Audience Analysis
This Instructional Design is geared toward a primary audience of on-campus community college students. There are some audience analysis questions that can be answered by specific institutions, some that can be answered by the students directly, some where it may be appropriate to make some assumptions, and other answers that are informed by my personal experience as a student and as an employee in the field.
Audience Demographics
Rationale: Demographics are often the first main view of a sample/population. Outside of income (which I feel is moot for this analysis since all relevant equipment will be provided), race/ethnicity, age, education and gender are typical demographic items. Demographic information is important to help focus or direct instruction, to help understand where a group of students may be coming from, and how best to setup objectives to meet course goals. For instance, student age might influence what music example pieces are utilized in class or might serve as a proxy for familiarity with specific technologies. Ethnicity might inform different production goals (ex. Electronic Dance Music v. Hip-Hop v. bluegrass). Level of education may help inform what text books are used.
What is the average age of the learners?
Based on the target audience (community college students in an Intro class), it will be assumed that the average age of learners will be 18-24 (based on personal experience and precursory online data analysis). The local community college and/or specific department in question could be consulted for campus-wide demographics.
Are the learners mostly men, women, or an equal mix?
Realistically, based on personal experience working in the audiovisual and music industries and completing two community college certificate programs in music technologies, men are more prevalent in the workplace and classroom.
What is their educational background?
Based on the target audience (community college students), personal experience suggests that average educational background of learners will be high school education or some college. A local community college and/or specific department could be consulted for specific demographics.
What cultural background, race, and ethnicity of the lerners? Is it homogenous? Heterogeneous?
From personal experience, most often, this will depend on location. Fort Collins, for example, is an overwhelming majority Caucasian town. Memphis, on the other hand, is majority African-American. A local community college and/or specific department could be consulted for relevant demographics.
What is the average age of the learners?
Based on the target audience (community college students in an Intro class), it will be assumed that the average age of learners will be 18-24 (based on personal experience and precursory online data analysis). The local community college and/or specific department in question could be consulted for campus-wide demographics.
Are the learners mostly men, women, or an equal mix?
Realistically, based on personal experience working in the audiovisual and music industries and completing two community college certificate programs in music technologies, men are more prevalent in the workplace and classroom.
What is their educational background?
Based on the target audience (community college students), personal experience suggests that average educational background of learners will be high school education or some college. A local community college and/or specific department could be consulted for specific demographics.
What cultural background, race, and ethnicity of the lerners? Is it homogenous? Heterogeneous?
From personal experience, most often, this will depend on location. Fort Collins, for example, is an overwhelming majority Caucasian town. Memphis, on the other hand, is majority African-American. A local community college and/or specific department could be consulted for relevant demographics.
Existing Knowledge & Experience
Rationale: Understanding where a student stands regarding the material (their current knowledge of/experience with the course content) can help inform specific objectives and goals.
What does your audience know about the topic? What is the level of expertise on this topic for most of your audience members? What background information does your audience have about the topic?
This Instructional Design project is an elective, introductory course. In order to ensure that all students are on the same page and using the same theoretical concepts and practical applications, all students will be treated as if they are coming in ‘tabula rasa’ (blank slate) to the processes of recording audio. All relevant vocabulary will be introduced, not assumed. Variations can be mitigated individually in the classroom and recording labs.
At what grade level do these learners read?
Since this is college-level course, it’s fair to assume that students are coming in with the ability to read at the high school level. Variations in reading ability can be mitigated via campus resources.
What does your audience know about the topic? What is the level of expertise on this topic for most of your audience members? What background information does your audience have about the topic?
This Instructional Design project is an elective, introductory course. In order to ensure that all students are on the same page and using the same theoretical concepts and practical applications, all students will be treated as if they are coming in ‘tabula rasa’ (blank slate) to the processes of recording audio. All relevant vocabulary will be introduced, not assumed. Variations can be mitigated individually in the classroom and recording labs.
At what grade level do these learners read?
Since this is college-level course, it’s fair to assume that students are coming in with the ability to read at the high school level. Variations in reading ability can be mitigated via campus resources.
Learning preferences
Rationale: There are many different ways of learning and, by extension, different ways to instruct. Understanding the learning preferences of the group can help inform the content of specific learning objectives and its method of delivery.
What tone is best for this audience?
‘Music Technologies’ straddle the worlds of art and tech, and their requisite members. The ‘types’ of students in the class may well inform the language used to express the course content. Each cohort of students may change semester-to-semester, year to year, depending on class characteristics (for example, the Fall semester class may be comprised of musicians who communicate with an artistic/creative tone, and the Spring semester might include more engineering-types who communicate more technically). The community college in which the course will be taught can be consulted for these specifics, if they’re documented.
What is the motivation level of the learners?
Being that this will be an elective course for which the student is paying tuition in order to attend, I feel it’s safe to assume motivation levels to be relatively high. If motivation levels become problematic (like, if a disinterested student takes the course for ‘an easy A’) prerequisite course requirements or interviews could be introduced.
What kind of communication would be most effective for this audience?
Assuming that learning styles will be varied, the aim will be to create instruction that can be broadly accessible, covering a variety of communication methods, including: lecture, text-based, collaborative peer interaction/teamwork, video resources, and experiential practice. Labs will include demonstration and hands-on learning.
What misconceptions might the audience have about your topic?
From prior experience, the biggest misconception I’ve seen is that the process is easy or intuitive. The course content is often more difficult, technical and detailed that new students anticipate.
What tone is best for this audience?
‘Music Technologies’ straddle the worlds of art and tech, and their requisite members. The ‘types’ of students in the class may well inform the language used to express the course content. Each cohort of students may change semester-to-semester, year to year, depending on class characteristics (for example, the Fall semester class may be comprised of musicians who communicate with an artistic/creative tone, and the Spring semester might include more engineering-types who communicate more technically). The community college in which the course will be taught can be consulted for these specifics, if they’re documented.
