Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 1

Report of the Learning Needs Assessment

By Carol Koo

Part 1. Background
Problem

This is a project to develop a 30-minute online lesson that provides tips for interacting with
students in university courses as part of a year-long orientation program for new non-tenured
faculty. This project was requested by the Director of the Centre for Faculty Development. The
purpose of this program is to help new non-tenured faculty transition into university teaching to
reduce the high-turnover rates in these positions due to not feeling prepared for the job.

How the problem was researched

This report addresses the needs of the project. They were examined though peer-reviewed
articles from the PsychInfo database that looked at the importance of teacher-student
interactions. Other sources include university blogs that provide advice for interacting with
students, and past courses done by Concordia’s Centre for Learning and Teaching in order to get
a sense of the kind of courses they have developed for faculty development and how they have
developed them.

The following sections address the results of the needs assessment in Part 2, followed by the
requirements in Part 3.

Part 2. Results
Part 2 describes the results of the assessment and the need for the program. It begins with a
restatement of the sponsor’s request, a statement of the business need underlying the request, a
description of the performance problem, a description of the learners, a list of constraints in the
learning environment, as well as the constraints on the project.

The Request
In response to the high-turnover rate of new non-tenured faculty due to not feeling prepared for
the job, “…the Director of the Centre [for Faculty Development] has decided to develop a
special year-long orientation program. The heart of it is a series of brief, 30-minute online
lessons that faculty take throughout the year.” In particular, this program will provide a 30-
minute online lesson on tips for interacting with learners in university courses. While some of the
new faculty have a background in teaching in continuing education and in corporate training,
most of them do not have experience with university teaching so they could benefit from the
series of online lessons within the orientation program.
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 2

The Business Need

The business need underlying the request is to help contain expenses as this training program
will help contain the costs of having to re-hire new faculty by reducing the turnover rate of non-
tenured track faculty. By providing new faculty with better training, the new faculty is likely to
retain their permanent teaching positions.

Performance Problem

The Ideal Performance

Professor Sullivan is a professor in the Department of Education at LaFortune University who is
currently teaching 2 sections for Child Development 1 section for Educational Psychology.
Although he is aware that it will be difficult for him to memorize the names of all of the students
in his section, he asks the students to fill out information form in order to get to know them a
little better. He also has the students write down their names on a sheet of paper that they will
have to bring to class so that he may address them by name when they raise a question.
During the first day of class, as Professor Sullivan is going over the course syllabus, he begins by
referring the students to his contact information, which includes his email address, his office
phone number, as well as his office hours and availabilities. He clarifies furthermore that the best
way to reach him is by email, but that students should expect a response from him within two
business days. If he does not respond by then, he asks the students to re-send him the email.
Since he has hired Teaching Assistants (TAs) to assist him in his teaching responsibilities, he has
also provided the TAs’ contact information so that the students may reach them should he not be
able to respond to their inquiries in a timely manner.
After clarifying the methods for communicating with him, he then informs the students of what
to expect from his course, the required readings and deadlines for assignments, and the amount
of time they should spend on his courses. Most importantly, Professor Sullivan emphasizes the
importance of completing the assigned work as opposed to aiming for the highest grade.

The Current Performance

Professor Sullivan is a professor in the Department of Education at LaFortune University who is
currently teaching 2 sections for Child Development and 1 section for Educational Psychology.
Because he has to manage 3 sections, he knows that it is almost impossible to memorize the
names and faces of every student he is teaching. He has recently hired Teaching Assistants (TAs)
for his Child Development and Educational Psychology courses to help him handle some of the
responsibilities of responding to his students’ questions and emails.
On the first day of class, Professor Sullivan has made it clear to all of his students in his courses
that they should contact the TA first if they have any questions regarding the course content and
assignments, but that every information should be on the syllabus as it should be their “first point
of reference”. Although he does provide his email address as a way of reaching him, he often
forwards the emails that the students send to him to the TA instead so that the TA can reply in
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 3

his place. When he does take the time to answer his students’ emails, he usually does so many
days after receiving the email. Aside from providing the TA’s email address and his own email
address, there is no other way for the students to reach him aside from class, so the students do
not bother to email him again for any questions.
Furthermore, even as the students approach him for questions about the course content, he often
gives short responses and asks that they refer to the course syllabus again for more information
or to ask the TA for clarification.
Tasks in Ideal Performance
❖ End Result: To provide new faculty with tips for interacting effectively with students in
university courses.
❖ Main Task 1: Describe the importance of developing positive interactions with your
students.
➢ Define interaction.
➢ Describe the characteristics of positive interactions with students.
• Determine the factors that contribute to positive interactions.
• Describe the advantages of developing positive interactions with students.
➢ Describe the characteristics of negative interactions with students.
• Determine the factors that contribute to negative interactions with students.
• Describe the disadvantages of developing negative interactions with students.
➢ Describe the overall impacts of interacting with students.

