The effects of two types of contingency contracts and self-pacing on student performance in a personalized system of instruction (PSI) class were examined. Forty-seven college students in a principles of educational psychology class were randomly assigned to either a short contract, long contract or self-pacing group. One group of students signed…

The paper discusses the expansion of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) to include home and community-based training activities by active two-party service contracting with handicapped students. Specific topics include a justification of homework, current status of the IEP process, current instructional problems, the viability of homework as a…

A competency-based performance contract instructional approach to teaching advanced shorthand at Illinois State University (Normal, Illinois) revealed that better-prepared or independent-study oriented students were favored more by the approach than less-able students needing constant teacher guidance. The instructor spent an increased amount of…

Administrators' reactions to educational reforms in France. (RL)

A discussion of instructional dysfunction, the failure of the student to attain educational goals because of some complication or breakdown in the process of instruction. (Author)

The research was designed to teach 61 learning disabled (LD) junior high school students to set realistic goals, to expend effort to achieve the goals, and to accept responsibility for achieving or failing to achieve their goals. Ss completed the Michigan State Self Concept of Ability Scale, the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Scale, the…

Utilizing a social learning approach the Georgia Department of Offender Rehabilitation has implemented a performance-based correctional management model based on the assumption that only self-rehabilitation is viable. Earned Time System (ETS) provides resources and motivational opportunities for inmates to assume personal responsibility for their…

This study was designed to investigate the effect of contract grading on the following variables: student performance on a cognitive posttest, final grade received in the course, student attitude toward the course, the amount of assigned reading completed by the students, the amount of time students devoted to the course, and the degree to which…

There are many institutions that utilize the learning contract as a framework within which learning is described. At Empire State College, the learning contract is a term used to imply a solid commitment to a plan of study developed by a student and a faculty member after whatever deliberation both deem necessary. The learning contract specifies…

Herein are discussed the question of what is an incentive; the use of incentives in industry; the current patterns of reward and punishment in the schools; policy implications of the patterns of reward and punishment currently found in the schools; from an historical view, the incentive systems that the schools have tried out in the past,…

Performance contracts, in which an outside organization undertakes to provide instruction in a local educational agency's jurisdiction, are discussed in this report. Characteristics of the outside educational organization are described. Payment schedules are outlined in detail, as are the problems of accurately measuring gains. Arguments for and…

This report describes the methodology and results of the "incentives only" experiments at Mesa, Arizona and at Stockton, California. The incentives only experiment -- one facet of the performance contracting experiment -- involved contracting to provide incentives to teachers and students, rather than contracting with particular private technology…

Preventive maintenance can extend useful equipment life in a school building and keep systems running more efficiently. Points to consider before selecting a comprehensive energy management package are listed. (Author/MLF)

A discussion of student contracting, a plan whereby a teacher and a student or a group of students make an agreement that a certain amount of work is to be completed in a certain amount of time. (Author/HB)