Lesson 7: Learner and Context Analyses

Jalen Holston| jalenh4@vt.edu| 2/27/2021

Learner Analysis

 The intended audience I am targeting are undergraduate students in the united states that
attend historical black college universities. The characteristics of my audience consist of those
who have a growth mindset, those who are ready to make changes, people who are resourceful
and those who are good listeners. Demographic data of my audience consist of non-Black
students making up 24% of enrollment at HBCUs. Female enrollment at HBCUs has been higher
than male enrollment in every year since 1976. Majority of learners will be ages 18 to 23 years
old. Classifications range from freshman to seniors. Majority of the students will be from
households earning less than $50,000 and will have wage earning jobs.
 Before given instruction, learners will already have key budget analyst skills. These consist of
written communication skills, analytical skills, judgment and decision-making skills, active
listening skills, proficiency in mathematics, and know how to successfully use Microsoft Excel.
 My learners’ prior knowledge will have varying levels of experience in finances as some may
have received training earlier than others in their high school years, while others may have no
experience at all and would be considered beginners.
 My learners are eager to learn a new skill that will lead them to better decision making in the
real world. Research from five university (North Carolina Central University, Bennett College,
Winston-Salem State University, Elizabeth City State University, and University of North Carolina
at Pembroke) given through surveys of 1,1143 students found that respondents reported low
levels of completely understanding how to create a budget and tracking expenses, savings and
investing. Research reported back high levels of respondents wanting to take control of their
finances. My lesson will be distributed online through instruction with Microsoft PowerPoint.
Learners will have the opportunity to meet in person for guidance if they seek it. They will also
have the opportunity to complete online lessons within the times of their own weekly schedule.
They will feel satisfied with these choices as they can work around their busy lives and benefit
from the instruction. During the pandemic students have been exhausted from online courses,
implementing this technique will give students a refreshing and exciting start.
 Learners are motivated to learn this new skill because the subject has been brought up to them,
but never taught. They realize that this skill is important to them because it is relevant to their
day to day lives. Learners will benefit tremendously. Research from a REAP survey shows that
students in their survey credited knowledge of money management to their parents and life
experiences (69% reporting they learned from parents, 82% from life experiences, 23% from
school, and 34% from jobs). Little information about finances is provided in the Unites States
School system which leads to a lack of overall knowledge and all of us at a disadvantage. This
audience is also less likely to see a financial advisor.
 Most learners only have earned a high school diploma as they are in college earning their
bachelor’s degree or another certification and others may have their GED. My audience will
 include all college levels from freshman to senior classification. They have basic reading and
writing, time management, study, communication, and critical thinking skills
 Since my learners are college students this puts them at an advantage being able to adapt to
various learning approaches. One of the most preferred learning styles for learners in my
audience is intrapersonal learning as surveys show 52% chose this (Seemiller,2019). They are
self-motivated learners that set goals for themselves and prefer to study for themselves. Others
have shown to be interested in kinesthetic learning (48%), logical-mathematical (48.5%), musical
(42.7%), linguistic (42.1%) and interpersonal (36.3%) (Seemiller,2019).
 I have a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and working to earn a master’s degree. During my
time at Virginia Tech I completed two financial courses. I’ve also been involved in Forex Trading,
money management classes, and stock market investing. Learners are eager to know more
about the organization and what it can provide for them. They haven’t been provided with this
service before due to lack of opportunity so they have positive views leading up to the
instruction.
 Yes, learners are college students which makes them very diverse as all of them come from
different parts of the country, have different backgrounds, different cultures, and different
experiences. What makes all the learners similar is they are achievement oriented, determined,
and responsible. They have a desire for achievement, they want to do well, and are self-
motivated.
 I obtained this information from a research report titled The Reality Education and Assets
Partnership: Making the Case for Student Financial Management Programs at Minority Serving
Institutions. This study was done at the University of North Carolina to find research and an
analysis on the transformative power of capital on households and communities in the United
States. Roberto G. Quercia is the director of the research report and Janneke Ratcliffe is the
associate director. Another resource I used was done at Walden University titled How
Generation Z College Students Prefer to Learn: A Comparison of U.S and Brazil Students. The
purpose of their study was to compare and identify how students in the United States like to
perceive learning opposed to students in Brazil. The study also indicates motivations,
characteristics, learning methods, and learning styles for college students. The key contributors
in this research are Corey Seemiller, Meghan Grace, Paula Dal Bo Campagnolo, Isa Mara Da Rosa
Alves, and Gustavo Severo De Borba.

In summary, my targeted learners for the skill I desire to instruct is undergraduate students at historical
black college universities. There learners are those who are curious to learn more in able to better
themselves for a better life because they weren’t presented with these opportunities before. They
already know most the basic skills required to achieve the skills they will learn such as written
communication skills, analytical skills, judgment and decision-making skills, active listening skills,
proficiency in mathematics, and know how to successfully use Microsoft Excel. My lesson will be
distributed online through instruction with Microsoft PowerPoint. Learners could meet together one day
during the week if they choose to seek extra help then have the opportunity to complete online lessons
within the times of their own weekly schedule. Learners will feel satisfied with these choices as they can
work around their busy lives and benefit from the instruction. During the pandemic students have been
exhausted from online courses, implementing this technique will give students a refreshing and exciting
start. My audience has a motivation to acquire the skills of budgeting not only to take to the real world,
but because most of them haven’t been taught about their finances. The highest level of education they
have are high school diplomas. Learners can adapt to various learning approaches as during their time in
school they experience all of the approaches. They are all different individually as my group is very
diverse with classifications ranging from freshman to seniors. Learners prefer an intrapersonal style type
of learning and because of this they will be able to work on their own as an individual for the most of the
instruction. Their drive to learn the skills is high as they are motivated to seek achievement. Learners are
satisfied and eager with my organization as I have experience and knowledge in the field of money
management and investing.

