Need Assessment Mini Project

Submitted by Shaun Anderson

November 5, 2015

Stakeholders
Jason JacoIT DirectorOversees all aspects of the IT department. He is in agreement that a
more solid plan for the operations of the IT department would be beneficial to the institution as a
whole.
Arthur GentryNetwork Administrator-- Provides software and network support, training and
troubleshooting. He is primarily responsible for the performance of PCCUA physical network
infrastructure. Arthur is very articulate and precise and has broad knowledge of the network
system. He is easy to work with and will be very helpful in addressing overall network concerns.
Ernest ToddComputer Support Specialist-- Provides software and network support, training
and troubleshooting. Ernest deals mainly with computer passwords, resetting passwords, Datatel
issues, etc.
DJ BurkesProgram CoordinatorProvides software and network support, training and
troubleshooting. Provides support on a wide range of applications including Microsoft products.
He will be a good source of information regarding the current process involved in computer
installation and maintenance around campus.
Lee WilliamsComputer Assistant--Provides software and network support, training and
troubleshooting. Provides support on a wide range of applications including Microsoft products.
Lee is very intuitive and is very active in all areas of the IT operation.
Mickey JohnsonComputer Technician
In addition to working with computers, Mickey requests quotes for technical equipment. He is
knowledgeable in the area of equipment costs and specifications. Although Mickey is located on
the ARCO campus, he is readily available via phone, text, and email.
Stan Sullivant, CFOStan oversees the IT department. He wants to see a reliable procedure in
place regarding cost effectiveness of IT investments. He also would like to see a more structured
and planned approach to the IT departments operations.
Faculty and StaffThe PCCUA Faculty and Staff is dedicated and committed to student success,
but often reluctant to change; need to work to minimize faculty and staff uncertainty if major
changes occur.
Vice-Chancellor for Instruction-- The Vice-Chancellor for Instruction assures high quality
instruction for all PCCUA academic programs.

Questions Asked
1. What technologies are (equipment, software, networks, etc.) and resources are needed by
instructors and students to support academic success?
2. What information technology and processes are needed to promote the integration of
information services to enable students to access the information when they need it?
Where they need it?
3. What information technology personnel are needed to enhance instructional efforts to
ensure student success? What budgetary resources are needed to enhance instructional
efforts to ensure student success?
Techniques to Answer Questions

Nominal Group Process MeetingA NGP meeting (Attachment A) was held to

answer the question, What information technology resources are needed to support
instructional efforts to ensure student success? The steps of the nominal group
process were:
1. The leader stated the question to be considered.
2. Individuals generated ideas.
3. Ideas were listed.
4. Ideas were clarified and similar ideas were combined.
5. Ideas were ranked.
6. Initial ranking of ideas was discussed.
7. Final ranking and consensus.
Participants included the IT Coordinator, 2 Key Players from IT department, 2
students, 2 faculty members, Advising Specialist, Vice-Chancellor for Instruction

Focus Groups--On October 20, a morning focus group (Attachment B1) was held
with students and an afternoon focus group (Attachment B2) meeting was held with
faculty to answer the question, What technologies are (equipment, software,
networks, etc.) needed by instructors and students to support academic success? The
participants included a cross section of students for the morning meeting and a cross
section of instructors for the afternoon meeting, all from different academic areas and
skill levels. Results are summarized in the Conclusion Section.
Informal Interview--An informal interview (Attachment C) was held with the IT
Director, the Network Administrator, and a Program Coordinator to answer the
questions, What information technology personnel are needed to enhance
instructional efforts to ensure student success? Shifting of personnel duties may be
necessary to provide technology training. What budgetary resources are needed to
enhance instructional efforts to ensure student success? No budgetary resources were
identified as being needed to enhance instructional efforts to ensure student success.

