Syllabus 

Course Information

Course title:

Training Proposal and Report Writing (Preliminary Training Needs Assessment)

 

Course number:

WED 381A, 3 credit hours

 

Course discipline:

Department of Workforce Education and Development,
College of Education and Human Services,
Southern Illinois University Carbondale

 

Course description:

Theoretical and applied, guided self-study development of skills necessary to conduct feasibility studies and write technical reports.

 

Semester:

Fall 2008

 

Course dates:

Monday, August 15, 2008 – Friday, November 28, 2008

 

Location:

Online

 

Prerequisites:

None 

 

Course Manager Information

Name:

Refer to your course managers’ Welcome letters sent via e-mail at the beginning of the trimester.

 

Email:

 

 

Office location:

 

 

Office hours:

 

 

Phone:

 

 

Textbooks & Resource Materials

Required Texts:

Gupta, K., Sleezer, C. M., Russ-Eft, D. F. (2007). A practical guide to needs assessment (2nd ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons (Pfeiffer). 

American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

You may purchase your required text books online at:  MBS Bookstore                                                                                        http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/siu.htm 
 

 

Additional Resources: 

See the Internet Resources link in the course menu for links to the SIUC Morris Library, SIUC Writing Center, and other Web sites that can help you progress through this course.

Also see off-campus degree program, independent study, and course-specific FAQs, located in the course menu.
 

 

Course Objectives

Course objectives:

WED 381A is the first of a two-part, independent study course that provides practical, team experience in the process of gathering information related to occupationally specific training needs. Products of this course include a proposal to conduct a training needs assessment (TNA) and a customized data collection instrument (DCI). Students will use the products created in WED 381A to continue related work in the subsequent course, WED 381B. 

            The general objectives for this course are that you (individually and as teams) will:
    

1.      Understand the nature and characteristics of needs assessment

2.      Prepare a preliminary training needs assessment (TNA) proposal

3.      Understand fundamentals of data collection

4.      Develop a TNA data collection instrument(s) (DCI)

5.      Create a cover letter(s) to accompany DCI(s)

6.      Conduct pilot test and evaluation of DCI(s)

7.      Collect, analyze, and synthesize TNA data
 

 

Course Requirements

Requirements:

Self-Guided Activities:

 

Assignment

Group

Solo

#1:  Draft of Training Needs Assessment and Data Collection Instrument(s)

20 points                 

 

20 points                

 

#2:  Final of Training Needs Assessment and Data Collection Instrument(s)

110 points                

 

110 points                

 

Peer Evaluation                                                         

20 points  

 

Not applicable

Total points

150 points     

130 points     

 APA Exercises A & B
 

 

Grading Policies

Grade Scale:

 

 

 

A conventional letter grade (A - F) will be assigned based upon the following student products.  Grades will be calculated and assigned according to the following scale:

     

Group

Solo

Percentage

Letter Grade

135-150

117-130

  90-100%

A

120-134

104-116

80-89%

B

105-119

 91-103

70-79%

C

 90-104

78-90

60-69%

D

 0-89

0-77

  0-59%

F

     

Assignment Submission Requirements

Assignment
Submission Requirements:

Note:  Students are required to submit their assignments to TurnItIn.com prior to submitting your assignments to your course manager via electronic mail. Read the Originality Report generated by Turnitin.com and make appropriate revisions to your papers. Then send your revised assignments as MS Word attachments to your course manager to grade.

The following requirements apply to all assignments:
 

1.      Use Times New Roman 12 font size or equivalent standard font

2.      Use double-spacing

3.      Use 1” margins left-right-top-bottom

4.      Use left-hand flush margin alignment

5.      Use 5-space or equivalent paragraph indention

6.      Follow appropriate assignment template structures where provided

7.      Use appropriate title page structures where provided

8.      Submit each assignment with a cover sheet stating the following:   

·         Course number and name of the assignment

·         Students’ name

·         OCDP location

·         Course manager’s name 

Assignments are due on the dates stated for the course. Refer to the Independent Study Courses Due Date Calendar your course manager sent to you in his or her Welcome communications. You must request approval for late submission due to unforeseen circumstances (such as military orders). If you do not communicate with your course manager, you may receive a “0” for the assignment or a “WF” for your final grade. 

E-mail received during normal business hours (Mon-Fri from 0800 to 1630 hours Central Time) will be acknowledged by the course manager by close of the next business day. E-mail received after 1630, on weekends or holidays will be acknowledged as if received on the next business day.  

Assignment submissions will be returned graded (with comments) within 14 days of receipt, except as noted in calendar. 

Students are responsible for maintaining access to adequate computer, software, and e-mail systems to support their coursework and to communicate with their course manager and classmates.
 

