityhttp://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/Resources2/Needs.htmScienceDirect - Evaluation and Program Planning : Problems in needs assessment data: Discrepancy analysishttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V7V-4NP9839-2&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=939124035&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=db332240579260baf47Who Needs What Training? A Look Askance at Training Needs Assessmenthttp://home.att.net/~nickols/who_needs.htmNeeds Assessmenthttp://alumnus.caltech.edu/~rouda/T2_NA.htmlInstructional Design Modelshttp://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/idmodels.htmlNeeds Assessment Surveys: Do They Predict Attendance at Continuing Education Workshops?http://www.joe.org/joe/2002august/a4.phpThis set of links (and more?!) athttp://www.diigo.com/list/lmilne/needs-assessment