Needs Assessment Should a doctorate in Instructional Technology be established at Georgia Southern University? A.

Background, Purpose, and Scope Background: Georgia Southern currently offers a masters degree program in Instructional Technology and, if they plan to encourage those who complete the masters program to further their education, it is only logical that they offer a doctorate program to do so. Georgia Southern University currently does not offer a doctorate in Instructional Technology and there are several different reasons for assessing the need for the program. In order to remain competitive with other institutions, some of whom are offering a doctorate in Instructional Technology, and with the ever-changing world of technology, it is necessary for Georgia Southern to assess the feasibility, affordability, and interest in offering a degree in Instructional Technology. Georgia State University is the only Georgia based university to offer a PhD in Instructional Technology. The University Georgia offers a doctoral program in Learning, Teaching and Design, which is a similar program, but not the same. This would be an opportunity for Georgia Southern University to be a leader in the Instructional Technology field. Also, there are more Instructional Technology doctorate programs in the Northern United States than the Southern United States, so this would also be an opportunity for Georgia Southern to be a pioneer for Southern Universities. Purpose and Scope The results of the assessment would be used by the school to determine if there are enough students who desire the degree for it to be lucrative. If the school finds that there will be a loss of money due to overhead then it is clear that the resources for the need might not be present. However, in performing the needs assessment, possible solutions for the loss of money might be brought about. However, if the school finds that the demand is there and it will be lucrative, a new program for Georgia Southern University may be born. The needs assessment will investigate the need, interest, and sustainability of a doctoral program in Instructional Technology at Georgia Southern University. Needs Assessment Committee The Needs Assessment Committee will be comprised of professors in the Instructional Technology department at Georgia Southern University and Georgia State University, and department heads from other departments with doctoral programs at Georgia Southern University.

B. Focus: The Level 1 target group is students interested in obtaining a doctorate degree in Instructional Technology.The need being assessed is the need for a doctoral program in Instructional Technology at Georgia Southern, which affects the students interested in obtaining that particular degree. The Level 2 needs are those of the University, which would provide the service of the doctoral program to students at Georgia Southern. The University needs to be knowledgeable about the fiscal responsibilities in adding an Instructional Technology doctoral program and the resources necessary to implement such a program. The Level 3 needs are the resources needed to implement the program, such as instructional tools, programs, software, and textbooks. C. Data Sources and Methods Data Students desire for a doctoral program in Instructional Technology Students perception of the quality/quantity of current doctoral programs at Georgia Southern University Number of universities offering doctoral programs in Instructional Technology Number of students attending similar programs at other universities Source Students Method Questionnaires

Students

Focus Groups

University records

Archival records

University records

Archival records

Curriculum map of required Technology standards topics Students likelihood of enrolling in a program if it were to be created Fiscal responsibilities for startup/implementing a similar doctoral program Students

Technology standards Focus Groups

University records

Archival records

D. Target Dates and Timelines:

Task Collection of data from Georgia Southern Universitys records Collection of data from other universities with similar programs Conduct Questionnaires and Focus Groups

Target date for completion October 14 October 25 November 1

Review of materials from Georgia Southern University and November 15 similar university programs Review of questionnaires and focus groups Completion of research and review of research Completion of report Report submitted December 4 December 10 December 20 December 22

E. Resources and Budget: Time for the Needs Assessment Committee to gather and review research. Time to conduct questionnaires and focus groups. Time to contact and collect information from other universities. Access to technology standards. Personal computers Paper Pens & pencils Online assessment tools for survey results F. Users of the Results and Methods: The professors in the Instructional Technology department and department chairs would utilize this report in conjunction with university administrators to determine if there is a need for a doctoral program in Instructional Technology at Georgia Southern University. The College of Education would present this to board members for their information to in hopes approve a doctoral program in Instructional Technology. G. Evaluation Plan: During the assessment, formative evaluation will involve evaluating the validity of questionnaires and focus groups. Formative evaluation will also be conducted to insure that the target dates and timelines are being met as well as possible. It will be

necessary to evaluate if the Needs Assessment Committee is working efficiently and effectively to assess whether or not Georgia Southern University needs to create a doctoral program in Instructional Technology. The Needs Assessment Committee will have to monitor the frequency and content of communications between the needs assessor and decision-makers. The Needs Assessment Committee will also have to assess the content in their final report of findings, prior to presentation, in order to determine whether the report clearly states the outcome. Data will be reviewed for accuracy. The report will clearly indicate the level of need and the feasibility to meet the needs of all stakeholders, while emphasizing the data collection types, sources, and methods to indicate the accuracy of results, and if the needs of Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 stakeholders are met. H. Contingency Clause: Data collection methods and sources may be modified, when necessary, based on availability and analysis of initial data. Questions presented to students on questionnaires and focus groups may be modified based on initial findings if questions do not reveal the desired information or if the questions are determined to be invalid or unreliable. I. Approval: See attached memorandum.

Memorandum of Agreement Prepared by Melissa McLendon, Rebecca Nevetral, and Richey Vickers Georgia Southern University A needs assessment will be conducted at Georgia Southern University to determine the need for a doctoral program in Instructional Technology. The department chair of the Instructional Technology department will serve as the needs assessor for the assessment. Obligations of the needs assessor include: stating the purpose and scope of the study, determining the needs of Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, collecting data, formative evaluation of the assessment, and finalization of the report. The Needs Assessment Committee will be comprised of professors in the Instructional Technology department at Georgia Southern University and Georgia State University,

and department heads from other departments with doctoral programs at Georgia Southern University. The obligations of the Needs Assessment Committee include: determining requirements of implementing a new doctoral program, determining the feasibility and financial value of a doctoral program in Instructional Technology, determining the desire for a doctoral program in Instructional Technology at Georgia Southern University, and review of technology standards. This memorandum commits all involved parties to support the research, findings, and evaluation of the needs assessment and to the use of its findings. Initial approval was granted October 1st. Phase 1 review will be presented to the Needs Assessment Committee on October 13th for approval.