Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-vpsfw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-18T23:25:12.715Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

4 - Learner analysis

from Planning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2018

Get access

Summary

A Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is a strategic tool usually mapped to organizational (or curriculum) needs, whereas a learner analysis is focused on the learners who will actually be attending your teaching sessions. A TNA may strongly influence the ‘what’ of your teaching, but the learner analysis will influence the ‘how’. (In some contexts your sessions can be purely learner-driven in which case the needs of the learners are paramount.)

A common model for instructional design – the ADDIE model – begins with Analysis, thus emphasizing its importance in underpinning teaching and training:

  • • Analysis

  • • Design

  • • Development

  • • Implementation

  • • Evaluation.

  • This model is useful to remember when beginning to plan teaching, as the Analysis stage is often forgotten – this involves reflection on the ‘variables’ discussed in a framework for designing and delivering teaching and learning. The model ends with Evaluation and it is important to acknowledge that these two stages often involve the same processes, with Evaluation usually feeding into the Analysis for future teaching.

    There are many factors to consider in the Analysis and Design stages – it is a good idea to use a planning form to help remember everything (see Lesson planning for an example).

    Questions to ask about your learners:

  • • What knowledge will they already have? Match this to the prerequisites of your session. You may need to suggest pre-course reading or attendance on another session as a prerequisite. (See Mixed abilities.)

  • • What fears might they have? This enables you to plan how to address these fears – it may be that you need to provide reassurance that the session won't be too ‘techy’ or that it won't be a waste of their time.

  • • What do they want to know? What is important to them? While you may have set learning outcomes to achieve, it is helpful to try and make this as relevant as you can to your learners by linking to something they may want or need to find out about.

  • • What is their motivation? What might their approach to learning be? Deep, surface or strategic? (See Motivation.)

  • • What are their learning styles? Every learner is different and may prefer to learn in different ways. You should consider this when designing activities and materials in order to maximize the opportunities for learning. (See Learning styles.)

  • Type
    Chapter
    Information
    A Guide to Teaching Information Literacy
    101 Practical Tips
    , pp. 13 - 15
    Publisher: Facet
    Print publication year: 2011

    Access options

    Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

    Save book to Kindle

    To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

    Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

    Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

    Available formats
    ×

    Save book to Dropbox

    To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

    Available formats
    ×

    Save book to Google Drive

    To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

    Available formats
    ×