❖ Main Task 2: List strategies for identifying your students.

➢ If possible, before the first class, examine the list of students in your class in your class
roster.
➢ Begin with an ice-breaker activity to ease the awkwardness of the first class
(Anonymous, n.d.).
➢ Have students fill out an information sheet to get an idea of their background (major and
year of study), previous knowledge, and skills.
➢ Explain the importance of identifying your students.

❖ Main Task 3: Determine the expectations from your students for the course.
➢ Define expectations.
➢ Distinguish between high and low expectations.
• Define low expectations.
• Describe the effects of setting low expectations.
• Define high expectations.
• Describe the effects of setting high expectations.
➢ Define realistic expectations
• Define realistic expectations.
• Explain the importance of setting realistic expectations.
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 4

• Describe the advantages of setting realistic expectations.

➢ Set clear ground rules as to what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.

❖ Main Task 4: Set clear guidelines for communication

➢ Provide as much contact information as possible
• Provide your email address, and/or your office phone number (depending on your
preference).
• If possible, provide your TA’s contact information as well.
• Provide office hours, including office location and hours of availability.
➢ State availabilities.
➢ State preferred medium of communication (e.g. via email, phone call, or office hours).
➢ State how long students should expect a reply from you (e.g. within two business days).
➢ Provide timely response to students’ questions.
➢ Set boundaries in order to maintain professional relationship with your students.
• Define boundaries.
• Describe the characteristics of a professional teacher-student relationship
• Explain the importance of setting these professional boundaries.

❖ Main Task 5: Introduce interactive lecturing in the course

➢ Define the term “interactive lecturing” as a balance between lecturing and active learning
• Define active learning.
• Provide examples of active learning.
• Describe the relationship between active learning and interactive learning.
➢ Describe ways of integrating active learning exercises into interactive lecturing.

❖ Main Task 6: Provide meaningful feedback to students

➢ Define the term “feedback”.
• Differentiate between superficial feedback and meaningful feedback:
o Describe the characteristics of superficial feedback.
o Describe the characteristics of meaningful feedback.
• Provide examples of the different kinds of feedback.
o Provide examples of superficial feedback.
o Provide examples of meaningful feedback.
➢ Describe the importance of providing meaningful feedback.
➢ Provide feedback in a prompt and timely manner.

Tasks in Current Performance

❖ End Result: New faculty provide minimal interaction with students in university courses.

❖ Main Task 1: Provides unclear guidelines for communication on syllabus.

➢ Provides limited contact information (either only email or phone number).
➢ Provides no office hours.
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 5

➢ Provides unclear preferences for medium of communication (email or phone number).

➢ Provides unclear time-frame as to when a student can expect a response.
➢ Provides untimely response to students’ questions outside of class
• Reads students’ emails more than 3 days later after it was sent.
• Responds to emails a week later (or more).
*Note: If not email, a possible variation on this could be phone calls, such as
forgetting to check the voice mail, and forgetting to call to call the student back.

❖ Main Task 2: Assigns the responsibility of answering students’ questions to the

Teaching Assistant (TA).
➢ Instructs students to contact TA directly for any course related questions.
➢ Forwards emails sent to him/her by students to the TA.

Learners

Demographics
• Since the new faculty have experience with teaching in continuing education and in
corporate training, they may have at most a Master’s degree, a Teaching Certificate, or a
PhD. If so, assuming that they started their Master’s degree at around 22-23 years old and
a PhD at around 25-26 years old depending on how long they take to complete their
Master’s, it is possible that they may be between the ages of 26 to 50+.

• According to the description of the course project, some of the new faculty have
experience with teaching as they have taught in continuing education and in corporate
training, but “almost none have prior experience with university teaching”.

• The cultures within the continuing education and corporate training settings may be very
different from the university setting, which may have an influence on how they learn to
interact with university students.

Personas
• Learner who requires extra attention from the instructor:
Michael worked as a corporate trainer for a major soap company. Since it will be his first
time teaching undergraduate students who are younger than the employees he was used to
teaching, he is interested in learning how to interact with them better. As a result, he is
constantly asking for additional resources about the topic to be posted. He also makes
extensive use of the forums to ask his questions regarding the content.

