Using and Developing Learning Contracts

Example:

Learning Contract between ________ and ________
Competency Areas	List specific problem situations
Knowledge / Abilities Needed	What do you want to learn?
Settings	Where do you expect to apply and practice skills?
Barriers	What might interfere with you meeting your objectives?
Resources and Strategies	How will you learn? What will you need to help you?
Evidence of Accomplishment	How will know when you have met your objectives?
Signed:	(trainee)	(trainer)
	(manager)	(date)

Using the Learning Contract.

While process of drawing up the contract is valuable, the document itself can be vital in planning and executing the training. Take a look at this example:

Example:

Learning Contract between D. James and A. Trainer
Competency Areas	List specific problem situations	Feedback Skills: - I receive negative responses when I give feedback. - My personal judgments get in the way. - I am unsure about how often to give feedback.
Knowledge / Abilities Needed	What do you want to learn?	- Have a working knowledge of guidelines for giving appropriate and constructive positive and negative feedback. - Become more skilled at identifying appropriate times and places for giving feedback. - Expand network in search for role model/mentor
Settings	Where do you expect to apply and practice skills?	- At training sessions. - Meetings with journalists. - Team meetings.
Barriers	What might interfere with you meeting your objectives?	- Lack of role model(s). - Not enough opportunity to practice at job site. - I think I know all there is to know about giving feedback.
Resources and Strategies	How will you learn? What will you need to help you?	- Written information on feedback in the "Feedback Toolkit". - Bibliography in pre-training packet. - Training workshop. - Seeing demonstrations/examples
Evidence of Accomplishment	How will know when you have met your objectives?	- Write guidelines for constructive positive and negative feedback and review with 2 people at the training session. - Give feedback to 3 people and ask each person if how I gave feedback was biased or didn't account for their differences. Keep a log of responses. - Get names and numbers of at least 3 people I can contact for support/developing mentorship and call them between training events.
Signed: D. James, A. Trainer, Date: 01

Looking at the learning contract, the trainer can plan the most effective training for each individual. The trainee can work through the training contract, safe in the knowledge that the training is tailored to their needs. Keep in mind, however that as you work on it you may find that, both the trainer and trainee's notions about the training will change. So don't hesitate to revise or renegotiate your contract as you go along.

When each formal training session is completed, look back at the "evidence" section of the learning contract. Have the objectives been met, or is further training needed?

Using a learning contract can empower individual employees to take responsibility for their own training and development, and assist trainers to develop more effective training. It is no wonder their use is becoming widespread in business as well as the education sector.