Instructional design/Learner analysis/what when why/demographics

Intro to Learner Analysis Worksheet

During your learner analysis, you will want to have a way to record the data that you collect for each of the four characteristic areas. There may be times when you have the opportunity to collect information on each individual learner (worksheet below on the right) and other times when you may just have more general information about the learners as a group (worksheet below on the left). Depending on your situation, you can use a worksheet similar to the ones provided here, to record information for later reference, once you begin to design your learning environment.

DEMOGRAPHICS

An important part of learner analysis is knowing where to find the information you hope to gain about learners. IDs who are also teaching have direct access to students, which opens up additional sources above what might be available to someone who is designing instruction with the help of a subject matter expert. If your subject matter expert is the teacher, or you have direct access to the students' current or past teachers, this additional information may be requested from them.

POSSIBLE DATA SOURCES

Below are possible sources for the collection of demographic information about students:

IDs only -

• Surveys
• Enrollment documents
• Transcripts
• Previous instructors
• Resume or CV
• Employment records
• Student records
• Census data, if available
• Disclosure documents

IDs who are also teaching -

• Personal interactions with students
• Observations
• Surveys
• Enrollment documents
• Transcripts
• Previous instructors
• Resume or CV
• Employment records
• Student records
• Census data, if available
• Disclosure documents

POSSIBLE DESIGN IMPLICATIONS

Assessment: A short multiple choice quiz will assess the learners understanding of how characteristics can impact course design. Immediate feedback will be given based on answer choice

RESOURCES

Resources:

Eastham, N. (2011). Instructional Design Course: Learner analysis (Web resource). University of Northern California. Retrieved from http://www.unco.edu/cetl/sir/sizing_up/learner_analysis.html (Links to an external site.)

Justice, L. K. (2003). Learner/Context Analysis (Web resource). Retrieved from http://www.personal.kent.edu/~lkjusti1/objectivelyspeaking/learner_context_analysis.htm (Links to an external site.)

Next lesson:

Intro to Learner Analysis Worksheet: Cognitive and Prior Knowledge