Learning Contract Issues - Essay Example

Brockett and Hiemstra (2007) summarize learning contracts as agreements between tutors and learners on teaching and learning concepts in the classroom. The inclusion of periods of learning and the methods of assessment enables the tutors to meet specific aims and objectives of teaching and learning.

Learning contracts, according to Knowles (2008) incorporate skills and values that ought to be learnt by the students in a specific period. Malcolm Knowles's model of learning contracts includes the approaches that ought to be used by the tutors to achieve the set goals and objectives of a lesson. Targets are mandatory in setting up a lesson for the learning objectives to be attained. Malcolm’s model indicates that for objectives to be met it is important that target dates are put in place. Time factor enables the tutors and learners to work towards a specific goal based not on assumptions but on factual terms designed by the time factor. For learning to be proven successful, evidence-based responses by learners have to be portrayed by learners. If the evidence brought forward has an element of validity, then learning may be described as successful.