SIUC Policies and Standards

Academic Dishonesty:

 

 

 

All written assignments submitted for this course must be the student’s own work. If you have any questions or concerns regarding academic integrity, please refer to the section on academic dishonesty in the SIUC Undergraduate Student Catalog or contact your course manager. 

Evidence of academic dishonesty, which includes cheating and plagiarism, may result in an "F" for the course. Copying and pasting from another student’s paper and/or from multiple sources (books, journal articles, etc., whether from printed or Internet sources) is plagiarism. Appropriate in-text and reference page citations are required. For direct quotations, use quotation marks followed by APA editorial style citation with page numbers; for paraphrasing, use APA editorial style citation without page numbers. See the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.) (2001) for details on proper citation of sources in-text and proper listing of resources on a Reference page.  

Although group collaboration is encouraged, all written assignments submitted for this course must be each student’s own work. Each member of your group is responsible for all product(s) submitted. If you have any questions or concerns regarding academic integrity, please refer to the section on academic dishonesty in the SIUC Undergraduate Student Catalogue or contact the course manager. 

At a minimum, a student who demonstrates academic dishonesty may receive a score of “0” for that particular assignment or course. The student will also will be required to write an essay related to that particular offense. 

Note:  Southern Illinois University Carbondale subscribes to Turnitin.com; an internationally used anti-plagiarism software. Your course manager will send you your User ID and Enrollment password. After you submit your paper to Turnitin.com an originality report will be generated. The report identifies whether or not content of your paper is found elsewhere. You must analyze the report in order to determine if you cited your sources properly. More about Turnitin.com can be found in the FAQs located in your course menu.

 

Curriculum and Due Dates

Topics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note:  See OCDP Independent Study Courses Due Dates Calendar on the WED 381B course menu for specific due dates.

Lesson 1 – Needs Assessment
 

  • In Gupta, Sleezer, and Russ-Eft (2007), A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment, read Chapter 1, Overview of Needs Assessment, pp. 13-28, re: Objectives 1.1 through 1.3.

·     Study Figure 1.6, Matrix of Needs Assessment Approaches, pp. 26-27, re: Objective 1.3.

·     In Gupta et al. (2007), read Chapter 2, Ideas and Models that Guide Practice, pp. 29-41, re: Objective 1.4.

  • In Gupta et al. (2007), read Chapter 9, Ethical Issues, pp. 213-226, re: Objectives 1.1 and 1.5.
  • In Gupta et al. (2007), read Chapter 10, Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, pp. 227-237, re: Objectives 1.1 and 1.6.

Lesson 2– Preparing a Training Needs Assessment
                                      

  • In Gupta, Sleezer, and Russ-Eft (2007), A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment, read Chapter 4, Knowledge and Skills Assessment, pp. 77-104, re: Objective 2.1.
  • In Gupta et al. (2007), read Chapter 9, Ethical Issues, pp. 213-226, re: Objective 2.2.
  • In Gupta et al. (2007), read Chapter 10, Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, pp. 227-237, re: Objective 2.3.
     
  • Read TNA Resources (link appears in Lesson 2) and examine the lists of sample documents in sections 1 and 2 re: Objective 2.4. 
     
  • In Gupta et al. (2007), read Chapter 8, Writing Proposals and Reports, pp. 189-212, re Objective 2.5.
     
  • Read through TNA Guidelines and Template.* Complete template cover sheet, scoring rubric, title page, table of contents, and content sections as directed, re: Objectives 2.1 through 2.5.
     
  • In your APA Publication Manual (5th ed.), read and refer to Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 as needed. Re: Objectives 2.4 and 2.5.

The TNA Guidelines and Template* was prepared following the APA editorial style as presented in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). See Chapter 5, Sample Paper and Outlines, pp. 305-320.

 

Also refer to the FAQs section on your WebCT homepage for guidance as to how to use your APA Publication Manual (5th ed.).

 

  • Submit the preliminary training needs assessment along with the data collection instrument(s) and cover letter(s) (see Objectives 4 and 5) to your course manager on the assigned due date.

 Lesson 3 – Data Collection Instruments
 

  • In Gupta, Sleezer, and Russ-Eft (2007), A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment, read Chapter 3, pp. 43-67, re: Objectives 3.1 to 3.4.
     
  • Study Figures 3.1 through 3.6, pp. 47-58, re: Objective 3.2.
     
  • Read the National Training Partnership (NTP) regarding the advantages and disadvantages of using surveys, interviews, and focus groups (link appears in Lesson 3), re: Objective 3.2.
     
