Learner Characteristics

1
Kemp, Morrison and Ross Model
Planning
Planning
Revision
Instructional Problems
Learner Characteristics
Evaluation Instruments
Evaluation
Summative
Task Analysis
Development of Instruction
Support Services
Implementation
Confirmative
Evaluation
Designing the Message
Instructional Objectives
Content Sequencing
Instructional Strategies
Formative Evaluation
Project Management
2
LearnerCharacteristics

• Who will be receiving
• the instruction (training?)

3
Objectives

• Describe various types of academic, personal, and
  social learner characteristics. Be sure to
  include general characteristics, specific entry
  competencies, and learning styles.
• Describe sources of information for determining
  learner characteristics.
• Describe characteristics of nonconventional
  learners.
• Describe factors in the instructional environment
  that should be analyzed.

4
Knowing your audience

• is like knowing about your bike

• the gears, tires, shifting, speed, and brakes
  will determine where you can go and how you will
  get there.

5
Target Population

• intended audience for instruction

6
Target Population

• intended audience for instruction

try-out audience
7
Implications for the Design of Instruction

• response mode
• number of examples
• amount of practice
• feedback
• learner control
• reading level
• vocabulary
• reinforcement
• time
• learning guidance

• pace
• practice
• relevance statements
• attention
• context of examples
• context of practice items
• concreteness / abstraction
• structure
• medium
• grouping
• chunking

8
Assessing Characteristics

• records
• interviews
• surveys
• observation
• job descriptions
• personnel profiles
• texts and articles

9
General Characteristics

• age
• gender
• health
• language
• ethnic / cultural background

10
Reporting General Characteristics
11
Personal / Social Characteristics

• maturity level
• motivation level
• expectations
• vocation aspirations
• special talents / interests
• mechanical dexterity
• previous or current employment
• ability to work under various environmental
  conditions

12
Reporting Personal/Social Characteristics
13
Reporting Personal/Social Characteristics
14
Academic Characteristics

• education completed
• training levels completed
• special courses completed
• previous performance levels
• standardized test scores
• GPA

15
Reporting Academic Characteristics
16
Specific Entry Characteristics

• prerequisite skills
• previous or current experience with topic
• reading levels
• attention span
• attitude towards work or the subject

17
Reporting Specific Entry Characteristics
18
Reporting Specific Entry Characteristics
19
Learning Styles

• visual / auditory
• sensory / intuitive
• inductive / deductive
• actively / reflectively
• sequentially / globally

20
Learning Styles Links

• Learner Characteristics and Instructional Design
• http//www.atl.ualberta.ca/articles/idesign/learnc
  har.cfm
• Learning Styles
• http//www.tecweb.org/styles/stylesframe.html

21
Reporting Learning Style Characteristics
22
EnvironmentCharacteristics

• What resources will the learners have for
  instruction (training?)

23
Analyzing the Instructional Environment

• Policies
• Training methodology
• Time allowed for training
• Support for training requirements
• Technology
• Hardware
• Software
• Network connections
• Resources
• Meeting rooms
• Technical help
• Supplementary learning materials

24
Documenting the Instructional Environment
25
Summary

• Its critical to determine the unique
  characteristics of your learners and the learning
  environment.
• Consider
• General characteristics
• Personal / Social Characteristics
• Academic information
• Specific entry characteristics
• Learning styles

26
Your Assignment

• Using the Learner and Context template, document
  a complete profile of your intended audience and
  learning environment.
• Specify the general characteristics
• Specify personal / social characteristics
• Specify academic information
• Specify entry characteristics
• Specify learning styles
• Specify the learning environment

27

• fini