Solving a problem.....what problem?

This module, along with others in the programme, makes the assumption that you are using a theoretically-grounded method or methods to solve a problem in order to facilitate learning for your students or for fellow colleagues in the case of faculty development initiatives. The question for this week is, what is the problem? How are we to know what the problem is that we need to solve?
This is where the ADDIE process begins. Analysis of the audience and the environment, or the curriculum, will guide you in understanding what it is you need to address and potentially guide you in deciding how to address the problem.

ADDIE, and other instructional design processes, is an iterative process. It requires the educator to begin with Analysis and then move through the process which will ultimately end with the process being another form of analysis through Evaluation.

Throughout this module, I will build on a graphical representation of suggestions and guidelines for how you will be able to frame your lEarning prototype or intervention within the ADDIE model.

Analysis could include identifying the module or programme and analysing it to determine where extra work could be done to facilitate learning based on feedback from students or academic outcome. It could include conducting a needs analysis with students through a survey or questionnaire, a focus group discussion, or analysis of module feedback comments. Once you determine whether or not your assumptions of the problem are supported by the afore-mentioned analysis, you can investigate potential solutions and analyse their ability to address the problem.

An example: 
An introduction to clinical practice module requires students to understand the value and importance of the patient interview. In the past, you have experienced students struggling with the patient interview in more senior phases of your course and make the assumption that if their introductory module were improved, their subsequent clinical practice modules would demonstrate this improvement through effective patient interviews.
Analysis for this scenario would include evaluation of the current teaching approach in the introduction to clinical practice module; a needs analysis investigating the need for a change or improvement in the  module executed by conducting focus group interviews with junior (currently in the Intro module) and senior students. 
Lets' assume that the students highlight a lack of preparation for real clinical practice and communication skills but shows that the theory of clinical interviews is strongly emphasized in the module.
The next step in analysis would include researching methods that could improve communication skills, methods that could facilitate application of theory, etc. You find that application of theory could be supported through the use of a flipped classroom, or assignments providing evidence of competence. The research should then go further to determine which would be most suitable for your environment and may then include a survey needs analysis where you determine whether or not students have access to technology that will enable them to engage with course material prior to class time (for a flipped classroom) or possibly record and submit electronic assignments demonstrating competence in interview skills.

As you can see from the scenario above, analysis before embarking on a solution to an assumed problem is essential. If I assumed that the way students are taught are incorrect and blindly went in to change the module structure, I would have no evidence to support it and may in fact have changed something that didn't need to be changed.

With this, I encourage you to begin your analysis process for your module/course. Comments are welcome should you have any questions, better yet, comment on each others' posts!