| Session Title: Needs Assessment TIG Business Meeting and Presentation: Pesky Issues in Needs Assessment and a Generic Model for Conducting Assessments |
| Business Meeting Session 457 to be held in Panzacola Section G2 on Friday, Nov 13, 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM |
| Sponsored by the Needs Assessment TIG |
| TIG Leader(s): |
| Ann Del Vecchio, Alpha Assessment Associates, delvecchio.nm@comcast.net |
| Hsin-Ling Hung, University of Cincinnati, hunghg@ucmail.uc.edu |
| Jeffry White, Ashland University, jwsrc1997@aol.com |
| Yi-Fang Lee, National Chi Nan University, ivanalee@ncnu.edu.tw |
| Janet Matulis, University of Cincinnati, janet.matulis@uc.edu |
| Presenter(s): |
| James Altschuld, The Ohio State University, altschuld.1@osu.edu |
| Abstract: Many issues in needs assessment are often glossed over in practice as well as in the literature. Examples include: defining standards or 'what should be's'; separating needs from wants; dealing with missing data when double or triple scaling is used; combining data from mixed methods into a coherent picture of needs; how to meaningfully involve multiple constituencies in the assessment; implementing assessments that are neither too broad or too narrow; getting needs assessment results utilized for the good of organizations; and so forth. A sampling of these problems will be described followed by a brief discussion of a generic model for assessing needs. Attendees will have opportunities to cite problems they have encountered and possible solution strategies for overcoming them. |