• Learner who average amount of attention from the instructor:

Before accepting his new teaching position at LaFortune College, Fred used to teach
French as a Second Language in continuing education. Perhaps because he was
accustomed to teaching in smaller classes, Fred was able to build a positive relationship
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 6

with his students and as such, he understands the impact that positive interactions can
have his teaching and his students. However, because he has been assigned to a class of
approximately 100 students, he feels that he needs some guidance on how to develop
positive interactions with his students within a large class so he occasionally posts
questions to the discussion forum to ask for specific tips.

• Learner who requires surprisingly little attention from the instructor:

Clara used to teach Business Administration in continuing education before accepting her
new teaching position at LaFortune College. Due to her experience teaching a small class
of students, Clara feels that she had some idea of how to interact with her students but
thinks that she could benefit from learning more about it in depth. She also finds that
these tips could be useful because she can actually apply them in her practice. Clara
makes little use of the forum to ask questions because she thinks that she has a reasonably
clear grasp about the material since she thinks most of it is common sense knowledge and
as such, does not ask many questions.

Constraints in the learning environment

Since this program is offered as a 30-minute online course, new faculty members may be
resistant to the idea of taking an online course as they may prefer a traditional, physical
workshop. They may also be resistant to the idea of taking online lessons outside of their
working hours as they may see it as extra work in addition to their primary responsibilities.
Despite the fact that new faculty members can receive a certificate of completion upon
completing the program, they may not want to take every single course within the program if
they do not find it relevant or if they already have previous knowledge about a certain topic,
which may in turn result in them not completing the program and not receiving the certificate.
Furthermore, another potential reason why new faculty members may not want to complete the
program is because they may not see the need to, especially if they already have licenses or
certification.
Their previous experience with teaching in continuing education setting or in corporate training
may pose a constraint as they may have to adapt their old teaching methods to the new
environment and may even have to unlearn old behaviors (Carliner, 2015, p. 7).

Constraints on the project

Product Constraints:
• Style guide: If possible, use the style guide that the Centre for Faculty Development may
have for developing a course.
• Dictionary: If possible, determine whether the Centre for Faculty Development has a
dictionary that they use, and if so, use their dictionary.
• “Extensions:” Not specified
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 7

• Design guidelines: It is the Centre for Faculty Development’s first time developing online
courses for faculty development, perhaps it could follow the same design guidelines that
were used to develop the courses for Concordia’s Centre for Teaching and Learning.
• Technical guidelines: Not specified
• Templates: Not specified, but the Centre for Faculty may have a template that they us to
design courses. You may have to ask the ombudsperson.

Project Constraints:
• Must-meet deadline: December 5th
• Not-to-exceed budget: 0$
• Must-include staff: Faculty development specialist, others TBD.
• Corporate culture and project history (do not share with sponsor): N/A.

Part 3. Requirements
Part 3 describes the requirements that the program must meet, namely the business objectives
and the learning objectives, which are then followed by the instruments used to evaluate the
program.

Business Objective
The business objective is to help contain expenses as this training program will help contain the
costs of having to re-hire new faculty by reducing the turnover rate of non-tenured track faculty.
By providing new faculty with better training, the new faculty is likely to retain their permanent
teaching positions.

Learning Objectives
* Note: If no conditions and level of acceptable performance are stated, it is assumed that the
learners must complete the learning objectives without assistance at 100% level of accuracy.
❖ Main Objective 1: Describe the importance of developing positive interactions with
your students.
➢ Define interaction.
➢ Describe the characteristics of positive interactions with students.
• Determine the factors that contribute to positive interactions.
• Describe the advantages of developing positive interactions with students.
➢ Describe the characteristics of negative interactions with students.
• Determine the factors that contribute to negative interactions with students.
• Describe the disadvantages of developing negative interactions with students.
➢ Describe the overall impacts of interacting with students.

❖ Main Objective 2: List strategies for identifying your students.

➢ If possible, before the first class, examine the list of students in your class in your class
roster.
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 8

➢ Begin with an ice-breaker activity to ease the awkwardness of the first class
(Anonymous, n.d.).
➢ Have students fill out an information sheet to get an idea of their background (major and
year of study), previous knowledge, and skills.
➢ Explain the importance of identifying your students.

❖ Main Objective 3: Determine the expectations from your students for the course
➢ Define expectations.
➢ Distinguish between high and low expectations.
• Define low expectations.
• Describe the effects of setting low expectations.
• Define high expectations.
• Describe the effects of setting high expectations.
➢ Define realistic expectations
• Define realistic expectations.
• Explain the importance of setting realistic expectations.
• Describe the advantages of setting realistic expectations.
➢ Set clear ground rules as to what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.

