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Designed and produced by theEducation Development Unit

Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education

Initial development sponsored by theScottish Higher Education Funding Council

© Scottish Council

for Postgraduate

Medical and Dental

Education

Learning Contracts

Authors

E A HeskethJ M Laidlaw

Instructional Design

J M Laidlaw

Desktop Publishing

L E BellM C Gunn

Computing

N K McManus

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Units Snippets on Learning Contracts

Learning Contracts... Snippets: 1 of 2

A learning contract is basically a shortagreement in writing between a trainee andsupervisor. It outlines what is expected tobe learned in a specific period and themethod of assessment of that learning.Although it is a formal written agreement itneed not be complex. It should outline:

� what the trainee will learn� how the learning will be accomplished� how the learning will be assessed.

Through learning contracts, trainees are encouraged to takemore responsibility for their own learning. They areencouraged to be involved in creating and implementingthis learning and, to a varying degree depending on the typeof contract, evaluate their own progress.

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Learning Contracts... Snippets: 2 of 2

��The problem

‘Coping with the demands of theward and the patients always seemsto take priority over my training’

‘Consultant X only lets me see theroutine patients in my case load’

‘I still find having to make rapiddecisions in an emergency verydifficult – it’s an area in which I needto improve’

Junior doctors

The solution

Learning contracts provide aneducational framework to a trainee’splacement. They assist in marryingthe individual learning needs of thetrainee with the demands of theworkplace thus making efficient useof that work experience. They alsoencourage the trainee to become amore independent learner – anessential feature for personal andprofessional development.

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Units Introducing Learning Contracts

Learning Contracts... Core: 1 of 9

A learning contract is a way of structuring alearning experience.

There are various types of learning contractsdrawn up for different purposes, eg for courses,placements, distance learning. Whatever the typeand format, learning contracts can be described as an agreementbetween trainee and teacher/supervisor which specifies in detail:

� what the trainee needs to learn/be able to do (learning orplacement objectives)

� how they will go about learning i.e. who and what will help(strategies and resources to achieve these objectives)

� what the trainee can produce to show that learning has beensuccessful (evidence to indicate achievement of objectives)

� how and by whom the learning will be assessed (criteria forevaluating the evidence).

CONT RACT

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Learning Contracts... Core: 2 of 9

Drawing up a learning contractcan be an effective andstimulating activity. It will ‘force’you as a teacher or supervisorand the trainee to have aconstructive discussion aboutlearning outcomes and howthey can be achieved.

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Learning Contracts... Core: 3 of 9

Learning contracts in action

Types of learning contracts

Learning contracts can be seen as lying on a continuum with ‘fullyself directed’ at one end and ‘prescribed’ at the other. In a fully ‘selfdirected learning contract’ the trainee might draft the entire contractand then negotiate and agree the contents with a supervisor. At theother end of the continuum the objectives and the assessment criteriafor achieving these objectives will be prespecified.

The trainee and supervisor together will negotiate means of achievingthese objectives.

Find out if your organisation uses learningcontracts and if so, what type.

Note...

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Learning Contracts... Core: 4 of 9

Drawing up the contract

We will now look at the steps involved. Don’t be too daunted – thekey to it is getting the learner involved and with both of you notfeeling too wary if you don’t get the contract right. It can always berenegotiated.

What does thetrainee need tolearn/achieve?

Achieving theobjectives

Providing theevidence

Assessing theevidence

For more informationclick on one of theoptions

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Learning Contracts... Core: 5 of 9

With a ‘precribed’ contract, the learning outcomes orobjectives will have been specified. These then becomethe basis for the learning contract.

With a ‘self-directed’ contract trainees set their ownobjectives. It is a negotiated agreement so you mayhave to strike some balance between what traineesfeel they need to do and what the course or placementrequires of them.

It is important that thereis agreement betweentrainer and trainee of thecontent of the contractbefore it is signed.

What does thetrainee need tolearn/achieve?

Achieving theobjectives

Providing theevidence

Assessing theevidence

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Learning Contracts... Core: 6 of 9

This might involve directing the trainee to specificbooks, journal articles, case notes, videos as well as tospecific people, eg fellow trainees at the same or higherlevel, other consultants, other professionals, for thepurposes of either talking to them or arranging to watchor perform a certain procedure.

