Learning Contracts

A Presentation by Jason Jenningsfor Curriculum in Practise I

(Prof. Robert Sargent, MSVU)November 2005

What is a learning contract?

•a written agreement between teachers and students that outline what students will learn, how they will learn it, in what period of time, and how they will be evaluated (Parke, 1989, pp.70-71).

•a.k.a

learning plans

learning commitments

study plans

learning agreements

self-development plans

• secondary education can seek to move from pedagogy (teacher-directed learning) to androgogy (student-directed learning) adult education

• androgogy theorist: Malcolm S. Knowles

• many post-secondary institutions employ learning contracts to adhere to androgogical ideals

• Knowles outlines need of self-directed learner:

The need to know.

The need to be self-directing.

The need to have the learners' unique experiences taken into account.

The need to gear learning to the learners' readiness to learn.

The need to organize learning around life tasks or life problems.

The need to promote intrinsic motivations.

• learning contracts can meet these needs

• informal, understood contracts already exist in traditional education:

student agrees to attend class

teacher set expectations and activities for achievement of outcomes

student performs activities for reward of grades, skills, knowledge, greater understanding

teacher agrees to assess activities based on a pre-determined scale or rubric

What are the benefits of a learning contract?

• allow students to engage actively in the decision-making process, directing their course of study

• helps students to set daily and weekly work goals and develop management skills

• allows students to work independently

• allows students to work at an appropriate pace

• targets learning styles and multiple intelligences

• eliminates unnecessary skill practice

• helps teacher keep track of each student’s progress

• can be used for enrichment or whole-class activities

• could be used a part of curriculum compaction

• varies learning by content, process and product

What are the hazards of a learning contract?

• Discomfort, insecurity about reaching desired academic goals/grade, fear because idea is unfamiliar to many students

• Tensions: honesty in grading, autonomy vs. heteronomy, illusion of vs. real empowerment (ownership of learning)

• Time commitment

What are the issues of implementations of a learningcontract?

• Importance, nature & extent of teacher guidance

• Flexibility & freedom vs. structure & limitations (Scope & quantity of decisions initially to be made by student, idea of amendment to contract)

• Trust between teacher and student

• Class size & time commitment

• Comfort and teaching experience

"Contract learning is, in essence, an alternative way of structuring a learning experience: It replaces a

content plan with a process plan."

-Malcolm S. Knowles

What are the components a learning contract?

•what will be learned (ie. outcomes, knowledge, skills)

•how it will be learned (ie. activities, projects, readings, learning behaviours)

•amount of time for learning (ie. due dates, recommended duration periods for activites)

•how the work will be evaluated (ie. grading based on pre-test results, total-point structure, rubrics posted in advance, self-correction)

•signatures of student, teacher and possibly parent/guardian (optional)

“..contract grading allows the instructor to incorporate a number of learning principles into grade contracts.”

-Thompson and Poppen

What are the guidelines of a learning contract?

•ensure that student has mastered basic concepts (ie. pre-testing)

•match the skills to the readiness of the learner

•match the content to readiness, interest, and learning profile (ie. learning styles, multiple intelligences) of the student

•allow student choice, especially in the content-based topics

•provide rules for contract in writing

•establish clear and challenging standards for success

•blend both skills and content-based learning in the contract

•vary the levels of independence and time span to match student readiness

What are the guidelines of a learning contract? (cont’d)

•prepare enrichment activities and assemble materials (these should require students to respond at more advanced levels of cognitive domain theories (ie. Bloom’s Taxonomy, Ebel’s Relevance Guide, Six Facets of Understanding [Wiggins & McTighe])

•install a schedule for re-examining/revising contract with individual student (if necessary)

•define what evidence will be presented to demonstrate that the outcomes have been accomplished

•clearly explain how evidence will be evaluated

•specify how much credit is to be awarded and what grade is to be given

What are the guidelines of a learning contract? (cont’d)

• refrain from giving excessive directions as instructor

• emphasize self-competition & de-emphasize competition with others (encouraging cooperative, peer learning activities)

• develop with students a sense of freedom from the threat of failure

• provide feedback to student on the appropriateness of her or his efforts through self-evaluation of student

• generalize learning to other life situations

• provide physical space for students on contracts to work

• allow students to present products to whole class or smaller group

• allow students to return to non-contracted student group if expectations of individual contracts not being met

“Instruction begins where the students are, not at the front of the curriculum guide.”

-Carol Ann Tomlinson

What are the “DO”s of learning contracts?

•help students set realistic deadlines

•explain the role and function of contracts

•renegotiate the contract when it isn’t working

•involve students gradually in contract development

•start small, ie. 1- or 2-day contracts

What are the “DON’T”s of learning contracts?

•do not expect all students to be able to or want to use contracts

•do not expect all students to like contracts

•do not assume contracts can take the place of regular instruction

•do not use contracts without a good classroom management system

"Allowing students to decide which grade they wish to strive for, which activities they will engage in, and how they will demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed their studies permits a teacher to seize upon powerful motivating forces within individual students.”

-Frymier

Questions for further discussion:

•What are consequences for off-task behaviour of contracted students?

•Does contract learning increase paperwork for teacher?

•How does a teacher reckon a grades for contracted and non-contracted students in the same class?

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BIBLIOGRAPHY & FURTHER READING:

•Caffarella, R. S., & Caffarella, E. P. (1986). Self-directedness and learning contracts in adult education. Adult Education Quarterly, 36(4), 226 - 234.•Cross, K. P. (1981). Adults as Learners. San Francisco, CA•Knowles, M. S. (1975). Self-Directed Learning. New York: Cambridge, The Adult Education Company. •Knowles, M. S. (1980). The Modern Practice of Adult Education From Pedagogy to Andragogy. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Cambridge Adult Education. •Knowles, M. S. (1986). Using Learning Contracts. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers. •Parke, B. N. (1989). Gifted Students in Regular Classrooms. Needam Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.•Thompson, C. & Poppen, W. (1972). For Those Who Care: Ways of Relating to Youth. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company. •Tomlinson, C. (1995a). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. •Tomlinson, Carol Ann (1999). The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development•Winebrenner, Susan (1992). Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MA: Free Spirit Publishing Inc.•URL: http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/differentiating_article.html. “Enhanced Learning with Technology”•URL: http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/readingdifferentiation.asp. “The Access Center: Differentiated Instruction”•URL: http://www.southlakecarroll.edu/index.htm. “Carroll Independent School District: Differentiated Instruction”•URL: http://www.ucd.ie/teaching/assess/as11.htm. “Learning Contracts”