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Whether or not you organize the material in the manner described in this article, for a learning contract to be most effective it is important to think through objectives, outcomes, and assessment with your student. Allowing your student to participate in the process of articulating the undergraduate research (UR) learning goals and outcomes creates a sense of ownership in the student that increases the likelihood of the student completing these goals (Anderson, Boud, and Sampson, 10; Boak, 30). In addition, leading a student through the process of articulating objectives and learning goals models for and teaches the student how to conceive of a research project, or at least a portion of a research project. This is a helpful set of skills for students who are going to continue doing UR or who are considering graduate school. These skills are also transferable to a variety of professional contexts, since breaking down the outcomes necessary for completing a research project involves the same critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary for a wide range of projects. Each student, however, is different, and some students may need more guidance than others in articulating learning goals.

Some scholarship on learning contracts uses the language of “negotiating” to describe the process of developing the learning contract, as though this contract is a business or legal contract (e.g., Boak, 67 ff; Stephenson and Laycock, 29 ff). This language alludes to the fact that this process involves give and take between the student and the mentor, although the mentor clearly should have the final say on the goals, outcomes, and assessment by virtue of the mentor’s experience. George Boak reminds mentors that during this process they should aim at creating a contract that is “realistic, precise and clear, owned by the learner,” and appropriate to the UR program for which the contract is being designed (Boak, 68). Putting together a realistic learning contract requires listening closely to your student during the negotiation process. Ideally within this conversation or set of conversations you are able to assess your student’s knowledge of the subject, familiarity with research protocols, and overall commitment. All of these are important to know as you articulate the expectations for the project.

As I have indicated in describing the structure I use for learning contracts at my institution, there are times during the research process when the contract may need to be renegotiated. UR is not always a linear process and is often shaped by discoveries or setbacks in research. Renegotiations to the contract should be done together and written down as amendments to the contract. Some scholars suggest the possibility of developing a “progressive” or “serial” learning contract, which involves developing a sequence of contracts over time that support one or more overarching learning objectives or goals (Anderson, Boud, and Sampson, 120). 

When the research project or timeframe comes to an end, it can be beneficial for mentor and student to look over the contract together. Students are often surprised when they see “in black and white” what they have accomplished over the semester. If your student has not completed aspects of the contract, this can serve as an opportunity to discuss how these will impact the student’s evaluation or grade. More importantly, reviewing and discussing the contract together can provide another opportunity for thinking about the different ways of tackling a research project. You might ask your students to think about how the process, including the specific learning outcomes, shaped the research project, or even how different learning outcomes or assessment tools might have helped or hindered the process. In other words, completion of the contract allows for further reflection on the ins and outs of doing research. If you are working with a student over multiple semesters, these types of conversations are invaluable. 

A UR experience has the potential of being a life-changing learning experience for a student, as well as being a productive and enjoyable experience for a UR mentor. Learning contracts can facilitate this experience by empowering the student while allowing the mentor to have a hand in guiding the research experience.



 

This website contains archived issues of Religious Studies News published online from March 2010 to May 2013, and PDF versions of print editions published from Winter 2001 to October 2009.

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