  • Study Figure 3.7, pp. 61-62, re: Objective 3.3
     
  • Study Figure 3.8, pp. 64-66, re: Objective 3.4.

Lesson 4 – Developing a Data Collection Instrument(s)
 

  • In Gupta, Sleezer, and Russ-Eft (2007), A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment, read Chapter 4, Knowledge and Skills Assessment, re: Objective 4.1.
     
  • In Gupta et al. (2007), A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment, refer to the first part of Chapter 3, Strategies for Collecting and Analyzing Data, pp. 43-58, re: Objectives 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3.
     
  • In Gupta et al. (2007), refer back to Chapter 3 and study Figure 3.6, Types of Questions and When to Use Them, p. 58, re: Objective 4.2.
     
  • In Gupta et al. (2007), refer back to Chapter 3 and study Figure 3.7, Tips for Preparing and Implementing Surveys, points #1-5, pp. 61-62, re: Objective 4.3.
     
  • In Gupta et al. (2007), refer back to Chapter 3 and study Figure 3.8, Comparisons of Primary Data-Gathering Methods, pp. 64-66, re: Objectives 4.2 and 4.3.
     
  • In Gupta et al. (2007), A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment, examine sample instruments in Part Four, Needs Assessment Toolkit, pp. 243-257, (Toolkit Forms 4.1-4.5), re: Objectives 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3.
     
  • In Gupta et al. (2007), read pp. 335-336, How to Use the CD-ROM [Toolkit Forms].
     
  • Read TNA Resources and examine sample instruments in section 3, re: Objective 4.1, re: Objectives 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3. 
  • Read through TNA Guidelines and Template. Complete the data collection instrument(s) as directed and include in the Appendix, re: Objective 4.3.
     
  • Submit the data collection instrument(s) along with the preliminary needs assessment and cover letter (see Objectives 2 and 5) to your course manager on the assigned due date.  

Lesson 5 – Creating a Cover Letter(s) to Accompany the DCI(s)

 

  • In Gupta, Sleezer, and Russ-Eft (2007), A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment, read Chapter 3, Write the Cover Letter, p. 57, re: Objective 5.1. 
     
  • Review information and sample cover letter located on the SIUC Office of Research and Development Administration (ORDA) (link appears in Lesson 5) Web site, re: Objectives 5.1 and 5.2. 
     
  • Read through TNA Guidelines and Template.* Complete the cover letter as directed and include in the Appendix, re: Objectives 5.1 and 5.2.
     
  • Submit the cover letter along with the preliminary training needs assessment and  the data collection instrument(s) (see Objectives 2 and 4) to your course manager on the assigned due date.

Assignment 1

Assignment 1:  Draft of Training Needs Assessment
& Data Collection Instrument(s)                                               Due:  TBA

Lesson 6 – Pilot test and Evaluation of Data Collection Instrument(s)

 

  • In Gupta, Sleezer, and Russ-Eft (2007), A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment, read Chapter 3, Pilot-Test, pp. 58-59, re: Objective 6.1.
     
  • Refer to Chapter 3, Figure 3.7, Tips for Preparing and Implementing Surveys, pp. 61-62, re: Objective 6.1. 
     
  • After your DCI(s) has been approved by your course manager, conduct pilot-test(s) as you described in Section 3.0 of your TNA, re: Objectives 6.1 and 6.2.

Note:  The persons who pilot-test your DCI(s) cannot also be members of your Subjects group. 
 

  • Review and evaluate the feedback your pilot-testers, re: Objective 6.3. If necessary, pilot-test your DCI(s) again.
  • Edit your DCI(s) as needed, re: Objective 6.4. 

Note:  This will be the final version of your DCI(s) that you will administer to your Subjects.

Assignment 2 

Assignment 2:  Final version of Training Needs Assessment
& Data Collection Instrument(s)                                           Due:  TBA

Lesson 7 – Administering Your Data Collections Instrument(s)

 

  • In Gupta, Sleezer, and Russ-Eft (2007), A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment, read Chapter 3, Conduct the Survey and Follow-Up, pp. 59-74, re: Objective 7.1.
  • After you complete the required assignment for Objective 7, you will be ready to begin your WED 381B Lesson 1, Data Analysis, Graphics, and Summary Report.

Preview to WED 381B Assignment 1: Data Collection, Graphics, and TNA Summary Report

 

  • After you course manager has returned your graded WED 381A Assignment 2 and approved your DCI, you may begin your data collection. Collect your data as soon as possible so that you can take advantage of the time left in the current semester so that you can get ahead for your WED 381B Assignment 1.

Evaluations

Peer Evaluations                        Due:  The Friday after you submit your last Assignment

Course Evaluation                     Due:  The last day of the trimester