What is the motivation level of the learners?
Being that this will be an elective course for which the student is paying tuition in order to attend, I feel it’s safe to assume motivation levels to be relatively high. If motivation levels become problematic (like, if a disinterested student takes the course for ‘an easy A’) prerequisite course requirements or interviews could be introduced.
What kind of communication would be most effective for this audience?
Assuming that learning styles will be varied, the aim will be to create instruction that can be broadly accessible, covering a variety of communication methods, including: lecture, text-based, collaborative peer interaction/teamwork, video resources, and experiential practice. Labs will include demonstration and hands-on learning.
What misconceptions might the audience have about your topic?
From prior experience, the biggest misconception I’ve seen is that the process is easy or intuitive. The course content is often more difficult, technical and detailed that new students anticipate.
Technical Considerations
Rationale: Since this will be a technically-oriented course, it’s important to appreciate the current level of equipment knowledge and comfort possessed by the students. This way, course objectives can be designed to meet them in a place best suited to maximize their learning.
What hardware and software will your learners use?
This will depend on what is offered at the institution. The appropriate department can provide the details as to what specific machines are available on-campus. From personal experience and former education I’ve seen that, typically, modern desktop computers are involved as well as various styles of software namely: a multi-track capture and editing suite, a mastering suite, and any additional music production devices (drum machines, samplers, synthesizers, plug-in effects). Dual video monitor setups are preferable to single video monitors. There will also be mixing boards, microphones, cables, stands, and possibly outboard hardware.
How technically savvy are your learners?
Having gone through study and worked in the field, as long as a student is comfortable with the ‘point and click’ nature of modern operating systems and are familiar with basic commands of a CD player (play, stop, pause, forward, rewind, volume), they’ll have the basic skills to get started.
What hardware and software will your learners use?
This will depend on what is offered at the institution. The appropriate department can provide the details as to what specific machines are available on-campus. From personal experience and former education I’ve seen that, typically, modern desktop computers are involved as well as various styles of software namely: a multi-track capture and editing suite, a mastering suite, and any additional music production devices (drum machines, samplers, synthesizers, plug-in effects). Dual video monitor setups are preferable to single video monitors. There will also be mixing boards, microphones, cables, stands, and possibly outboard hardware.
How technically savvy are your learners?
Having gone through study and worked in the field, as long as a student is comfortable with the ‘point and click’ nature of modern operating systems and are familiar with basic commands of a CD player (play, stop, pause, forward, rewind, volume), they’ll have the basic skills to get started.
Expectations Management
Rationale: It’s important to understand student expectations on the front-end of delivering a course. This line of inquiry can inform a student cohort’s level of dedication and time commitment, setting up some parameters as to assignment length and the development of course objectives as they relate to a student’s level of involvement. This will help guide the instruction to meet the students where they are, and to ensure that the most appropriate materials are incorporated.
What level of participation is expected?
Participation will be key to success in this course. Participation is expected to be high. Otherwise, they’re likely to not be successful. From personal experience as well as prior study, I know that it’s imperative to actively practice these skill sets in order to gain understanding.
Why are students taking this training?
This course will be setup aligned with the goals that are standard to other college-level courses in the field, specifically: learners are taking the course to further their own musical agenda, to better understand music technologies, or to work towards possible employment in the field.
How much time can learners devote to training?
As this is a typical college course with a lab component, I believe it’s safe to assume that they students will apply at least a typical amount of time as related to a 3-credit class with a 1-credit lab component.
Do any students have special needs, such as visual, audio, or physical impairments?
This can be discerned in the typical fashion by way of: 1) student self-identifying their needs or 2) notification via the appropriate campus resource (for example, Office for Resources for Disabled Students).
What level of participation is expected?
Participation will be key to success in this course. Participation is expected to be high. Otherwise, they’re likely to not be successful. From personal experience as well as prior study, I know that it’s imperative to actively practice these skill sets in order to gain understanding.
Why are students taking this training?
This course will be setup aligned with the goals that are standard to other college-level courses in the field, specifically: learners are taking the course to further their own musical agenda, to better understand music technologies, or to work towards possible employment in the field.
How much time can learners devote to training?
As this is a typical college course with a lab component, I believe it’s safe to assume that they students will apply at least a typical amount of time as related to a 3-credit class with a 1-credit lab component.
Do any students have special needs, such as visual, audio, or physical impairments?
This can be discerned in the typical fashion by way of: 1) student self-identifying their needs or 2) notification via the appropriate campus resource (for example, Office for Resources for Disabled Students).
Questions for learners to help improve design
Why are you taking this course?
What do you want out of it?
Do you have a background in music? Are you a musician? What do you play?
How many hours per week, outside of class & labs, do you expect to spend doing course work?
Have you ever recorded music before? If yes, in what setting?
Have you ever used a microphone? If yes, what kind and in what setting?
Do you know what a ‘signal chain’ is?
What’s an example of a recording that you think sounds good? What about it is good?
How often is music playing in your environment?
How best do you learn new ideas (video, lecture, practice, reading)?
What grade do you expect to get?
What’s your favorite style of music?
What do you want out of it?
Do you have a background in music? Are you a musician? What do you play?
How many hours per week, outside of class & labs, do you expect to spend doing course work?
Have you ever recorded music before? If yes, in what setting?
Have you ever used a microphone? If yes, what kind and in what setting?
Do you know what a ‘signal chain’ is?
What’s an example of a recording that you think sounds good? What about it is good?
How often is music playing in your environment?
How best do you learn new ideas (video, lecture, practice, reading)?
What grade do you expect to get?
What’s your favorite style of music?