Introduction.
A needs assessment is an assessment carried out at specific times in schools, to present the school direction and enhance student achievement. Most of the time, a needs assessment is usually carried out in a particular field. For instance, there can be a needs assessment for the direction forwards in guidance and counselling, on the other hand, there can be a needs assessment to focus mainly on the students’ performance in education and also focus on a student’s performance in other activates. Therefore, the central theme in the needs assessment is to enhance improvement, in the field the needs assessment is being conducted, the development is the critical thing.
The purpose of the needs assessment.
The purpose of the conducting of the needs assessment is usually connected to the program. The primary purpose of the needs assessment, therefore, is to ensure that there is an academic improvement and that the challenges that the students were not able to overcome, they did through the needs assessment. This, therefore, will ensure that an absolute academic improvement is experienced and hence the achievement gap is closed. The needs assessment has helped nurtured different students and consequently enabled greatest achievement within them. This has also included the maximum involvement of the parents the school climate which also consists of the teachers and fellow students, and the students themselves (Daniels, 2013).
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In addition to all this, a needs assessment also will allow the school staff to determine the primary priorities and therefore determine which school activities to allocate the limited resources present. This will ensure that there is a direction in the school’s programs projects and also activities.
A needs assessment will also ensure that there is a recorded continuous improvement with the school’s activities and hence help the school staff identify change and also deal with the strategies that will bring success towards the school’s actions.
The population of interest and the stakeholders.
The population of interest and stakeholders deals with the people who the information will be sought. Majority of the times when conducting a needs assessment, the primary stakeholders are usually the parents and the school staff. In this case, the parents view with regards to the matter being discussed at hand is important.
In the process of determining the individuals who the information will be sought from, learning the number of the stakeholders is essential. In our case, the principal stakeholders will be the parents, the teachers and the students. Therefore, in our fact, the number of our stakeholders is the three groups, but other members such as the school staff can chip in (Young, 2013).
Since we have the target population, the process of collecting the data can continue.
Goals for the needs assessment.
The main aim of the conducting of the needs assessment process, is to make individual achievements. For one to undertake these performances, there have to be goals which are tied to the operation of the needs assessment.
1. Close the achievement gap.
This is the main reason why the needs assessment is conducted. The achievement of the students is always a concern, and hence when the performance of the students improve, this means that the achievement gap is being closed. When more and more numbers achieve, then the achievement gap is closed, hence, one of the primary goals of a needs assessment.
2. Overcome challenges.
In the process of achievement, various challenges are experienced. These problems will determine the failure or the accomplishment of the school. Also, how the school deals with the challenges is a significant concern since this will determine the way forward. Therefore, to assist in the overcoming of these difficulties, the needs assessment is conducted. The needs assessment will ensure that the school is prepared for any challenges that might come in the way and they will come up with a solution towards it.
The process of data collection.
In the process of data collection, on has to know the data sources. Once one has established the sources of information/data, then they can proceed with the data collection process.
Data can be collected through various methods such as surveys, conducting of group meetings, observations and also filling in of questionnaires. In this process of data collection, the timing must be accurate. For instance, the conducting of the needs assessment data collection process from the parents can be performed when the kids are on holiday. As for the students, it can be done on a Friday, for instance, when they are all less busy. Therefore, the timing here is usually essential (Hoskins, 2011).
The instrument used in the data collection process.
Instruments used in data collection are also known as the tools used in data collection process. The primary tool that is used in the data collection process is surveying. Conducted surveys of parents, teachers and students help us to collect the information. In addition to this, studies can also assist us to know the attitude of the respondent, their perceptions and even their behaviour towards a specific topic. This, therefore, means that we can assess the feelings of the respondents towards the particular field (Daniels, 2013).
Data analysis process.
After the collection of the needs assessment information, there is the need for the analysis process. The analysis process is an essential part of the interpretation of the results enables to develop the service objectives that will meet the needs of the stakeholders (Hoskins, 2011).
The process of analysis is supposed to be accurate so that the results can be accurately interpreted. The study of the data can be carried out by the involved parties who conducted the needs assessment test. It can be done through keen interpretation of the data t come up with a conclusion. After the analysis, the data is disseminated.
Dissemination of results.
After the analysis of the data, it is then disseminated to the stakeholders and also the people involved in the needs assessment. This will assist the partakers of the needs assessment to spread the goals for the needs assessment and also what is to be achieved and in what period (Astramovich, 2011).
Conclusion.
The needs assessment is an important process to be conducted since it opens up a particular institution. The needs assessment also assists in noticing and helping the different students who need help in school and hence improve for a better tomorrow. The aims of the institution are achieved through the needs assessment program.
Works Cited.
Sheperis, C., Young, S., & Daniels, H. (2013). Counselling Research (2nd ed. Chapter 4). Boston: Pearson.
Astramovich, R., Hoskins, W., & Coker, K. (2011). Organizing and Evaluating Data-driven school counselling programs. (2nd ed. chapter 2). Dubuque: KendallHunt.Works Cited.
Colvin, M. (2008). Conducting comprehensive needs assessment (pp. 1-31). Retrieved from HTTP:// www.ok.gov.co.ke
A guide for comprehensive needs assessment. (2008) (1st ed., pp. 1-47). Colorado. Retrieved from http://https;//www.WestEd.com
Guide to conducting an educational needs assessment. (1st ed., pp. 1-13).
