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Needs Analysis and Justification
The needs analysis and justification forms part of the Introdcution to a research report. Here are some headings to consider.
| Research Jan. 11 | Research May 11 | Research Sept. 11 |
Needs Analysis and Justification: Sources of Bias?
In the introduction you should outline:-
Why are you doing this study?
Who needs it and how is it justified?
Why do they need it?
How will this bias your work?
Your should refererence real documents, policies, data and materials.
Sources of Needs
Needs and Justifications for research work at several levels:-
National Needs, Policies, Strategies and plan
Local Needs, policies, targets and plans.
School Needs, policies, strategies and plans.
Individual and personal reasons
Research and Scholarship- A gap in our understanding.
National Needs, Policies, Strategies and plan
DCFS http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/
Standards Site. http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes3/
QCDA http://www.qcda.gov.uk/
GTC http://www.gtce.org.uk/
National College http://www.nationalcollege.org.uk/
Specific Policies
E.g. Every Child Matters
School/Institutional Level
School Self Evaluation
School Plan
School Targets
Assessment data Raise Online
Recent Ofsted reports.
Meeting Minutes
Personal-Individual Needs
Role and Responsibilities
Performance Management Targets
Future Career Direction
Past Experience
Beliefs and Values
Research Needs
This can be dealt with in a review of the literture, research and publications later in the work. You might say a few words here.
The influence of needs
Needs also infleunces the research design and findings. Who "needs it" and why are important considerations. To be transparent you should show this. Justifying research is about exercising power and decsion making and you should make this explicit as well as being clear who the powerful ones are. (eg Researchers, professionals, subjects, the researched etc)
How does this potentially bias your research?
How are your research questions modified by “needs”?
What assumptions are made by policies?
January Submission - Change of Date
Conversation from the evening
Ian Terrell: eg PISA studies compare nations and the UK is not very high in the international league
Ian Terrell: Aspergers is part of a national seen and growth is evident. This raises the issue that we have coinstructed the notion of aspergers
Kat: if we are looking at inclusion in the arts ca we be looking at how other countries use/don't use inclusion in education?
Helena: wasn't really going there
Helena: thought along lines of practical support in mainstream schools
Ian Terrell: what other countries are doing may or may not justify the need for the research
Ian Terrell: later you may or may not look at policy and practice in other countries in the research literture
Ian Terrell: dependds on the topic
Kat: @Helena, if it is any use I know mainstream school with a specific ASD support department in Bristol
Ian Terrell: alos Hendon school I think
Ian Terrell: The person is part of a school and national picture
Helena: thanks Kat I think there is one locally
Ian Terrell: At masters level you need to show an awareness of the person within the system
Helena: certainky there is a secondary school
Ian Terrell: he person is part of a school and national picture
Helena: case histories?
Ian Terrell: Put another way, it would be naive to say "I personally want to... raise acheivement"
Ian Terrell: without saying what the national p[icture was
Ian Terrell: The person is part of a school and national picture and at masters level you need to show this awareness
Ian Terrell: "practical support" helena?
Ian Terrell: "testing" something is unlikley at this scale
Helena: There is no written guidance about how to support As by teachers for teachers
Marshalee: I have found a very interesting case that I have decided to focus on but all information about the school and the particular student needs to remain anonymous. What is the best approach to take with this? I am not able to include things like an institutional background or an OFSTED report.
Helena: what works? how to engage ?
Ian Terrell: Helkena- I do not get your point about by teachers for teachers. You are invited to develop, implement and research/evaluate something.
Helena: I want to develop guidelines for supporting AS
Ian Terrell: This is general advice about contructing a needs analysis
Ian Terrell: Sorting individual ideas happens when we see you plan
Ian Terrell: These sessions do not overide your tutor and module advice
Helena: Thanks Ian I will get the plan in ASAP
Matthew Aruna: I do not necessarily believe that the research question has to be based on a "gap" in the school but the need to investigate or evaluate a particular research question.
Mahendra: I agree with Helena! I will also need to get the plan ready asap!
HC: I have started planning and hope to hand something in quickly so I can get properly started
Mahendra: .... to be able to make sense of the needs analysis and justification
HC: I have found the format useful and has really made me think
Ian Terrell: mathew might consider whteher the research he is carrying out leads to any improvement
Ian Terrell: in general, hearsay "needs" is not really good enough
Ian Terrell: you can always quoate specific sessions, meetings etc
Ian Terrell: direct on indirect reporting is fine
Ian Terrell: direct or indirect
HC: that is useful to know abut quoting sessions etc so I could reference a workshop at a national workshop session about SEN?
Ian Terrell: This is needs and justification not reporting data
Ian Terrell: This is needs and justification not reporting data thast comes later as data
HC: I was thinking about need, the workshops are around the area I am planning to research
Ian Terrell: Think of this as our assessmnet problem. Our job is to judge whther you know what you are doing
Ian Terrell: Do you know the context, do you see how what you are doing is part of a whole picture
Ian Terrell: Do you know the context, do you see how what you are doing is part of a whole picture
Marshalee: I have done a lot of work on my portfolio but need some advise on what to include and what not to ensure the school and student remains entirely anonymous
Ian Terrell: Kat I am not sure what module you are on
Ian Terrell: Marshalee
Ian Terrell: Advice on what you have written comes from your tutor
Marshalee: ok
Ian Terrell: Tutor/Supervsiors deal with individual work
Ian Terrell: These sessions are to outline what you have to do to all students
Helena: I haveto leave now I will catch up on Sunday
Helena: This has raised some queations in my mind
Helena: Thank you
Kat: I have to go too, do these get archived so we can catch up?
Matthew Aruna: I am working on my dissertation plan and I am yet to be assigned a supervisor this year.
Tarek Zoubir: i'll keep the conversation and if all agree we can perhaps copy, paste and continue online
Kat: I agree
Helena: great
Liandra: Thank you that will be really helpful Tarek
Liandra: Ive got to leave in a few min as well
Helena: Tarek you have been so helpful many thanks
Mahendra: Self-Assessment Report/Mock inspection!
Tarek Zoubir: thank you
Kat: Thank you Tarek
Christine (presenters): How can I access the document that Ian has created to support me on the Needs analysis document?
Tarek Zoubir: i'm not sure if it's ready yet, but, when it is it should be under the research tab in the research materials folder and then needs analysis folder
Christine (privately): Thank you. I'll check the site in the next 48hrs.
Tarek Zoubir: thanks
Christine (privately): I agree with the speaker who's mentioned lack of independence. I'd like to add "fear of challenge".
HC: its fine thanks
Christine (privately): Yes, I can hear.
HC: sound is fine thank
Mahendra: still listening n sound ok
Mahendra: Can we have some wordings for the "focus" part, please
Mahendra: Is the focus same as the area to be investigated into
Tarek Zoubir (privately): more materials will be posted in the research materials folder then needs analysis folder
Tarek Zoubir: more materials will be posted in the research materials folder then needs analysis folder
HC: I am not sure if you are doing the dissertation? I assume the'focus' are the main headings on the research plan or the basis title, but I am not sure
Tarek Zoubir: i'll copy and paste this conversation into an online page and you can continue there, is that ok?
Mahendra: I am at the initial stage. I am currently working on the Plan. It appears that the title itself might be the focus...
HC: thanks
Mahendra: OK, Tarek!
Ian Terrell: Thanks Tarek
Mahendra: I will see with my tutor and might comment on the hotseat later. Thanks
Tarek Zoubir: thanks see you next time