Assessment of Workers Needs
Introduction
The aim of this paper is to discuss needs assessment in adult education and give examples. Thus, the paper will begin with definitions of needs and workers education. A discussion of the needs and methods used to assess needs will be given along with examples. A conclusion will then lead to the end of the discussion.
According to Krueger (1988), a need is the difference between what a person has and what they want. Soriano (1995), further defined a needs assessment as “a systematic set of procedures undertaken for the purpose of setting priorities and making decisions about program or organizational improvement and allocation of resources.” For the most part, the concept of needs assessment makes sense.
On the other hand, workers’ education, as commonly used, is not a generic term but has a specific connotation. “It is a special kind of adult education designed to give workers a better understanding for their status, problem, rights and responsibilities as workers, as union members, as consumers and as citizens”.
As observed by Morgan (1993), “Workers’ education and trade union are synonymous, since the chief aim of workers’, education is to equip the trade unions to take a more active interest in the movement.” But trade union education is narrower in scope in as much as it only confines itself in training workers to become good members of trade union whereas the workers’ education besides providing the workers the training in trade unions also aims at social and fundamental education as that is given with view to making a worker a good citizen as well as a good member of the trade union. According to the Encyclopedia of Social sciences, “Workers’ Education” seeks to help the worker solve his problems not as an individual but as a member of his social class.
As a whole, workers’ education has to take into consideration the educational needs of the worker as an individual for his personal evolution; as an operative for his efficiency and
The aim of this paper is to discuss needs assessment in adult education and give examples. Thus, the paper will begin with definitions of needs and workers education. A discussion of the needs and methods used to assess needs will be given along with examples. A conclusion will then lead to the end of the discussion.
According to Krueger (1988), a need is the difference between what a person has and what they want. Soriano (1995), further defined a needs assessment as “a systematic set of procedures undertaken for the purpose of setting priorities and making decisions about program or organizational improvement and allocation of resources.” For the most part, the concept of needs assessment makes sense.
On the other hand, workers’ education, as commonly used, is not a generic term but has a specific connotation. “It is a special kind of adult education designed to give workers a better understanding for their status, problem, rights and responsibilities as workers, as union members, as consumers and as citizens”.
As observed by Morgan (1993), “Workers’ education and trade union are synonymous, since the chief aim of workers’, education is to equip the trade unions to take a more active interest in the movement.” But trade union education is narrower in scope in as much as it only confines itself in training workers to become good members of trade union whereas the workers’ education besides providing the workers the training in trade unions also aims at social and fundamental education as that is given with view to making a worker a good citizen as well as a good member of the trade union. According to the Encyclopedia of Social sciences, “Workers’ Education” seeks to help the worker solve his problems not as an individual but as a member of his social class.
As a whole, workers’ education has to take into consideration the educational needs of the worker as an individual for his personal evolution; as an operative for his efficiency and
Bibliography: Altschuld, J and B,R. Witkin. (200). From Needs Assessment to Action: Transforming Needs into Solution Strategies. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Henerson, M.E. (1987). How to Measure Attitudes. Newbury Park: Sage, 1987. Krueger, R.A. (1988). Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research. Newbur Park: Sage. Morgan, D.L. (1993). Successful Focus Groups: Advancing the State of the Art. Newbury Park: Sage. Patton, M.Q. (1987). How to Use Qualitative Methods in Evaluation. Newbury Park: Sage. . Soriano, F. (1995). Conducting Needs Assessments: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1995.