Technique to Prioritize Needs

Zero to Ten Rating
Participants: Debby King, Vice-Chancellor for Instruction; Stan SullivantCFO; Jason Jaco
IT Director; Robin BryantArts and Sciences Division Chair; Advising Specialist; Scott Post
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Next to each need determined through NGT, focus groups, and interview, a continuum was
drawn with numbers from 0-10. At the left end, zero was labeled Can Wait. At the right end,
10 was labeled as "Essential to Do Now." Each person approached the chart where the items and
continua were listed and placed a self-stick dot on each continuum according to his or her
opinion of the importance of the item for the coming year.
After all of the self-stick dots were placed, the group had a clear visual representation of clusters
of agreement. The group then focused on the items that were ranked 6 or above and through
discussion agreed upon a ranking for the needs.
Conclusion
The needs analysis and prioritization revealed that technology needs at PCCUA revolve around
training and methods rather than equipment needs. The prioritization committee feels that, once
instructors receive training and professional development in technology to support instruction
and learning, they will become aware of and will report related technology equipment and
resource needs. They further agreed that a part of this strategic plan should include a follow up
analysis of instructor technology resource needs once training has occurred. No budgetary needs
were identified.

Questions Asked
What technologies are (equipment,
software, networks, etc.) and resources are
needed by instructors and students to
support academic success?

Needs Prioritized
1. Instructors need professional
development in classroom technology
The need for professional
development and training on the use
of learning technologies, particularly
for faculty, was the most collectively
mentioned issue in the focus groups.
Students want their faculty to be as
proficient as they are, so that class
time can be used more efficiently.
Training and professional
development would likely increase the
use of existing technologies by faculty
and increase the requests for
additional technologies.
2. Students need training in technology

Similarly, students need indicated

that they need training for themselves
so that they are also able to take
advantage of available technologies.
3. Faculty and instructional staff need a
more immediate response to
technological issues.
What information technology and
processes are needed to promote the
integration of information services to
enable students to access the information
when they need it? Where they need it?

What information technology personnel

are needed to enhance instructional efforts
to ensure student success? What
budgetary resources are needed to
enhance instructional efforts to ensure
student success? (none were identified)

1. Students need interactive technology

to improve convenience and
collaboration and learning spaces to
accommodate teamwork-- Focus
group students indicated a need for
technology that will allow them to
interact with other students, such as
student chat rooms, open only to
students.
2. Students need beep a tutor
programs and technical help desks to
answer students questions and
resolve technical issues.
1. Shifting of personnel duties will be
necessary to provide technology
training.

APPENDIX A
Nomimal Group Process Meeting
Supplies needed for a NGP are:

3 x 5 note cards (at least 3 for each participant),

pencils or markers, and

an easel and flip chart.

Step 1 (5-minutes)
1. The group leader introduces himself, states the purpose of the meeting and asks group
members to briefly introduce themselves. The group leader gives each participant 3 note
cards.
The group leader states a question to be considered. What information technology
resources (personnel and budgetary) are needed to support instructional efforts to ensure
student success?
Step 2 (10 minutes)
Each person lists the technology resources he/she feels are most needed on a 3 x 5 card without
discussing them with the others.
Step 3 (30 minutes)
The group leader asks each person in turn to give one answer to the question which is then listed
on the flip chart. The items will not be discussed, only listed; the goal is simply to record. This
round-robin listing continues until each person has all of their ideas on the flip chart.
Step 4 Clarify and Combine Ideas (15 minutes)
The group leader will facilitate the combining and clarifying of ideas (with input from the group)
on the flip chart.
Step 5 (40 minutes)
Now the group ranks the ideas on the flip chart. The leader numbers a second sheet of flip chart
paper. Each person picks five items (more than five makes tabulation difficult) and writes them
on their second 3 x 5 card along with the item's number.
Using the third card, each person writes down the numbers 1 through 5. Referring to their five
items, each person ranks those items from 1 to 5 (1 is most important; 5 is least important). The
card might look like this:

