Needs Analysis: Idaho State

University, Graduate School

Amanda Eakins
ST. Thomas University
EDT 610
Objective

1
In this presentation, learners will be able:
• Understand the purpose of a needs analysis.
• Recall the four questions that needs to be answered in
a needs analysis.
• Apply general principles of the needs analysis to a
specific problem within an organization.
The Organization:
Idaho State University
Idaho State University is a public research-based institution that
advances scholarly and creative endeavors through academic
instruction, and the creation of new knowledge, research, and
artistic works. Idaho State University provides leadership in the
health professions, biomedical, and pharmaceutical sciences, as
well as serving the region and the nation through its
environmental science and energy programs. The University
provides access to its regional and rural communities through
delivery of preeminent technical, undergraduate, graduate,
professional, and interdisciplinary education. The University
fosters a culture of diversity, and engages and impacts its
communities through partnerships and services. -Idaho State
University (2016).
 Students are not reaching the
information that they need in a
timely manner due to the volume
of interactions in the graduate
schools’ lobby.
As a result, the graduate school
community remains dissatisfied
with the level of service that
they are receiving from the
graduate school staff.

One of the ways that we aimed

Brief Review to addressing this issue in the

past is by create an online new
graduate student segment in the
The purpose of this module
would be to allow students to
search for streamlined

of the Issue
university’s Learning
Management System (LMS)
(Spector, Merrill, Elen, & Bishop,
2014).
information in an area
specifically for graduate
students.

The platform would also allow

The onboarding of graduate and
professional students at Idaho
State University, Graduate
School will be assessed to
determine their needs analysis:
for students to interact with
their peers during this process
thus enhancing the board
processing for new and transfer
graduate and professional
students.
What is a Needs
Analysis

According to Brown and Green (2016), a

needs analysis is used to collect
information that paints a picture of the
problems within a given area. In a needs
analysis, there a four questions that the
instructional designer should aim to
answer: (1) what is the change being
requested, (2) who is requesting the
change, (3) where will the change need to
take place, and (4) is instruction the most
appropriate means for bringing about the
desired change (Brown & Green, 2016).
(1) What is the change being
requested?

The change that is being

requested is to provide
graduate students with an
avenue to easily identify
information.
(2) Who is requesting the
change?

The request is being made by

returning graduate students
that are seeking for more
opportunities to connect and
from faculty that would like
their students to be served in
a timelier manner.
(3) Where will the change
need to take place?

The change will take

place on the university’s
LMS.
(4) Is instruction the most
appropriate means for bringing
about the desired change?

Because a majority of
graduate students are
complaining about not
knowing of services offered at
the university, having a
platform that teaches
students how to find
resources is important for
their overall success during
their graduate studies.
 Summary

Idaho State University is a Using the 4 questions

The change that is being
public research-based within the needs
institution requested is to provide
analysis the following graduate students with an
was determined: avenue to easily identify
information.

The request is being made by

returning graduate students
Instruction is the most that are seeking for more
The change will take place on
appropriate method for opportunities to connect and
the university’s LMS.
bringing about this change. from faculty that would like
their students to be served in
a timelier manner.
References

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.
Spector, J. M., Merrill, M. D., Elen, J., & Bishop, M. J. (Eds.). (2014).
Handbook of research for educational communications and technology (4th
ed.). London: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
Thank You