❖ Main Objective 4: Set clear guidelines for communication

➢ Provide as much contact information as possible
• Provide your email address, and/or your office phone number (depending on your
preference).
• If possible, provide your TA’s contact information as well.
• Provide office hours, including office location and hours of availability.
➢ State availabilities.
➢ State preferred medium of communication (e.g. via email, phone call, or office hours).
➢ State how long students should expect a reply from you (e.g. within two business days).
➢ Provide timely response to students’ questions.
➢ Set boundaries in order to maintain professional relationship with your students
• Define boundaries.
• Describe the characteristics of a professional teacher-student relationship
• Explain the importance of setting these professional boundaries.

❖ Main Objective 5: Introduce interactive lecturing in the course

➢ Define the term “interactive lecturing” as a balance between lecturing and active learning
• Define active learning.
• Provide examples of active learning.
• Describe the relationship between active learning and interactive learning.
➢ Describe ways of integrating active learning exercises into interactive lecturing.
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 9

❖ Main Objective 6: Provide meaningful feedback to students

➢ Define the term “feedback”.
• Differentiate between superficial feedback and meaningful feedback:
o Describe the characteristics of superficial feedback.
o Describe the characteristics of meaningful feedback.
• Provide examples of the different kinds of feedback.
o Provide examples of superficial feedback.
o Provide examples of meaningful feedback.
➢ Describe the importance of providing meaningful feedback.
➢ Provide feedback in a prompt and timely manner.

Evaluation

Level 1 Evaluation

*Note: This was adapted from Figure 4-5. Annotated Level 1 Evaluation in Carliner’s Training
Design Basics (2015), p. 72.

Your Opinions, Please:

1. In a word, how would you describe this program? _____________

2. Using a number, how would you describe this program?

1 2 3 4 5
Abysmal Average Outstanding

3. How effectively could you develop positive interactions with your students before taking
this program?
1 2 3 4 5
Not at all Some A lot
How about after taking this program?
1 2 3 4 5
Not at all Some A lot
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 10

4. How likely are you to use some or all of the skills taught in this program in your work?
1 2 3 4 5
Not at all Some A lot

5. The best part of this program was:

6. The one thing that could improve this program most is:

Level 2 Evaluation

Main Objective 1: Describe the importance of developing positive interactions with

students.
Question #1: Why is it important to develop positive interactions with students? Select the best
possible answer from the following:
a) So that the students will remember who you are.
Incorrect. Developing positive interactions with students should be mutually beneficial to
both the students and the teacher. While it may be good that a student remembers you
based on the way you interacted with them, this is not the primary reason why you should
aim to develop positive relationships.
b) Because teachers and students can mutually benefit from positive interactions.
Correct: Teachers and students can mutually benefit from interactions, especially from
frequent interactions, because students can benefit from higher levels of engagement and
satisfaction, whereas teachers can benefit from learning more about student experiences
in order to improve their teaching practices (Richardson & Radloff, 2014).

Main Objective 2: List strategies for identifying your students.

Question #2: Today is your very first day of teaching at LaFortune College, where you have
been assigned to a section of 40 students. As you walk into the classroom, you notice that 40
students is actually quite a lot and while you want to get to know them a little bit, you are not
sure how to proceed. How would you go about identifying your students? Select the best possible
strategy from the following:
a) Have the students introduce themselves one by one.
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 11

Incorrect: Having the students introduce themselves one by one would be difficult to do
especially in a large class with 40 students. Doing so would also take time away from the
class to discuss more important matters in the syllabus such as the course expectations,
the guidelines for communication, and the assignment.
b) Have them write their names on a sheet of paper that they will have to bring to class
everyday.
Incorrect: Although it would be a good idea to have the students write down their names
on a sheet of paper so that you can familiarize yourself with their names and faces, it
would also be difficult to do in a large class of 40 students.
c) Have them fill out a short information sheet asking them for their major, their year of
study, and reasons for taking the course, during the first 10 minutes of class or so.
Correct: By having them fill out an information sheet during the first 10 minute of class,
you can get a sense of not only their names, but some of their academic background as
well, which can help you assess their prior knowledge to some extent.

Main Objective 3: Determine the expectations from your students for the course.
Question #3: Which of the following statements effectively communicates expectations for the
course? Select one of the following statements:
a) “As long as you do the readings and come to class, you will do fine for the course”.
Incorrect: While this statement provides students with an idea of what they have do in
order to pass the course, it only seems to encourage students to do the bare minimum in
order to pass the course and does not provide any additional expectations aside from
doing the readings and attending class.
b) “In order to understand the material that we will be covering in class, I expect you to
come to class having completed the readings assigned for that week because I may be
organizing group activities and discussions.”
Correct: This statement provides a clearer idea of what students should expect from the
course because it is specific: it communicates the idea that in order to understand the
course material and be able to participate in group activities and discussions, the students
are expected to complete the assigned readings.