Performance Context

 There is no managerial support after the learner completes the instruction course. Learners will
be expected to continue to review back to the knowledge, techniques, and tools they obtained
during the instruction. They will be on their own to make real world decisions.
 The performance site could be the learner’s homes or at their job site. The equipment learners
would need in the performance consist of a personal computer and some form of a calculator.
The tools required are a desk and a chair. Leaners would need copies of their bank statements,
bills, receipts or expense list, and a list of the goals they desire to achieve within the month or
week.
 Workers would work alone when in the performance context as they would think
independently. They would use the skills addressed in my instructional model although they
could work in a group. Some learners could use this style while others may not, but learner’s
groups could consist of trusted family members, a spouse, friends, or parents.
 The new skills are very important and relevant to the workplace. It will set the direction for a
business or individual that leads them to creating goals, objectives, and assigning responsibility.
As the new skill is acquired learners are able to take responsibility of their own finances and be
able to find new opportunities in the world that they couldn’t before. The only constraint to this
new skill would be time as learners would have to think critically when making decisions in their
budget. They would also have to gather their own data and calculate it precisely to correctly
form their budget.
 I obtained the information from past knowledge I’ve learned from my past experiences in my
finance classes and courses. Research also shows that having a setting like this will lead to
learners having the most effective outcomes because they are able to be comfortable
concentrating and focusing their attention in their own homes.

In summary to describe the performance context, learners would be independent from managerial
support and ultimately be on their own. Learners will use their knowledge learned in the instructional
course during the performance context. The setting for the performance site will be the homes or jobs
of the learners. They need a computer and a type of calculator to find their data. The tools that are
required are a desk and a chair while they would also need copies of their bank statements, bills,
receipts or expense list, and a list of the goals they desire to achieve within the month or week. Creating
a budget will set the direction for a business or individual that leads them to creating goals, objectives,
and assigning responsibility. As the new skill is acquired learners are able to take responsibility of their
own finances and be able to find new opportunities in the world that they couldn’t before. The only
constraint to this new skill would be time as learners would have to think critically when making
decisions in their budget. They would also have to gather their own data and calculate it precisely to
correctly form their budget.

Learning Context

 My target audience is specifically HBCU students. The learning site would be the learner’s
personal space such as their home. A Zoom meeting or face to face instruction for extra
opportunities for help will be given. I plan to give an online instruction that allows for them to
work around their own time schedules. This would be the most feasible delivery method as
study show college students in the United States see intrapersonal learning as the most
preferred type.
 The learning site is compatible with the instructional requirements as learners would be
required to have a computer, a calculate, and a desk in order to complete the instruction. The
environment would include all of their documented statements, bills, and other data they
needed to complete the instruction. All tools should be available in the learner’s site and
properly configured to operate under the student’s direction. The site can support the desired
delivery approach as learners would need to be in a comfortable place that has them ready to
focus their attention in.
 The sites will be convenient for learners as they have intrapersonal learning styles and seek to
work independently. The skill they are learning about budgeting is one that they will be working
on independently. They will be in the comfort of their own homes and be able to use their own
critical thinking when performing the skill. During voluntary meetings for extended help
learners will not only learn from the instruction but they will learn different ideas and
perspectives from each other. Using this strategy, learners are able to discuss techniques or
expose any ideas they have to help better others.
 My instruction learning will simulate the work environment as learners will be essentially be put
through the process as they would in the work environment. They will take the same steps in
the learning environment and translate it to when they are actually performing. Working in their
homes independently will simulate a performance environment where they have to do the same
thing.
 I obtained this information from a research report titled The Reality Education and Assets
Partnership: Making the Case for Student Financial Management Programs at Minority Serving
Institutions. This study was done at the University of North Carolina to find research and an
analysis on the transformative power of capital on households and communities in the United
States. Roberto G. Quercia is the director of the research report and Janneke Ratcliffe is the
associate director. Another resource I used was done at Walden University titled How
Generation Z College Students Prefer to Learn: A Comparison of U.S and Brazil Students. The
purpose of their study was to compare and identify how students in the United States like to
perceive learning opposed to students in Brazil. The study also indicates motivations,
characteristics, learning methods, and learning styles for college students. The key contributors
in this research are Corey Seemiller, Meghan Grace, Paula Dal Bo Campagnolo, Isa Mara Da Rosa
Alves, and Gustavo Severo De Borba.
In summary, learners work independently in their own personal spaces. Even though the instruction is
online learners will be provided the opportunity to meet with the instruction or others if they would like.
My students prefer to work by themselves so this is the most feasible option. The learning site is
compatible with the instructional requirements as learners would be required to have a computer, a
calculate, and a desk in order to complete the instruction. The environment would include all of their
documented statements, bills, and other data they needed to complete the instruction. All tools should
be available in the learner’s site and properly configured to operate under the student’s direction. The
sites will be convenient for learners as they have intrapersonal learning styles and seek to work
independently. The skill they are learning about budgeting is one that they will be working on
independently. My instruction learning will simulate the work environment as learners will be essentially
be put through the process as they would in the work environment. They will take the same steps in the
learning environment and translate it to when they are actually performing. The environment will
accommodate everything learners will need to do the skill taught and the tools will be provided. My
instruction will simulate the workplace to get learners accustomed to using their new skill in a realistic
setting.