CHAPTER 2 ASSESSING NEEDS TO IDENTIFY INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL(S)

Background

Two basic methods are used to identify instructional goals: the subject matter expert approach and the performance technology approach.

SME emphasizes the communication of information from instructor to student in the instructional process.

Instructional designers favor the performance technology approach, where instructional goals are set in response to the problems or opportunities. Goals are usually stated as skills, knowledge, and need.

The purpose is to show that everyone wins when instructional provide learners with skills necessary to solve an organizational problem or to take advantage of an opportunity.

In summary, instructional goals ideally derived through a process of needs assessment that establishes rather broad indications of a problem that can be solved by providing instruction. Then an analysis of that goal is undertaken, either in their context of a curriculum or job. As a result, more refined specific statements emerge that focus on what learners will be able to do and the context in which they will be able to do it.

   

Concepts

Performance analysis

A performance analysis is a study conducted to determine the exact nature of an organizational performance problem and how it can be resolved.

The purpose of a performance analysis study is to acquire information on each of components in the model in order to verify problems and identify possible solution.

The outcome of performance analysis study is clear description a problem in terms of failure to achieve desired organizational result and the corresponding desired and actual employee behaviors, evidence of the causes of the problem, and suggested cost-effective solution.        

Clarifying Instructional goals

To analyze a vague goal, first write it down. Next, sort through goal. As a last step, examine the goal statement and ask yourself. You have developed one or more goal statements that collectively represent the achievement of an important goal. An analysis should be undertaken to identify specific performance outcomes that are implied by the goal.

Learners, context, and tools     

Indicate, 1) who the learners are, 2) the context in which they will use the skills, and 3) the tools that will be available.

Criteria for establishing instructional goals

Any selection of instructional goals must be done in terms the following concerns:

1.      Will the development of this instruction solve the problem that led to the need for it?

2.      Are these goals acceptable to those who must approve this instructional development effort?

3.      Are the sufficient people and time to complete the development of instructional for this goal?

Examples

The examples are based on an identified problem, need assessment activities, and a prescribed solution to the problem.

Summary

Instructional goals are clear statements of behaviors that learners are to demonstrate as a result of instruction. Instructional goals are selected and refined through a rational process that requires answering questions about a particular problem and need, about the clarify of the goal statements, and about availability of recourses to design and develop the instruction.