Main Objective 4: Set clear guidelines for communication

Question #4: Select either True or False. Professor Sullivan has provided his students with a
course syllabus and listed his email address, his office hours, as well as his TA’s contact
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 12

information. The contact information alone should provide enough to clear guidelines for
communicating with Professor Sullivan.
a) True. Incorrect: Although Professor Sullivan seems to have provided many ways for the
students to contact him outside of class by providing his email address, his phone
number, and his office hours, as well as the TA’s contact information, he did not specify
his preferred medium of communication or which way is the fastest to reach him. He also
did not specify how long the students should expect a response from him should they
email him or telephone him.
b) False. Correct: Professor Sullivan should also clarify what the best way to reach him is
(either by email or phone) and when the students should expect a response from him
should they email or telephone him (Strang, 2015.)

Main Objective 5: Introduce interactive lecturing in the course

Question #5: Select either True or False. Interactive lecturing consists primarily of the professor
delivering a lecture while asking students a few questions about the course material as a way of
engaging them with the material.

a) True. Incorrect: While asking your students questions is one of engaging them with the
material and ensuring that they are paying attention and listening to you (Major, n.d.),
there are other active learning strategies that you can use to keep them engaged.

b) False. Correct: Aside from just asking your students a few questions about the course
material, you can also include other active learning activities such as planning large
group discussions with a set of questions to help facilitate the process, or giving the
students ungraded quizzes so that they may assess whether they have understood the
material (“Active learning”, n.d.; “How can”, n.d.)

Main Objective 6: Provide meaningful feedback to students

Question #6: While correcting your students’ papers, you notice that one of them is quite well
written as the student had brought up many interesting points and but had forgotten to address
certain points in the assignment. What kind of meaningful feedback would you provide to the
student? Select the best possible answer from the following:
a) “Your work has failed to address certain points in the assignment. Please be sure to read
the instructions more carefully for the next assignment. “
Incorrect. Although you have specifically told the student what he/she had failed to
address, you did not specify exactly what the student had forgotten to address, which may
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 13

confuse the student as he/she may not understand what he/she did wrong or forgot to
address.
b) “You brought up some interesting points in your paper, but you had forgotten to address
“question a” and “question b”. You also could have elaborated more on “point c” by
explaining how you came to that conclusion and perhaps provide examples to illustrate
your point. In overall, you did a good job!”
Correct. Not only did you bring up some of the positive aspects of the paper, you also
made sure to tell the student what exactly he/she had forgotten to address so that he/she
can know where to improve (Killian, n.d.; Strang, 2015).

References
Active learning: Teaching guide. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bu.edu/ctl/guides/active-
learning/
Carliner, S. (2015). Training design basics (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ATD Press.
Chickering, A.W., & Gamson, Z. F. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate
education. AAHEA Bulletin, 39(7), 3-7. Retrieved from
https://www.aahea.org/articles/sevenprinciples1987.htm
Encouraged student-faculty interaction outside of class. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.ideaedu.org/Resources-Events/Teaching-Learning-Resources/Encouraged-
student-faculty-interaction-outside-of-class#133358-classroom-application
How can you incorporate active learning into your classroom? (n.d.). Retrieved from
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Interacting with students during your first class (n.d.). Retrieved from
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Major, C.H. (n.d.). Engaging students through interactive lecturing. Retrieved from
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Managing expectations when training: Communicating expectations to students. (2013).
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training-communicating-expectations-to-students/
Carol Koo Report of the Learning Needs Assessment 14

Motivating students. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://citl.illinois.edu/citl-101/teaching-

learning/resources/classroom-environment/motivating-students
Richardson, S., & Radloff, A. (2014). Allies in learning: critical insights into the importance of
staff–student interactions in university education. Teaching in Higher Education, 19(6),
603-615. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2014.901960
Rimm-Kaufman, S. (n.d.). Improving students’ relationship with teachers to provide essential
supports for learning. Retrieved from
https://www.apa.org/education/k12/relationships.aspx
Staff-student interaction. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/engagement/enhancing-
practice/facets/facets-of-learner-engagement-staff-student-
interaction/?doing_wp_cron=1540275330.0171411037445068359375
Strang, T. (2014). Make the most of your interactions with students. Retrieved from
https://blog.cengage.com/successful-interactions-with-students/
Strang, T. (2015). Six tips for successful communication with college students. Retrieved from
https://blog.cengage.com/six-tips-for-successful-communication-with-college-students/
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first-time/
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