Session 4 Posting
September 21, 2008
Note to self: You really need to get these done earlier in the week.
This session I am to write about how analysis and design are related for me. I’ve had the oppportunity to design a few courses myself the former obviously dovetails into the latter. I was reviewing Bonner’s Implications of Cognitive Theory article and I was drawn to a phrase that I had underlined, but forgotten about. In it she says: Needs assessment . . .should be comprehensive and theory free (page 5). I found this unusual that someone would actually advise eschewing theory when assessing needs in a given situation, but in reflection it does make sense. As stated a paragraph later, the needs exist on their own. Proper analysis will dictate the design and not the other way around. Romiszowski’s Black Box approach shows us that analysis can take on a variety of forms, and that proper analysis can be tricky at times.
-D
