Need Assessment Task Force (NATF) Scope of Work

Objective: The Needs Assessment Task Force (NATF) will assess priority adult education development needs within the region; compare these training needs with existing staff development opportunities; and provide this information to the Regional Professional Development Advisory Council (RPDAC) to establish a basis for a Regional Plan to address Professional Development training needs.

Tasks

1. Review needs assessment model:

Identify users and uses of the needs assessment
Define the target population and service environment
Identify needs - problems/barriers/obstacles and solutions for target population
Assess the importance of the needs
Communicate the results

2. Assess current and on-going regional needs assessment efforts to establish what is already known about professional development needs and existing professional development opportunities for adult educators in this Region.

Identify on-going needs assessment initiatives within the region;
Compile existing needs assessment data;
Identify professional development providers;
Compile existing professional development offerings and available information on enrollment from providers;
Develop a "Matrix" detailing 1) research questions asked; 2) data elements (what information satisfied their questions); 3) data sources (where did the data come from); 4) methods used to collect and analyze information on professional development needs.

3. Create a needs assessment design to answer research questions not addressed, or not addressed fully, by current needs assessment initiatives.

Evaluate the "Matrix" from Task 1 above and identify research questions not asked; data elements that may answer research questions more appropriately; data sources that may be more reliable than those used; and data collection and analysis methods that may be more credible and replicable.
Identify new research questions to be added to the "Matrix," by comparing existing questions to best practices and model curricula in adult education professional development;
Develop a research design to complete the Needs Assessment Matrix fully.
Present the needs assessment design to the RPDAC for modification, approval and facilitation of carrying out the logistics of collecting new data.

4. Conduct needs assessment.

Collect additional desired data on stakeholders' needs.
Analyze new and existing data to identify priority professional development needs.
Compare data on needs with current professional development opportunities identified in Task 1 above.
Establish a baseline of met and unmet needs in the Region.
Identify institutional and policy barriers to meeting stakeholders' training needs.
Identify institutional and policy supports that enhance the meeting of stakeholders' training needs.
Prepare Needs Assessment Results for presentation to the RPDAC.
Prepare critique of the needs assessment process used for presentation to the RPDAC.