Front-End Needs Analysis

 
Assignment 1: Front-End Needs Analysis
Due Week 3 and worth 160 points
Imagine that you work for an educational organization or a training department for an organization (e.g., K12, higher education, corporate training, military, or non-profit). Your organization is procuring a new Learning Management System (LMS) for online education or training needs. 
Note: You may use aspects of existing processes from either your current or a former place of employment. However, you must remove any and all identifying information that would enable someone to discern the organization[s] that you have used. You may also create and / or make all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of these assignments.
The following resources may help you with this assignment:
·  Article titled “LMS Needs Analysis – Questions To Ask When Reviewing Systems”, located at http://www.funderstanding.com/educators/lms-needs-analysis-questions-to-ask-when-reviewing-systems/
LMS Needs Analysis – Questions to Ask When Reviewing …www.funderstanding.comA must read before anyone invests in a learning management system, to automate, maximize, leverage and get the most ROI out of training activities.

·  Article titled “Resources for Procuring the ‘Right’ Learning Management System”, located at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/training-and-development/reference-materials/procuring_lms.pdf
Write a four to six (4-6) page paper in which you:
1.  Describe your organization and explain what kind of education / training it provides.
2.  Explain the current systems and processes used for education / training in your organization.
3.  Identify the key internal administrative and educational stakeholders from your organization that will access and / or maintain the LMS. Specify each stakeholder’s role for the LMS.
4.  Determine at least five (5) key specific needs of the organization that you foresee will benefit from an LMS based upon the stakeholders’ roles. Justify your response.
5.  Prioritize and classify the needs that you determined in Question 3 in order to select the right LMS for your organization. Justify your response.
6.  Suggest a strategy for assessing proprietary and open-access LMSs to correspond with the needs of your organization. Provide a rationale for your suggestion.
7.  Provide at least two (2) reliable, relevant, peer-reviewed references (no more than one [1] used previously), published within the last five (5) years that support the paper’s claims.
8.  Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
a.  Typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
b.  Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
c.  Include a reference page. Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
·  Analyze an organization’s learning needs and rationale for selecting a Learning Management System (LMS).
·  Differentiate between proprietary and open-access LMS.
·  Use technology and information resources to research issues in technology tools to manage learning.
·  Write clearly and concisely about issues in technology tools to manage learning using proper writing mechanics.
·  Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

Points: 160

Assignment 1: Front-End Needs Analysis

Criteria

Unacceptable

Below 70% F

Fair

70-79% C

Proficient

80-89% B

Exemplary

90-100% A

1. Describe your organization and explain what kind of education / training it provides.

Weight: 10%

Did not submit or incompletely described your organization; did not submit or incompletely explained what kind of education / training it provides.

Partially described your organization; partially explained what kind of education / training it provides.

Satisfactorily described your organization; satisfactorily explained what kind of education / training it provides.

Thoroughly described your organization; thoroughly explained what kind of education / training it provides.

2. Explain the current systems and processes used for education / training in your organization.
Weight: 10%

Did not submit or incompletely explained the current systems and processes used for education / training in your organization.

Partially explained the current systems and processes used for education / training in your organization.

Satisfactorily explained the current systems and processes used for education / training in your organization.

Thoroughly explained the current systems and processes used for education / training in your organization.

3. Identify the key internal administrative and educational stakeholders from your organization that will access and / or maintain the LMS. Specify each stakeholder’s role for the LMS.

Weight: 10%

Did not submit or incompletely identified the key internal administrative and educational stakeholders from your organization that will access and / or maintain the LMS. Did not submit or incompletely specified each stakeholder’s role for the LMS.

Partially identified the key internal administrative and educational stakeholders from your organization that will access and / or maintain the LMS. Partially specified each stakeholder’s role for the LMS.

Satisfactorily identified the key internal administrative and educational stakeholders from your organization that will access and / or maintain the LMS. Satisfactorily specified each stakeholder’s role for the LMS.

Thoroughly identified the key internal administrative and educational stakeholders from your organization that will access and / or maintain the LMS. Thoroughly specified each stakeholder’s role for the LMS.

4. Determine at least five (5) key specific needs of the organization that you foresee will benefit from an LMS based upon the stakeholders’ roles. Justify your response.

Weight: 15%

Did not submit or incompletely determined at least five (5) key specific needs of the organization that you foresee will benefit from an LMS based upon the stakeholders’ roles. Did not submit or incompletely justified your response.

Partially determined at least five (5) key specific needs of the organization that you foresee will benefit from an LMS based upon the stakeholders’ roles. Partially justified your response.

Satisfactorily determined at least five (5) key specific needs of the organization that you foresee will benefit from an LMS based upon the stakeholders’ roles. Satisfactorily justified your response.

Thoroughly determined at least five (5) key specific needs of the organization that you foresee will benefit from an LMS based upon the stakeholders’ roles. Thoroughly justified your response.

5. Prioritize and classify the needs that you determined in Question 3 in order to select the right LMS for your organization. Justify your response.

Weight: 15%

Did not submit or incompletely prioritized and classified the needs that you determined in Question 3 in order to select the right LMS for your organization. Did not submit or incompletely justified your response.

Partially prioritized and classified the needs that you determined in Question 3 in order to select the right LMS for your organization. Partially justified your response.

Satisfactorily prioritized and classified the needs that you determined in Question 3 in order to select the right LMS for your organization. Satisfactorily justified your response.

Thoroughly prioritized and classified the needs that you determined in Question 3 in order to select the right LMS for your organization. Thoroughly justified your response.

6. Suggest a strategy for assessing proprietary and open-access LMSs to correspond with the needs of your organization. Provide a rationale for your suggestion.

Weight: 15%

Did not submit or incompletely suggested a strategy for assessing proprietary and open-access LMSs to correspond with the needs of your organization. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale for your suggestion.

Partially suggested a strategy for assessing proprietary and open-access LMSs to correspond with the needs of your organization. Partially provided a rationale for your suggestion.

Satisfactorily suggested a strategy for assessing proprietary and open-access LMSs to correspond with the needs of your organization. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your suggestion.

Thoroughly suggested a strategy for assessing proprietary and open-access LMSs to correspond with the needs of your organization. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your suggestion.

7. Provide at least two (2) reliable, relevant, peer-reviewed references (no more than one [1] used previously), published within the last five (5) years that support the paper’s claims.

Weight: 5%

No references provided

Does not meet the required number of references; some or all references poor quality choices.

Meets number of required references; most references high quality choices.

Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices.

8. Writing Mechanics, Grammar, and Formatting

Weight: 5%

Serious and persistent errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

Partially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

Mostly free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

Error free or almost error free grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.

9. Appropriate use of APA in-text citations and reference section

Weight: 5%

Lack of in-text citations and / or lack of reference section.

In-text citations and references are provided, but they are only partially formatted correctly in APA style.

Most in-text citations and references are provided, and they are generally formatted correctly in APA style.

In-text citations and references are error free or almost error free and consistently formatted correctly in APA style.

10. Information Literacy / Integration of Sources

Weight: 5%

Serious errors in the integration of sources, such as intentional or accidental plagiarism, or failure to use in-text citations.

Sources are partially integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

Sources are mostly integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

Sources are consistently integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

11. Clarity and Coherence of Writing

Weight: 5%

Information is confusing to the reader and fails to include reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.

Information is partially clear with minimal reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.

Information is mostly clear and generally supported with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.

Information is provided in a clear, coherent, and consistent manner with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.