Singapore University of Social Sciences

Understanding and Analysing Learning Needs

Understanding and Analysing Learning Needs (BXL651)

Applications Open: To be confirmed

Applications Close: To be confirmed

Next Available Intake: To be confirmed

Course Types: To be confirmed

Language: English

Duration: 6 months

Fees: To be confirmed

Area of Interest: Education

Schemes: To be confirmed

Funding: To be confirmed

School/Department: Institute for Adult Learning


Synopsis

Designing learning is always done with a purpose, an intent, in mind. Designers, be they a workplace supervisor, training manager, lecturer, or facilitator need to understand the purpose, the issue, problem or developmental needs of workers and the organisations they work in or across. Public run courses also need to be underpinned with an understanding of the purpose of the course/programme. Understanding this requires a deeper examination of the problem beyond that which may be given. Additionally, learning designers also need to understand what learners will bring to the course or learning programme of learning. To this end, learners will identify an issue / problem and undertake a learning needs analysis. Learners will be introduced to the role of stakeholders, to different forms of data collection and analysis to understand the learning need(s), and to ways in which they frame the learning needs analysed, in order to influence decision makers who have the power to provide resources and funding for a learning programme or course.

Level: 6
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: Every semester

Topics

  • Why a learning needs analysis?
  • Critical analysis of the literature on learning and training needs
  • What is a learning need and how is it different from business or other ‘needs’?
  • How to consider and integrate learning and business needs?
  • The contributions (or otherwise) of stakeholders
  • Designing for data collection to analyse learning needs
  • Analysing data to infer and analyse learning needs
  • Designing a learning needs analysis
  • Organisational learning cultures
  • Power relations, agendas, and institutional/workplace governance
  • Critical feedback from multiple stake holders (including self and cohort peers)
  • Critically reflecting on possibilities and what could be improved

Learning Outcome

  • Appraise learning needs
  • Analyse the roles of relevant stakeholders and their potential contributions (or not) to
  • Critique different perspectives on learning and training needs
  • Evaluate how different forms of data provide insights into learning needs
  • Design a learning needs analysis
  • Demonstrate competence in undertaking a learning needs analysis
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