Needs%20Assessment

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Needs Assessment
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Needs Assessment

• Process for identifying the knowledge and skills
  necessary for achieving organizational goals
• Tool for identifying the problem and selecting an
  appropriate intervention

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Purpose of Needs Assessment

• Identify root cause of the problem
• Determine whether the problem is instructional,
  organizational, administrative, motivational or
  attitudinal
• Focus time and effort on the right solution
• Bring practice close to educational goals
• Kern, 1998

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What are some needs assessment models?

• Problem-solving model
• Accommodation model
• Gap Analysis model

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Problem-solving model

• Is there a problem now?
• Is there likely to be a problem in the near
  future?
• Does learner performance relate to identified
  problem?
• Do performance deficits cause/affect problem?

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Accommodation Model

• What are recent changes in policies or
  philosophies?
• Are there changes mandated by accrediting
  agencies?
• Are there new knowledge, skills, or attitudes to
  be taught?

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Gap Analysis Model

• What are learning goals and standards?
• How well are learners achieving them?
• What is the gap between what should be and
  what is?
• Can it be solved by an educational intervention?

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Phases of Needs Assessment

• Planning
• Collecting data
• Analyzing findings
• Compiling a report

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Planning

• Determine the current environment
• Identify the needs, problems, or gaps
• Where is the problem/gap?
• When did it start?
• Who does it involve?
• What are the issues?
• What are the priorities?
• What are the desired outcomes?

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Collecting data

• Review of available information
• Analysis of existing data
• Published literature
• Public health statistics
• Reports by government agencies or professional
  societies
• Audits of current performance

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Collecting data

• Collection of new information
• Focus group discussions
• Interviews
• Written questionnaires
• Key informants
• Direct observation
• Critical incident reviews
• Time-motion studies

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Analyzing data

• Output of the analysis prioritized needs
• Needs can be prioritized on the basis of
• Impact
• Economic value
• Timeliness
• Frequency of identification

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Compiling a Report

• Summary of purpose
• Summary of process
• Synthesis of findings (table and narrative)
• Recommendations

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Summary

• Who needs to be trained?
• What needs to be taught?
• When should it be taught?
• Where should it be taught?
• How should it be taught?
• What resources do I need?