Using Learning Contracts

A practical, proven method for engaging adult learners Adding accountability to the learning process has been shown to engage students more deeply and get them invested in their own outcomes. Using Learning Contracts provides practical guidance on implementation in the classroom or corporate setting, helping instructors individualize and add structure to the learning experience. With real-world tips and expert advice from a leader in adult learning, this guide is an invaluable resource packed with insight on using learning contracts effectively.

Learning contracts have been a successful feature of many university/continuing education programmes over the last 20 years but many staff are still unfamiliar with them or have difficulty using them. This guide introduces the learning contract to those considering using them on their courses.

An introduction to learning contracts, a new concept in education which encourages learners to plan, monitor and review their progress. The contributors to this volume explain how learning contracts are being used in a number of UK universities.

Learning contracts have been a successful feature of many university/continuing education programmes over the last 20 years but many staff are still unfamiliar with them or have difficulty using them. This guide introduces the learning contract to those considering using them on their courses.

George Boak's book reviews the different kinds of contract and looks at their advantages and disadvantages. He explains what is involved in preparing, negotiating, supporting and evaluating a contract and discusses related issues such as accreditation and the links between learning contracts and the competency-based approach.

This text combines a practical, hands-on approach to programming with the introduction of sound theoretical support focused on teaching the construction of high-quality software. A major feature of the book is the use of Design by Contract.

In the second edition of Labor-Based Grading Contracts, Asao B. Inoue refines his exploration of labor-based grading contracts in the writing classroom. Drawing on antiracist teaching practices, he argues that labor-based grading contracts offer a compassionate approach that is strongly grounded in social justice work. Updated with a new foreword and revised chapters, the book offers a meditation on how Inoue's use of Freirean problem-posing led him to experiment with grading contracts. The result is a robust Marxian theory of labor that considers Hannah Arendt's theory of labor-work-action and Barbara Adam's concept of "timescapes." The heart of the book details the theoretical and practical ways labor-based grading contracts can be used and assessed for effectiveness in classrooms and programs. Inoue concludes his exploration of labor-based grading by moving outside the classroom, considering how assessing writing in the socially just ways he offers in the book may provide a way to address the violence and discord seen in the world today.