1. #6
2. #7
3. #2
4. #5
5. #10
When everyone has finished, the leader tabulates the individual rankings. The completed
tabulation might look like this:
1. 2,4,1,1,5
2. 4,5,5,1
3. 2,1
4. 1,1,2,1
5. 3
6. 3,2,4
7.
8. 1,3,2
9.
10. 4,4,3,3,5,5,3,2,2,4,3,5,5
The group leader then adds the "votes" for each item and divides by the number of votes that
item received.
1. 2,4,1,1,5 = 13/5 = 2.6
2. 4,5,5,1 = 15/4 = 3.75
3. 2,1 = 3/2 = 1.5
4. 1,1,2,1 = 5/4 = 1.2
5. 3 = 3/1 = 3

6. 3,2,4 = 9/3 = 3
7. = 0
8. 1,3,2 = 6/3 = 2
9. = 0
10. 4,4,3,3,5,5,3,2,2,4,3,5,5 = 48/13 = 3.7
Step 6 (20 minutes)
The group then has the opportunity to discuss the ranking. If the group is satisfied with the
outcome, the process is complete.
Step 7 (0-10 minutes)
If the group is not satisfied with the outcome, it can decide to vote again. For example, we might
decide to vote on the top ranking items to be sure the ranking reflects the group's judgment.
Occasionally, an item may rank high because it received only one or two votes, but those votes
placed it as most important.

APPENDIX B1
Focus Group Questions for Students

Overarching Question:
What technologies are (equipment, software, networks, etc.) needed by instructors and students
to support academic success?

Probing Questions:
What technology resources do you currently use at PCCUA?
Do you believe that you have sufficient access to technology at PCCUA to assist you with the
things you want and need to be able to do with technology? Has this been consistent over the
time youve been at PCCUA?

What technologies do you wish were available at the college for your use? If could have access
to one particular technology resource at PCCUA what would that be?

How do you envision those technologies applying to your college experience?

Are there other specific technology expectations you want in your education?
Do you feel that what youve done in school with technology (what youve used, what youve
learned) has prepared you for your future after you leave school? Why or why not?

Responses summarized in Conclusion Section.

APPENDIX B2
Focus Group Questions for Students

Overarching Question:
What technologies are (equipment, software, networks, etc.) needed by instructors and students
to support academic success?

Probing Questions:
What technology resources do you currently use at PCCUA?
Do you believe that you have sufficient access to technology at PCCUA to assist you with the
things you want and need to be able to do with technology? Has this been consistent over the
time youve been at PCCUA?

What technologies do you wish were available at the college for your use? If could have access
to one particular technology resource at PCCUA what would that be?

How do you envision those technologies applying to your college experience?

Are there other specific technology expectations you want in your education?
Do you feel that what youve done in school with technology (what youve used, what youve
learned) has prepared you for your future after you leave school? Why or why not?

Responses summarized in Conclusion Section

APPENDIX C
Informal Interview

An informal interview (Attachment C) was held with the IT Director, the Network
Administrator, and a Program Coordinator to answer the questions:
1) What information technology personnel do you feel are needed to enhance
instructional efforts to ensure student success? Currently, we feel that sufficient
personnel are in place to provide the necessary support for instructors to ensure student
success. We have had several requests from instructors for a system in which immediate
responses are given for technology requests. Still, we feel like we have sufficient
personnel at this point in time. If we decide to implement a more structured professional
development plan (and decide that PD is within the scope of our department), we may

need additional personnel resources, or we may be able to shuffle responsibilities within

the department.

2) What budgetary resources are needed to enhance instructional efforts to ensure

student success? Information Technology funding is appropriated in the general
institution budget by the Arkansas legislature through a funding formula. No funds are
appropriated to IT by any federal or state grant specifically. Additional funding for
technology is available through grants. If we decide we need extra personnel for a more
structured professional development plan, it is very possible that the funding could be
worked through a grant.