Workshop material for Online Educa 2011

1. Learning Contracts
Pattern and Scenario
Michael Derntl
RWTH Aachen University, Germany
derntl@dbis.rwth-aachen.de
Workshop Theory and Practice of Design for Learning
Online Educa 2011, Nov. 30, Berlin, Germany
http://ld-grid.org
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2. Intent and Motivation
Let teams/learners propose topics they want to elaborate and
sign contracts defining learning outcomes and expected
contributions for each team/participant.
Motivation:
– allow learners to define and follow their own learning paths and
objectives (within a given frame)
– allow learners to explore and elaborate areas of interest in an
active, self-directed way
– provide learners with a substantial degree of both security and
responsibility.
– signed agreements about desired learning outcomes
(alternative form of evaluation)
– Further deeper interest/knowledge in a special
application/context of the course's subject matter
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3. Solution
• Provision of background material
• Provision of shared (virtual) workspace
• Contract proposal, negotiation and approval
• Provision of tutor support
• Optional work in progress inspection(s)
• Sharing of contract outcomes
• Self and peer assessment
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4. Activity
flow
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5. Scenario: “Exam or Contract”
Context:
– Course about an applied subject
– Online workspace incl. CMC tools available
– Tutors to support the learners via CMC
Scenario:
– Set of initial theory lectures; then choice for learners:
• Classic assignments & exam at the end of the course OR
• Participate in a learning contract scenario
– Exam path:
• Set of predefined individual assignments (graded by tutors)
• Final written exam
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6. Scenario: Interactive lecture
• Learning contract path:
– Instructor publishes contract template + instructions (online)
– Learners gather in teams of four and propose a learning contract
• Set of objectives/outcomes + work plan
• Approval by instructor (f2f or online)
– Teams work on their stuff…
– There is a mid-term inspection with each team (by instructor and tutors; f2f)
• Basic understanding of the theory
• Fulfilling the mid-term objectives defined in the contract
– Teams work on their stuff…
– Each team presents their finished work in a presentation session at the end of
the course (f2f)
– Each learner
• Chooses one other team for peer assessment (online)
• Provides a written self assessement (online)
– Instructor checks achievement of objectives defined in the contract and
assigns individual grades
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