eJournal 3 Analyzing Learners

This week’s journal entry will focus on analyzing learner characteristics. My instructional design project will cover a 2 to 3 week period of an online course so my learners will be described by their demographic characteristics and individual differences that may guide my selection of teaching methods and strategies, along with their beliefs and attitudes that may have an impact on their learning, motivation, and transfer, (Ch. 2, Richey, Klein & Tracey textbook).

Learner Analysis:

1.    Educational and ability levels / Reading level

2.    Previous experience / prior knowledge of topic

3.    Academic motivation level (ARCS)

4.    Attitudes towards school/work/organization

5.    Attitudes towards content and potential delivery system-- expectations

6.    Previous performance level

7.    Entry behaviors

8.    Group characteristics

Site utilized…http://www.nadasisland.com/isd/index.blog?topic_id=1112761

My Questionnaire for the above Analysis:

1. What are the achievements and general ability levels of the learners?

2.  What must learners already know about the topic?

3. How motivated are learners to learn the topic, and how much is it likely to interest them?

·        How relevant is the instructional goal to you?

·        What aspects of the goal interest you most?

·        How confident are you that you could successfully perform the goal?

·        How satisfying would it be to you to be able to perform the goal?

4.  How do the learners feel about the organization providing the training? 

5. What are the learners' impressions and attitudes about a topic and how it might be delivered? 

6. (See question 2)

7. What should learners already know how to do in order to be successful with the new instruction? 

8. What are the different ages and maturity levels?

• ·         self-concept (adults are self-directing and children are more dependent on adults to indicate what is important),
• ·         experience (adults have a richer source of previous experience),
• ·         readiness to learn (adults are more developmentally ready because their learning needs relate to fulfilling their social roles), and
• ·         orientation to learning (adults typically wish to use the information immediately while children are oriented toward learning for future needs) (Knowles, 1970, p.39).

Site utilized…http://www.itma.vt.edu/modules/spring11/efund/lesson3/learneranalysis.pdf

            The demographic factors that would be covered in this course would be age ranges from 19 to 60 years of age. Their enrollment status would be part-time to full-time. The working status of these students would range from 0 to >/=40 hours weekly. Their grade point average would be in the range of 2.1 to 4.0. The # of their past degrees would be 0 to 4 degrees. The time since they were last enrolled in an Higher Ed course would be last semester to 4 or more years ago.

Site utilized… http://academic.emporia.edu/esrs/vol46/colorado.pdf