Diverse Student Learning Needs Assessment
In education, student diversity has a significant influence on the selection of teaching strategies. Clearly understanding your students’ needs is the first step to ensuring you develop instruction that will effectively meet those needs. Students’ needs are determined by multiple variables ranging from cognitive abilities to cultural and socioeconomic factors.
For this assignment you will conduct a needs assessment and describe a group of students in relation to a learning goal you would like to them achieve. Ideally, these are students you have access to in your practicum setting.
First, determine a learning goal for your group of students. This can range from a specific nursing skill to broader theoretical knowledge.
Next, research needs assessment tools and use or develop one tool appropriate for the students in your practicum setting. There are a variety of needs assessment tools from which to choose, and an appropriate one should provide a way to measure the current knowledge base of the students. The tool should also help you identify student characteristics, such as student learning preferences and needs and access to technology and resources.
You will administer the tool, collect your feedback, analyze the results, and report your findings. Include the following in a report of 1,000-1,250 words:
- Identify the needs assessment tool and explain how it is appropriate for the students in your setting
- Summarize the general, shared characteristics of your students.
- Discuss the specific characteristics that distinguish your students from one another.
- Discuss how your students’ similarities and differences would impact your approach to facilitating learning for this diverse group.
- Discuss potential methods for evaluating whether or not your approach is working for each of your students.
