Assessing

Needs
Ch.6

EDU 413 Syllabus Design

Dr. Yasmeen Bassas
The role of Needs Assessment in the
development of the course
What is Needs Assessments?

+ Needs Assessment is a systematic and ongoing process of

gathering information about students’ needs and preferences,
interpreting the information, and then making course decisions
based on the interpretation in order to meet the needs.
The role of Needs Assessment in the
development of the course
+ It is based on the belief that learning is not a matter of learners absorbing pre-
selected knowledge
+ It is a process in which learners can participate in
+ It assumes that needs are multi-faceted and changeable
+ It is an ongoing process where learners reflect on their learning, to identify their
needs, and to gain a sense of control of their learning.
The role of Needs Assessment in the
development of the course
+ The teacher is not the only person who has views about the
needs of the students or the roles and power in the classroom
+ The students also have expectations and a role in expressing
their needs and interests
+ The institution, the stakeholders, parents, funders can also play a
role
The process of Needs Assessment
The process of Needs Assessment
What is the purpose of Needs
Assessment?
+ To help us gain information we need about our students’ needs
+ Needs Assessment and language assessment overlap when Needs Assessment is
concerned with assessment of language ability
+ As in assessing proficiency at the start of a course
+ Or when diagnosing language needs as part of ongoing Needs Assessment
+ Needs Assessment also overlap with course evaluation when it gathers
information about how the way the course has been designed and is being
conducted (does it meet the students needs?)
What areas of learning does Needs
Assessment address?
+ First step, decide what information to gather:
+ When designing a course, we assume that there is a gap to be bridged between a
current state and a desired one
+ The purpose of the course is to bridge the gap or some part of it
+ So, it is important to gather info about the current state (where learners stand in
terms of language ability, learning preferences) and the desired one (where they
would like to be or what they want to achieve).
What areas of learning does Needs
Assessment address?
Types of information that can be
gathered when assessing needs
Types of information that can be gathered when assessing needs
Types of information that can be gathered when assessing needs
Types of information that can be gathered when assessing needs
Types of information that can be
gathered when assessing needs

+ The areas outlined above yield objective information about the

students and subjective information
+ Objective info: includes facts about who the learners are, their
language ability, and what they need the language for.
+ Subjective info: includes attitudes and expectations the learners
have with respect to what and how they will learn.
Some factors that can guide your
choices:
+ Gather relevant info
+ Gather info that you will actually use
+ Assess them based on your beliefs
+ Use info that you already know about the students
Denise Lawson’s Needs Assessment
plan
When should one do Needs
Assessment?
+ Pre-course
+ Initial
+ Ongoing
Needs Assessment activities that can
be used
+ Questionnaire
+ Interviews
+ Writing activities
+ Group discussions
+ Feedback sessions