Professional development and improvement in the quality of adult learning staff has been recognized as a priority at a European level. However, at European and national levels there is no clear view on the standard competences needed to fulfill the professional tasks in adult learning. In some European countries competence profiles and standards…

Discusses three assumptions underlying needs assessments: (1) the individual is of primary importance; (2) individuals' assessments of problems, needs, and solutions are paramount; and (3) fulfilling expressed needs equals success. Describes the positive and negative aspects of these assumptions and provides some strategies for improving needs…

Adult educators undertaking training assignments with businesses or industrial firms should use the following methods to conduct a complete needs assessment to determine the scope, depth, length, and cost of training required: general questionnaires/surveys; interviews with several prospective trainees and their administrative supervisors;…

Reviews the operational steps in conducting a major needs assessment study. Discusses who should be involved in the process, when the process should be conducted, how the process should be conducted, general steps, and criteria for an effective model. (CT)

A needs assessment project designed to identify the performance improvement training needs of Louisiana state government employees (n=2,000) focused on strategic goals and employee perceptions. The difficulties of large-scale needs assessment were highlighted and implications for research were identified. (Contains 31 references.) (JOW)

Designed as a practical tool for trainers, this manual contains 22 instruments and documents for gathering and processing information about training and development issues within an organization. Part one of the two-part manual examines the process of identifying and analyzing training needs. It reviews the different types of information the…

This book offers step-by-step guidance on using needs assessment to design high-quality programs in continuing education. The book begins with a definition and description of needs assessment as part of the process of developing a continuing education program. The first of the book's 10 chapters describes the role of needs assessment in…

This monograph reviews and synthesizes highlights from relevant writings on evaluation and suggests interpretations and applications for practitioners who plan and conduct various types of educational programs for adults. It suggests that planning and conducting effective educational programs for adults entails contributions by various…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on work analysis and expertise. "A Taxonomy of Employee Development: Toward an Organizational Culture of Expertise" (Ronald L. Jacobs) includes five categories of employee competence: novice, specialist, experienced specialist, expert, and master. "An Integrated Needs…

Intended for those groups contemplating the establishment of any type of literacy services within a community, this resource is designed to help in the analysis of both the need for literacy services within the community and the currently available resources for meeting that need. Five steps are recommended to identify clearly both the needs and…

The literature on training evaluation and evidence from a number of employers who are actually undertaking some training evaluation activities were reviewed and synthesized into a cyclical model for evaluating training. First, the following direct benefits of evaluating training were identified: quality control; efficient training design; enhanced…

Training managers increasingly are being asked to document the cost effectiveness of their programs. A cost-benefit analysis program was implemented at the Anchor Hocking Corporation that may be useful for other organizations. The cost-benefit analysis at Anchor Hocking is part of the training system design. The complete training system design…

This guidebook describes the nature and use of an Educational Goals Inventory (EGI) and the interpretation of the collected data. It is designed for use with a self-scoring process, the EGI Software Computer Package. Chapter I contains an overview of educational programming for older adults and a description of the Non-Traditional Educational…

The importance of evaluation and needs assessment balance in the planning cycle of adult education program development is discussed. A 10-step Problem Analysis Model is offered and explained to help educators develop an integrated, reality-based program that identifies a target group and defines and prioritizes needs. (DF)

Describes questioning methods trainers can use to uncover training needs (interviews, surveys, test questions, program evaluations). Illustrates the use of questions at the beginning, middle, and end of training sessions. (SK)