Embarking on learning as an adult can be rewarding, and kind of scary at the same time. The same goes for the educator who accepts the challenge to help adults move forward in their nontraditional learning environments. Conducting the appropriate needs assessment in the adult educational arena is crucial. When the learner is indecisive or uncertain about his or her learning needs, the assessment can be the tool that sets the learner on the right path to experience the transformational, life altering learning they seek. All it takes is an enlightening moment. My epiphany came when I realized that distinctive boundaries no longer exist between what I need to read to complete an assignment and what I desire to read because it might impart a wisdom that I can share with my students. The realization brings the needs of the learner center stage and highlights the importance of needs assessments and evaluations in adult training and education.

Patricia B. March 19th, 2017

It starts with a set of questions:

• Are assessment and evaluations synonymous?
• Are they perhaps different but equal?
• What is the established logical sequence for the two events?
• Should I always assess before I evaluate, or is it possible to evaluate then assess?

As I reflected on my learning goal for this unit, I realized that this unit of instruction will enable me to crest the precipice of transitioning from leaner to teacher. My overall goal is to gain skills to use the results of a well constructed needs assessment as a catalyst for developing instructional units that facilitate the development of useful formative and summative evaluations.

Patricia B. February 28th, 2017

Creating meaningful instructional units that achieve the desired goals of nurturing transformation requires strategic consideration of three elements; the learner, the learning, and the learning environment. All three are equally important. Empowered with this perspective readies us to develop goals for creating the instructional unit.

GOALS

• Understand and apply the whole concept way of thinking; the learning environment determines how the learner processes the learning.
• Create instruction plans that motivate the learner to be themselves. The true self is the only self capable of being transformed.

Patricia B. February 13th, 2017

As I reflect on my personal goals that I am achieving while transitioning through this portion of the class, I am intrigued with the connection between the data that I collected and analyzed as part of a needs assessment how that exercise enhanced my overall performance. The simple act of conducting a needs assessment for the task of developing a program within my organization directed and defined my lesson plan. I am able to both objectively and subjectively realize the goal of designing an instructional unit that meets the individual and collective needs to facilitate our developmental needs in constructing the desired program.

Patricia B. January 31st, 2017