This document discusses best practices for conducting virtual needs assessments for students. It recommends putting students at ease, being well prepared, clarifying the assessment purpose, understanding the student's course, and seeking permission to use collected information. The goal of assessments is to establish learning objectives, agree on goals, gather evidence of support needs, understand their impact, and inform study approaches. Assessments should result in a clear understanding of the student's needs to inform appropriate support. Data should be used effectively and support monitored regularly to ensure student progress. A framework is presented that covers presentation, observation, function, diagnostics, and context to take a needs-led approach to assessment.

1. Virtual Needs
Assessment Practice
Session 2

2. Review of task from Session 1
What you identified as characteristics of a
„conducive‟ assessment environment:
 Putting student at ease
 Being well prepared
 Clarifying the purpose of the meeting
 Obtaining student‟s view of their „issues‟
 Knowing enough about their chosen course
 Capturing information appropriately
 Relating any demos to what‟s been discussed
 Seeking permission to use information

3. A reminder about why we assess
 To establish learning/course objectives
 To agree learning (and teaching) goals
 To gather evidence of support needs
 To understand the impact of these needs
 To inform study methods/approaches
 To help students develop an awareness
of their strengths and weaknesses and
preferred learning styles

4. Key Principles
The outcome of any needs
assessment should be a clear
and shared understanding -
and reporting - of the learner‟s
need(s), so that appropriate
support can be put in place.

5. Reality check!
Completing a pro-forma or writing a
report, however comprehensive and
exquisite, never makes a jot of a difference to
the student‟s learning experience UNLESS that
information is used effectively to inform a plan
of action:
 For the student
 For identified staff
Storing data X
„Exploring‟ data √

6. Key Principles
If the student is making
adequate progress in course
work, this can usually be
regarded as evidence of the
appropriateness of the support
being provided.

7. Reality check No 2!
BUT, unless „the system‟ has opportunities
built in for monitoring progress at regular
intervals, one shouldn‟t assume that “all is
well”……. or that “no news is good news!”
It‟s important to know:
 what support is being accessed,
 from what sources,
 with what results!

8. Assessment Strategies
Breakout Activity 1:
In your groups, discuss and note down:
 The range of strategies currently in use in
your institution to assess learners‟ support
needs.
 The effectiveness (in your opinion) of these
strategies – both for identifying support
needs and monitoring the effectiveness of
what is put in place.

9. Assessment Components
 Educational history/information gathering
 Checklists; screening
 Observations; feedback
 Sub-skills analysis
(reading, comprehension, spelling, free
writing)
 Cognitive processing (memory, organisation
 Normative data - attainment
 Diagnostic data – eg. psychometric measures

10. Assessment Components
 Self image
 Relationship with peers
 Motivation and attitude
 Learning style
 Expectations
 Meta-cognition

11. Cognition
and
academic
ability
Observed and
reported
problems/difficulties
Social / environmental
impact and influences
Clinical
evidence
Evidence Matrix
Medical model / diagnosis / label
Deficit / discrepancy
Context
Functional /
performance

12. A Framework for Needs Assessment
Presentation
Observation
Function
Diagnostics

13. Are all the „bases‟ covered?
Activity 2:
Discuss the inverted triangle framework and
consider whether your processes fit into
this needs-led framework.
 Where are your processes strong?
 What aspects, if any, are weaker or missing?
 Are there any elements you would find
challenging to implement?

14. What next?
 Session 3
 22 May 2013 at 11.00am
 Gathering and interpreting evidence