Learner Analysis: Three Crucial Goals for Instructional Design Learners come into the classroom with varied experiences, values, qualities, moods, and motivation. Although Brown and Green (2016) classify learners into two broad categories of and of captive audience (extrinsically motivated) and willing volunteers (intrinsically motivated) learners, they also highlight the myriad sub characteristics within each group. There is no one correct way to perform learner analysis (LA) but the existence of several theories can enable instructors to perform relatively effective LAs and use them as a guide to design instruction (Brown & Green, 2016). LA is important because it helps identify best ways of reaching the target audience so that teaching, learning and instruction can be maximized (Siemens, 2002). Siemens (2002) holds that in conducting an LA, three types of characteristics must be considered: situation, decision, and learner-characteristics. The situation determines who the targe...