Trainees should also workout ways to achieve theobjectives. It is apartnership.

What does thetrainee need tolearn/achieve?

Achieving theobjectives

Providing theevidence

Assessing theevidence

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Learning Contracts... Core: 7 of 9

Personal reflection and analysis by the trainee onevents relevant to the objectives is a useful way ofidentifying learning. Such reflection should not justbe a descriptive account of what has taken place, butshow lessons learned, weaknesses identified orimproved etc. In other instances successfuldemonstration of an activity to an appropriate personmay be required.

A short report, a discussion with the trainer, completionof a self assessment exercise, a presentation at an in-house training session are also means that can beused to provide evidence of increased knowledge.

The formal requirements of your training programmemay determine to some extent what evidence shouldbe produced. Trainer and trainee should be inagreement on the evidence to be produced.

What does thetrainee need tolearn/achieve?

Achieving theobjectives

Providing theevidence

Assessing theevidence

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Learning Contracts... Core: 8 of 9

The learning evidence needs to be assessed eitherinformally or, if certification is required, formally. Welldefined objectives will help in this stage. You shouldread the unit on that topic so that you can writemeasurable objectives.

For evidence to be formallyassessed it is usuallynecessary to set someassessment orperformance criteria.

What does thetrainee need tolearn/achieve?

Achieving theobjectives

Providing theevidence

Assessing theevidence

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Learning Contracts... Core: 9 of 9

Checklists too can be used to assessperformance. Assessment for a learningcontract, therefore, can range from simpleinformal peer assessment to formalassessment according to standards setby your organisation or unit.

The learning contractsshould not only specifyhow the evidence will beassessed, but alsomention who should bedoing the assessing.Note...

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Units Examples in practice

Learning Contracts... Examples: 1 of 1

Learning contracts need not becomplex documents. One side ofA4 will often suffice with space forthe objectives, the proposedactivities and resources, theevidence to be produced, themeans of assessing it and, finally,the target date. Here is an examplebased on a contract design fromChallis M (2000).

Make sure you arefamiliar with learningcontracts held inyour own situation.

To becompetentin breakingbad news.

Seeing andappreciatingthesensitivitywith whicha Sp. Regbroke badnewsto a patient.

Discuss withSp. Regstrategiesadopted.

Mycompetencein breakingbad news inboth thesimulated andreal situation.

Commentsfrom peers.

Patientreaction.

My ownincrease inself-confidence.

9 monthsinitiallyalthoughhope tocontinue toimprove.

Note...

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Don’t be intimidated by the term learningcontract. The emphasis is on ‘learning’ not‘contract’. Make sure the traineeappreciates this and explain the contract isto get them involved in and have someownership of their training.

Start by getting the trainee to do a SWOTanalysis i.e. think of their strengths andweaknesses, discuss the opportunities forlearning (practical experiences andresources such as books, videos) and finallythe threats, ie the things that might hindertheir learning.

Make sure the objectives are achievablewithin the timescale set.

P ractical tips

continued. . .

Learning Contracts... Practical Tips: 1 of 3

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Encourage trainees to work out their ownway to achieve the objectives but assist bypointing out people, experiences andresources that might help.

Resources that can be used for learningmight include: books/journals/newsletters/conference proceedings; officialpublications; case notes; audio/video/CD-ROM’s; lecture /workshop; work colleaguesfrom a range of professions; fellow trainees;community visits/clinics.Encourage trainees to be reflective on theirprogress by asking themselves ‘What did Ilearn from that experience? What wentwrong and why? What was the difficult andwhy? What am I worried about? What did Iwaste time on? What and how could I dosomething better?

continued. . .

Learning Contracts... Practical Tips: 2 of 3

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Evidence of learning that might be producedcould be: a solution to a problem; apresentation, clinical notes, personalreflections, a demonstration (real/simulated), a case study, comments from

an observer, records of work undertaken, areport, a self or external assessment.When negotiating the contract don’t make

the trainee feel they are being criticised forinadequacies – lay emphasis on building onexisting experience.

