Psychology

Posted: August 7th, 2013

Learner Analysis

Name:

Course:

Date:

Learner Analysis

Discussion 1

For a learning experience to take place, several factors have to be considered. From the article, the first consideration is to know the content to be learnt during the course. This prepares the student in advance for the lessons ahead. Another crucial factor obtained from the article is for the instructor to know whom the target audience is. This will enable them to prepare adequately for the lessons keeping in mind the audience that they have. For instance, the biology course has various contents the students require to learn. Most instructors believe that all their students learn the same way they do, but this is not the case. As stated in the article, for a course to be effective, it must draw some interest from the learner, and this is enhanced by the method of teaching used by the instructor (Theodore & Sullivan, 2008). The content to be taught during the study period requires an outline to be provided to the students. This is important because it helps them to prepare in advance for the lessons.

This course outline is also crucial to the instructor because it enables him or her to plan for the lessons, as well (White, 2007). The knowledge of the target audience is crucial. This is because different audiences require different methods of teaching. The article states that a target audience refers to the people the instructor is required to educate, for example, a high school class or an undergraduate class (Crooks, et al, 2000). These audiences comprise of different age groups and this affects the method of presentation of the information to be relayed. In the case of the biology course, which is targeted for the high school students, the instructor should use a more interactive approach in order to stimulate their interest in the subject. The instructor may also use practical sessions and give relevant examples that apply to the students (Schnackenberg et al, 2000). These factors enable students to have a memorable learning experience in whatever course they are pursuing.

Discussion 2

‘I want to take this opportunity to welcome you to this course. I am Professor Brown and I will be your instructor during this learning period. This course will cover the biological sciences in their entirety. Two main topics discussed shall include botany and zoology each with several sub-topics. Both these divisions will be covered during this semester. The sub-topics pertaining to zoology and botany and the appropriate reference materials will be provided in the complete course outline. The course should include engaging, practical lessons that should be done in order to enhance the understanding of the theoretical concepts. There will be a practical lesson at the end of every sub-topic. These practical lessons may be conducted in the laboratories in proximity to you. This will be with the help of the Biology professor in the laboratories that you select. However, I will require the names of these institutions in order to make this arrangement with them.

I would advice that these lessons be attended is small groups to ensure that every student participates in the lesson effectively. Group discussions will also be conducted in the case of research papers. Research papers will focus on the content learnt during the period it is given. It is expected that the papers will have no plagiarism and that they will be handed in on time. You will be required to form these groups by yourselves and a group should not exceed five members. During the formation of these groups, the proximity of the members’ homes should be taken into consideration. Group members should come from areas neighboring each other to increase the efficiency of the discussion group. Every month-end, a continuous assessment test, shall be conducted and one major exam at the end of the semester. Feel free to ask any questions if you fail to understand something in the course of the lessons, I have availed my email address for this reason. I look forward to teaching you and I hope that this semester will be enjoyable for us all.’