Needs Analysis:

Assessments for At-Home Learning  

Rebekah Jenkins • St. Thomas University • EDT 610 Instructional Design & Development
Overview of Process
Allison Rossett's Five-Step Needs Analysis Procedure to Solve a Problem 

Information gathered (factors) Five-step process to conduct 

Determine purposes
based on initiators
 Optimal performance

 Actual performance Identify sources

 Feelings Select tools

 Cause(s) Conduct needs

assessment in
stages
 Solutions
Use findings for
decision making
(Brown & Green, 2016)
Step One: Determine purpopses

What type of initiating situation is taking place? 

 Performance problems
 New Stuff
 Mandates

What purpose needs to be addressed in order to develop a

solution? 
 Optimal Performance
 Actual Performance
 Cause(s)
 Feelings
(Brown & Green, 2016)
Relationship Between Initiators and Purpose

Initiators Purpose

Performance Optimal Actual

Causes
Problems Performance Performance

Optimal
New Stuff Performance
Feelings

As
As new
Mandates performance
stuff
problems
(Brown & Green, 2016)
Step One (Application to Current Situation)

▪ Initiator for current need is New Stuff

 Digital or online assessments are needed in all grade levels
during new at-home learning implementation following
school closures due to the Corona pandemic.
▪ Purpose of current need is mostly Optimal Performance
but is also Feelings
 Teachers need to be able to assess how the students are
learning, in order to make changes to online learning
methods.
 Students and teachers need to feel confident using and
creating digital assessments, as well as understand an
urgent need for training and implementation. 
Step Two:Identify sources

Who has the information that is

needed? 
What constraints are there to gaining
access? 
What individuals need to know that a
solution is being developed?

(Brown & Green, 2016)

 Step Two (Application to Current Situation)

Who has the current What are the What individuals

Information? constraints? need to know?

• On-site Educational • Teachers

• Time
Technologist
Information Contraints • Parents
Individuals
• Training
• Administraion • Students
Step Three: Select tools

Gather data using different tools:

Interviews
Observing employee performance
Examining records and outcomes
Groups meetings
Questionnaires

(Brown & Green, 2016)

Step Three (Application to
Current Situation)

Due to time constraints and the immediate need to find a

resolution, the following tools were used to analyze the need
of digital assessment:
Observing employee performance (ability level of
navagation through other Google apps previously
implemented)
Group meetings (Administration and the IT team met with
department and grade level leaders to discuss options
available)
Step Four: Conduct needs assessment

Step four is when the actual needs assessment begins.

Use the information gathered from steps one through three to

assess needs. 

If data collected from previous steps is not enough, revisit

steps two and three before proceeding.

(Brown & Green, 2016)

Step Four (Application to Current Situation)

Data collected was sufficient to proceed:

New situation called for a change in assessments
Must allow for optimal performance (teachers & students)
Training, confidence, and priority must be met with
postivitiy (teachers, students, and parents)
Observing employee performance and group meetings will
guide decisions and solutions
Step Five: Use findings for decisions

Information
Gathered

Appropriate
Solution

Needs
Assessment

(Brown & Green, 2016)

Step Five (Application to
Current Situation)

Information
Gathered:
Steps one
through
three Appropriate
Solution:
Assessments
will be given
during duration
of at-home
learning via
Google Forms
Needs
Assessment:
Step four
Conclusion

 Google Forms were added as a digital assessment tool

 Teachers were sent training videos on how to create and share with
other teachers in their grade level/subject area
 Feelings (of teachers) towards the implementation were mixed;
some thought the amount of time to make the form was excessive,
while others were happy that it is self-grading and didn't mind the
time to create
 Feelings (of students and parents) towards the the change are yet to
be revealed, as implementation began this past week
Reference

Brown, A. H. and Green, T. D. (2016), The essentials of instructional

design:  Connecting fundamental principles with process and practice (3rd
Ed.) Routledge, NY, NY