How to Write a Learning Contract

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Knowing how to write a learning contract is important in enabling you to determine the
strategies to apply in order to improve performance. With the document, you will be able to
make comparisons on your current abilities with the desired goals. Read on to find out more on
how to write a learning contract through the best guidelines and examples outlined herein.
A learning contract is a document that is prepared by students to highlight their learning goals,
available resources for attaining them, challenges and solutions, deadlines and measurements. In
some occasions, you may need to seek the help of a member of your faculty or internship
instructor to prepare a learning contract. However, it would be ideal if you played the key role in
writing the learning contract personally considering that you are the one with the best
understanding of your ambitions in learning and life in general.
One of the benefits of mastering the art of how to write a learning contract is that the document
can offer you proper guidance on what to pursue for successful results in your field of study. A
learning contract will also help you to identify the most ideal process and content to focus on.
Besides, it will also clearly show how the set targets will be accomplished within the given
period of time.

Tips on how to write a learning contract

A learning contract is more like a guide to your success and requires a lot of input on your part as
an individual. With the following tips, you can easily know how to write a learning contract
within a short time.
Conduct some research on learning contracts
Just like other kinds of academic papers, learning contracts have been written for so many years
now. It is therefore advisable that you take a little time to study more about learning contract just
to have a grasp of what is at stake. This could at least give you a head start.
Research could also involve the analysis of thoughts. You should take time to read through your
mind and know exactly what you want or your ambitions for learning.
In case you decide to approach friends or others for advice on how to go about writing a learning
contract, it is important to always find those who will tell you the truth, and not those who are
only after pleasing you.
Narrow down to specific goals and strategies
In order to create a good learning contract that can guarantee success, it is important that you
have particular aspects to focus on. Although giving general statements may make the paper to
look great when read, it might not be of much help to your performance in reality.
Settle on meaningful goals and strategies that are achievable within your means. In fact, the
entire contract should highlight realistic elements that you are able to work on.
The best way to narrowing down your goals is listing down the skills or knowledge that you
already have and those that you intend to achieve then comparing them. This will make your
work less hectic.

Steps on how to write a learning contract

It is always important that you do not rush into writing a learning contract before drafting an
outline. Besides, it is important to note that a good learning contract should contain learning
objectives, strategies, methods of evaluation and summary of experience. Use the following
procedures to easily master the art of how to write a learning contract.
Learning Objectives

These are the main skills that you intend to acquire from the internship. If you are looking
towards improving in a particular area, it is important that you indicate it in this section.

Since what you include here will impact your activities during the learning period, you should be
clear on the specific things that you need to learn.
In setting the goals, it is also important that you reflect on what you already know, the skills you
have acquired in school and other areas since that will be quite useful in your success.
In simple terms, your goals should be SMART. This means that each should be specific,
measurable, achievable, results-oriented and timed.
Identify the likely challenges

Since a learning contract will help you in anticipation of the future, it is also important that you
highlight some of the problems that you are likely to experience in the learning process. In this
way, you will be able to determine the best strategies for overcoming them in order to be
successful.
Strategies

On this part, you should give a description of the avenues that you plan to pursue in order to
attain the outlined goals or objectives.
You should clearly show the project that you will be working on and time spent on it.
It is also important to indicate if you will be obtaining reference materials from the supervisor.
Even if you are planning to meet with professionals for more insight on your area of
specialization, it should also be shown.
There are also instances whereby you may need to enroll for a course, join a study group or even
find online resources to help in attaining your objectives. Those should also be clearly outlined
under strategies.
In the strategies section, you should also indicate how you intend to solve the challenges outlined
in the above step.
The number of strategies will depend on the set goals. On the other hand, you can always use
more than one strategy to achieve an objective.
Determine a deadline

In order to effectively accomplish the goals, you must have a time frame within which each will
be attained. Based on the level of involvement, the deadlines for your objectives may vary.
Choose a deadline that is realistic according to the strategies that will be used and mark it out.

Methods of Evaluation

This section will require you to explain how you intend to measure the progress of every goal.
Besides, you should also outline how to determine whether the set goals have been attained or
not, in a way that others can also be able to see.
In case you will keep a record or prepare a log detailing all the activities during the internship
period, it is important to point it out.
If you are planning to do a test by performing a particular task or operation, it should be clearly
noted. Besides, you should also indicate the person that you would like to evaluate you.
In the evaluation, it is also critical that you spend time to evaluate yourself on a personal level in
order to prove that you have attained the set objectives or not. Others may evaluate you too but
doing a personal interrogation will make the outcomes to seem more realistic based on your
feelings about the experience.
Many students do not usually spend time to read through what they have written. However, that
leads to lots of mistakes. It is advisable that you carefully read the learning contract after writing
to make sure that it meets your expectations.

Examples of learning contracts

Samples of contracts are also a crucial resource that can assist you in knowing how to write a
learning contract. The following are learning contract excerpts that you can refer to for
motivation in writing.
Example 1
Core Competency

Course objectives

Activities

Identify as a professional Advocate for clients to

social worker and behave gain access to social
accordingly
work services

In 2 cases, the
intern will pick an
agency to offer
the services free
of charge and
encourage clients
to visit.
Student will use
resources and
professionals in
advocacy for the
acquisition of
quality services

Due Dates

by families.

Click here to view the whole learning contract.

Example 2
Learning Objectives

Learning Strategies

Evidence of Accomplishment

To develop basic skills for working

with people from diverse
backgrounds

Student to be assigned 3
to 4 clients who are
different in ethnicity,
culture, age, gender and
sexual orientation
Student will observe field
instructor and other staff
members as they interact
with different clients

During supervision,
students will show
awareness of how
matters of diversity
impact communication
and understanding
between himself and
others.
Student process
recordings will involve the
use of questions for
clarification and lack of
assumptions in response
to clients who are
different from him and
come from diverse
backgrounds.

Read the whole of this sample learning contract here.

Example 3
Learning Objectives

Assignments, strategies
and Resources for
attaining the goals

1. Professional
Behavior

1. Cultural

Learning the
NASW code of
ethics
Attending
relevant
workshops and
training

Evidence for
accomplishment of
objectives

Deadline

The student will

demonstrate compliance
End of Spring semester
with the NASW code of
ethics

Competence and
Social Diversity

Find the rest of this sample learning contract here.

Its our hope that from the guidelines and examples above, you now know how to write a
learning contract with ease.
Are you struggling to handle academic papers like essays, term papers etc? Would you like
assistance in tackling such papers? If so contact us today for assistance. Alternatively, you can
also refer to our homepage to find out more on the various academic writing services that we
offer. We also have a blog that you can continue reading for more guidelines and tips on how to
write a learning contract and other academic papers.

References
http://adulted.about.com/od/intro/ht/learningcontrac.htm
http://www.georgetowncollege.edu/career/files/2011/05/IN_Learning_Contract_Tips.pdf
https://www.ufv.ca/media/assets/social-workhumanservices/bsw/The+Learning+Contract+pdf.pdf
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