StanfordassignVB

Technical Needs Assessment

By John Stanford

Purpose and goals of the needs assessment:

To determine the level of staff development training and resources to be allocated to the department faculty, staff and students

in order to achieve the proper learning objectives in keeping with technical, ethical, and security standards and requirements .

I used the technical needs assessment survey provided by Edmin Open Systems. This was necessary to assess technology

needs in our unit. Six faculty of the Western Michigan University Physician Assistant Department were surveyed and

Areas Addressed are:

Baseline/existing information:

§ What technologies have you used?

§ In what areas do you use computer technology for your job?

§ Do you use computer aided instruction in your classes?

Matching Technology to Curriculum Content:

§ If the following technologies were available, how would you rate the potential of certain technologies to impact instruction or to

§ support instruction?

Professional Staff Development:

§ Identify the quality and quantity of technology training you feel you have and training you feel you still need

Objectives:

· Perform needs assessment using survey's, interviews, administrative and student records etc.

· Summarized data and identify a baseline.

· Provide assessment summary to professional development team.

· Provide Staff/faculty training as well as professional developer training.

· Match technology with curricular content.

· Encourage parent/community involvement through enhanced communication delivery systems, (workshops, resource centers etc.)

· Compile functional specifications

Survey Results:

Baseline:

Existing technologies currently used by faculty:

Matching Technology with Curricular Content:

Technologies faculty felt that would be important to impact or support their instruction:

Professional Faculty/Staff Development:

Training faculty felt they needed in various areas.

General Outcomes:

q Training Programs

It is apparent from the last graph above that the faculty feel under-trained in many areas. The blue and red bars show the areas

of most need Many training programs exist on campus to train faculty, staff and students in the usage of various hardware and

software and range from electronic multimedia to word-processing and spreadsheet, to statistical analysis. Below is a list of

sites that have classes and or services in these areas:

· Office of Informational Technology

· Technical Computing Services

· University Computing Services

· Media Services

· Faculty Resource Center

· Technology Lab

· Center for Teaching and Learning

· Department Technical Coordinator

· Outside Training Facilities Such as Rayle Office Machines or other Seminars

q Functional Specifications Document

The department faculty, program director and technology specialist will meet to review the needs assessment summary and prioritized

software, hardware and staff training needs to determine in detail, exactly what equipment and software upgrades are needed as

well as defining necessary professional development and curriculum technology integrations.

Technology Needs Assessment Survey

YOUR TECHNOLOGY BACKGROUND

Have you used the following technologies?

A = yes, frequently B = yes, rarely C = no D = don’t know A B C D E

1. IBM-Compatible Computer Windows 3.11, Windows ’95, Windows NT

2. Apple Macintosh Computer Performa, PowerMac, LC, Quadra,

3. Other Computer DOS, Apple //e, UNIX, etc.

4.VCR Recorder, player

5. Laserdisc Player or DVD Player

6. Video Editing Equipment/Camcorder

7. Digital Camera

8. LCD Panel or Computer Projector

9. Internet Web Browser/Online Service Navigator, Internet Explorer, AOL, Prodigy, etc.

10. Fax Machine

11. Modem

12. CD-ROM

13. Scanner

14. Networks (File/Print Sharing)

STAFF CENTERED TECHNOLOGY

Have you used computer technology for the following for your job?

A = yes, frequently B = yes, rarely C = no D = don’t know A B C D E

15. Student Management Grading/attendance/assessment programs

16. Student Information Student records, discipline, health systems

17. School Management Budget, personnel, scheduling/calendar, etc.

18. Word Processing Word, Word Perfect, ClarisWorks, Simpletext

19. Spreadsheets or Databases Excel, Filemaker Pro

20. Desktop Publishing Pagemaker, QuarkXpress, Print Shop Deluxe

21. Authoring or Multimedia Hyperstudio, Director

22. Instructional Demonstration/Tutorial Powerpoint, Persuasion

23. Information Retrieval Infotrac, SIRS, Library Circulation, etc.

24. Audio/Video Capture or Digitizing Premiere, Videoshop

25. Art/Graphic Development Photoshop, Painter, Illustrator, Canvas

26. Computerized Testing Microtest

27. Internet or Online Service Access Navigator, Internet Explorer, AOL, Compuserve

28. Web Page Development FrontPage, HomePage, Pagemill, BB Edit

29. E-mail Eudora, Outlook, Exchange, Emailer

STUDENT-CENTERED TECHNOLOGY

In your classes, do students use the following computer-aided instruction (CAI)?

