Selection of appropriate content areas and topics for a community college level printing program: a needs assessment approach

The problem in this research was to derive and prioritize program content areas and topics for a community college level printing program appropriate to the needs of the printing industry in Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada. This prioritized list will provide guidance during curriculum development.

The needs assessment executed in this study was a Beta-type needs assessment. The methodology used in this study was a telephone interview technique utilizing a questionnaire developed on the basis of in-person interviews with key informants in the printing profession.

As a result of this study, curriculum guidelines were offered for a community college level printing program. Within these guidelines, the broad content area of press operations was given the highest priority, with almost one-half (45%) of the curriculum devoted to press course offerings in press operations. The broad content area of pre-press operations was given the second highest priority, with approximately one-third (33%) of the curriculum devoted to course offerings in pre-press operations. The broad content area of postpress was given the least priority, with less that one-quarter (22%) of the curriculum devoted to course offerings in post-press operations.

Curricular emphasis of specific topic areas within these broad content areas were also examined, and recommended curricular emphasis was given for these topic areas. In addition demographic information regarding the size and scope of the printing industry in Halifax County was reported.