Learning Contracts... Practical Tips: 3 of 3

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Units O ther learning opportunities

There are many books and other resources on Learning Contracts. Here is ashort resumé of our suggestions.

Click the appropriatebutton if you wish tofind out more

Learning Contracts... Opportunities: 1 of 5

Books

Journals

Web

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Learning Contracts... Opportunities: 2 of 5

Books

Journals

Web

Anderson G, Boud D, Sampson J (1996). Learning contracts: a practicalguide. London, Kogan PageA very practical book that introduces you to the basic concepts of thelearning contract approach. It takes you through the process ofintroducing contracts for the first time and addresses the kind ofproblems that may be encountered. It also explores, with examples,how contracts can be adapted for different purposes.

Brown S, Baume D (1992) Learning contracts Volume 1: a theoreticalperspective; Volume 2: some practical examples. Birmingham, StandingConference on Educational Development (SCED)A useful easy to read series of papers which give both insight into andexamples of learning contracts.

Sephenson J, Laycock M (1993) Using Learning contracts in HigherEducation. London, Kogan PageA more detailed book on learning contracts. For those who wish to findout whether learning contracts might be worth exploring and developingfurther.

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Learning Contracts... Opportunities: 3 of 5

Books

Journals

Web

Parsell G, Bligh J (1996) Contract learning, clinical learning andclinicians. Postgraduate Medical Journal 72: 284-289A concise, useful paper that explores the relevance of contract learningto postgraduate training. Worth reading.

Challis M (2000) AMEE Medical Education Guide No.19: Personal learningplans. Medical Teacher 22: 225-236An excellent paper that provides a stage by stage strategy for developinglearning contracts.

Brambleby, P, Coates R (1997) Learning contracts in higher professionaltraining: a user’s guide. Postgraduate Medical Journal 73: 279-282This paper looks at experiences of learning contracts from both thetrainee and trainer perspective – looking at the process, advantagesand pitfalls. An example of a learning contract (one slightly differentfrom that on Page 3) is given.

Mc Allister M (1996) Learning contracts an Australian experience. NurseEducation Today 16 199-205Written in the context of nursing this paper gives a good account of theauthor’s experiences of using learning contracts – ones where thelearner sets his or her own objectives. The author’s reflections areworth reading and highlight many benefits of using such contracts aswell as some concerns. Useful recommendations for future use oflearning contracts are made.

Lowry M (1997). Using learning contracts in clinical practice.Professional Nurse 12: 280-283Although written in the context of nurse education, this straightforwarddescription of learning contracts is equally applicable to medicaleducation. It is a useful summary from another author.

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The international database TimeLIT (Topics in Medical EducationLiterature) www.timelit.org gives free access to articles relating toeducation in medicine, dentistry, nursing, patient health and theprofessions allied to medicine.

Other useful websites for those interested in Medical Education arethat of the Association for the Study of Medical Educationwww.asme.org.uk and that of the Association for Medical Education inEurope www.amee.org

Learning Contracts... Opportunities: 4 of 5

Books

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Learning Contracts... Opportunities: 5 of 5

The following units cover topics that are important in the writing oflearning contracts. You may wish to look at them as well.

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Aims &Objectives

NeedsAssessment

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Units G roup activity

If you have never been involved in drawing upcontracts before, get together with your colleagues.Agree and set some learning objectives for PRHOsor SHOs in your unit.

This will be the first stageof drawing up a pre-specifiedcontract for them.

Then discuss and negotiate the objectives with a group of trainees. Get them tocome up with additional objectives and refine them as necessary to ensure theyare achievable and at an appropriate level of ability for the stage of training.

Brain storm and discuss ways to achieve theseobjectives and assess the learning.

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Learning contracts may seem a lot of work butonce you and the trainees get used to theprocess there will be many benefits. Thetrainees will become less dependent on youand others to identify their needs and organisetheir learning; the existence of a contract makesit easier for other people to adopt a supervisoryor tutor role – you are not seen as the providerof all knowledge; the contract can respond toindividual needs.