A = yes, frequently B = yes, rarely C = no D = don’t know E = not applicable A B C D E

30. CAI: drill and practice/tutorial

31. CAI: simulation/educational games Sim City, Sim Life, Civilization

32. Word Processing Word, Word Perfect, ClarisWorks, Simpletext

33. Information Retrieval SIRS, Periodic Index, Encarta, Library Circulation

34. Problem Solving Math Blaster, Oregon Trail

35. Database/Spreadsheet use Excel, Filemaker Pro

36. Internet Access Telecommunications, research, current events

37. Student Portfolio Building

38. Authoring/Multimedia Development Hyperstudio, Director

39. Desktop Publishing Yearbook, journalism, newspaper

40. Electronic Presentations Powerpoint, Persuasion

41. Video Development

42. Open Lab Access

43. Web Page Development

If the following technologies were available, how would you rate the potential of each to impact

instruction or to support instruction?

A = high B = somewhat high C = somewhat low D = low E = don’t know A B C D E

44. Individual Computer

45. Network File Server

46. Modem/Bulletin Board/Telecommunications

47. Teleconferencing/Interactive Video

48. Educational TV-ITV/Videotapes

49. Internet Access

50. Laserdisc/DVD Player

51. Multimedia System/CD-ROM

52. Electronic Library Access

53. LCD Panel/Computer Projector

54. Electronic Chalkboard

55. Voice Activation/Touch Screen Input Systems

56. Video Camcorder

57. Expert Systems for Diagnostics

58. School/District E-mail

59. Fax Machines

60. High Quality Printing (color/laser)

61. Video Capture/Editing Equipment

62. Web Server/Home Page Development Software

63. CD-ROM Production

64. Desktop Publishing Resources

65. Scanners

66. Digital Cameras

STAFF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

Identify the quantity of training you have received in each of the following areas.

A = extensive B = lots C = some D = minimal E = none A B C D E

67. Advanced Input/Output Devices Scanner, digital camera, thermal printer

68. Telecommunications Modem, e-mail, bulletin boards, internet access

69. TV/Audio/Video Educational TV, Laserdisc, VCR, Camcorder, etc.

70. Word Processing

71. Database/Spreadsheet

72. Authoring/Multimedia Development

73. Portfolio Development

74. Networking/Network Management

75. School Management Budgets, scheduling, personnel

76. Student Management Grading, attendance, student records

77. Desktop Publishing

78. Interactive Video

79. Curriculum Specific Applications

80. Basic Operating System Techniques Mac OS, DOS, Windows 3.11, Win ’95, Win NT

81. CD-ROM/Multimedia Applications

82. Electronic Research Online, CD-ROM based, databases

83. HTML/Web Page Development

Identify the quantity of training you feel you need in each of the following areas.

A = extensive B = lots C = some D = minimal E = none A B C D E

84. Advanced Input/Output Devices Scanner, digital camera, thermal printer

85. Telecommunications Modem, e-mail, bulletin boards, internet access

86. TV/Audio/Video Educational TV, Laserdisc, VCR, Camcorder, etc.

87. Word Processing

88. Database/Spreadsheet

89. Authoring/Hypermedia Development

90. Portfolio Development

91. Networking/Network Management

92. School Management Budgets, scheduling, personnel

93. Student Management Grading, attendance, student records

94. Desktop Publishing

95. Interactive Video

96. Curriculum Specific Applications

97. Basic Operating System Techniques Mac OS, DOS, Windows 3.11, Win ’95, Win NT

98. CD-ROM/Multimedia Applications

99. Electronic Research Online, CD-ROM based, databases

100. HTML/Web Page Development

References:

Edmin Open Systems http://www.edmin.com

North Central Regional Educatinal Laboratory http://www.ncrel.org/tplan/handbook/

Zoomerang http://www.zoomerang.com/survey/