Analyse what? - Simple ways of finding out what your students want

In my previous post I suggested that you find out what the student needs are before starting any e-learning project. Remember, without a clear picture of what the needs are in your environment, you could be creating a lot of work for yourself designing a fantastic project or intervention that will never be used or appreciated.
There are different ways of determining what you should be focusing on, and I would like to share a few with you:

• Discuss potential issues with colleagues (often, what you identify as a problem is something that a colleague has already addressed and found a solution for)
• Conduct a short 'desktop analysis' of student feedback that has been received over time for your module.
• Send out a survey to students asking what their problem areas are in a module

These are just three ways of finding out where an intervention is needed. For the third idea, sending out a survey, a Google Form is a quick and easy way of collecting data.  Here is a short video clip on how to create and send the survey. I've also included the view that students will get as well as the results you can expect to see. 

Adding ADDIE to your GPS

Today the journey has officially begun for the 2014 tour group on the e-learning MPhil HPE safari. In order for us to be sure to reach our destination, we will have to add the route to our GPS. For this journey, you will need to follow the ADDIE route and to do so, let us go slowly through what that really means. ADDIE is a popular instructional design process whereby you systematically develop your e-learning prototype for this module. In this week, we are doing what all good travellers do, and that is to do an Analysis of your intended surroundings.

In this week, you are required to investigate possible ideas for your prototype, as well as identify who your target market is and what it is that they need.  The analysis includes analysing the job, selecting task functions and selecting the setting. Remember, you cannot expect your e-learning activity or project to be successful if you do not know what need you are fulfilling!

To help you get started, why don't you read this interesting article.

On your mark.....get set.....go!

Setting off on the Journey

We are less than a week away from setting off on the journey to the land of ADDIE. As I contemplate the process of designing the e-learning intervention/prototype that the students of this module will go through, I realise the importance of understanding the journey that all of them have already been on. I realise that there are those with extensive tour-guide experience in the land of Assessment, those who have collected the various postcards from the world of learning theory, and others who are tanned from enjoying the ocean of curriculum development. I look forward to being the tour guide on this next journey and hope that you are all buckled up, ready to enjoy the ride.