Learning Blog #2 - Needs and Tasks Analysis

My first teaching experience came roughly 11 years ago at Havre de Grace Middle School. I was a recent hire in the mathematics department and I was asked to teach two periods of 8th grade Physical Science. I agreed because I had always liked science and had taken several science related classes in college but I did not realize that I may be unprepared for teaching Science. I was unprepared for the amount of preparation required nor the curriculum. My problem was how to teach Science given that my training was in mathematics. My needs analysis began with identifying my critical needs; material, resources, curriculum guides, lab procedures and assessment guidelines. I sought the help of highly qualified Science teachers who helped me collect materials for my class and introduced me to available resources. I studied curriculum guides, assessment materials and started completing lab experiments under the watchful eye of the Science department head. At schools end of the first year I was comfortable in the science room and was looking forward to the upcoming year.
Looking back I can see elements of needs analysis and task analysis similar to those we are studying today. Needs analysis was pretty simple, I had to learn how to teach Science. My approach was like Rossett’s Five-Step Approach. I looked for optimal performance. The other 8th grade science teacher was experienced, established and considered one of the best science teachers in the county. I decided to do whatever he wanted me to do. Actual performance was easy. I had no experience teaching science, therefore, my performance was lacking. My feelings were that I knew I could teach science and that I would like teaching it. Identifying causes was another easy step. I knew I lacked some skills, the science lab was unfamiliar territory and I was unsure I could motivate the science students.
Task analysis of my science teaching evolution is much like Jonassen, Hannum and Tessmer’s Approach because it was a ‘process of analyzing and articulating the kind of learning that you expect the learners to know how to perform.’ Tapping into the expertise of my SME, the other 8th grade science teacher, I inventoried tasks that needed to be developed for instruction. After identifying the inventory tasks I broke them down into curriculum areas, assessment areas, laboratory areas and procedural areas. Basically, I described them, prioritized them and sequenced them according to content level and academic level.
I taught 8th grade Physical Science for three years before I was given a schedule of all math classes and I really enjoyed the experience. I could not have done it without the help of Mr. Ray Hebert who I believe was the best science teacher in Harford County. I continue to use my science experience in my math classes by having my students conduct experiments and collect data, then make predictions using math concepts. It was fun.