Contract learning is a process where students and instructors agree on learning objectives and benchmarks, allowing for a self-directed learning path. The student takes responsibility for their learning and identifies the steps needed to reach their goals, with contracts written and signed by both parties.
Contract learning is a tool used in education where the student and instructor agree on benchmarks and ultimate learning objectives. It offers an alternative to a content learning path by providing a process learning path. Student participation in the process can be the foundation of a lifelong love of learning.
Most contract learning is typically used in self-directed study, although it sometimes occurs in traditional classroom settings as well. The contract learning process teaches students to become more involved in their studies and to identify the steps needed to reach their ultimate learning goals. For example, a student who needs to learn about the universe can draw up a contract that states which planet he will study each week and by what performance parameters he will show that he has learned the content.
Each learning contract is prepared individually, but generally identifies the objective of the learning, how the objective will be achieved, the date by which it is to be accomplished and how the student will demonstrate the newly acquired knowledge. This process must be shared between the student and the instructor. There should also be a clause indicating what score or grade the student will receive for each reference achieved.
If a student is studying plants, the contract may state that he will receive full marks if he can name all parts of the plant, explain how plants pollinate, and discuss five plants indigenous to his geographic area. A student who completes only a portion of these objectives will receive a grade or reduced grade. All these elements must be agreed upon when the contract is drawn up.
Contract learning places the responsibility for learning back on the learner. Rather than a teacher determining how a student will learn a concept, the student identifies the steps and process by which it will be accomplished. This type of education is often used in home school settings. Students who successfully complete their contracts often continue self-directed studies throughout their lives.
The learning contract concept is used from preschool through college. Contracts are written and signed by both the student and the instructor. Sometimes there is an evaluation process where contracts are periodically reviewed by other educators to ensure they are being written properly and judged fairly.
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