Strategies to promote student empowerment in the nursing practicum at Clarkson college include having students (1) select practicum sites; (2) write learning contracts; (3) choose clients to care for; (4) evaluate themselves with weekly logs; (5) read nursing literature; and (6) present a one-hour seminar. (SK)

Methods for providing continuing medical education at practice sites include peer-based learning, using practice-based information, individual learning contracts, self-assessment, and educational technology. Benefits include convenience, self-pacing, reduced travel costs, enhancement of income and productivity, and immediate application of…

The Johnstown (Pennsylvania) Middle School has adopted a simple, practical school bus discipline program that refers disruptive students to the bus-duty teacher to discuss the incident. The bus driver's written report activates the bus-rider training program, featuring temporary loss of riding privileges, a simulated bus ride, a safety video, a…

Case studies demonstrate that well-managed learning contracts can significantly increase the value of supervisor development, help facilitate more consensus-building and collaboration, and encourage organizational learning. (SK)

Presents the following articles on energy efficiency and American public schools: "High Performance Schools Reduce Costs and Improve Student and Staff Environment" (Larry Schoff); "ASHRAE's Standard 90.1: Educating the Engineer" (Mack and Melanie Wallace"; and "Performance Contracting: Meeting the Challenge of Deferred Maintenance in America's…

Consultant learning turns the management classroom into a laboratory for free enterprise. Students determine their own grades by earning consulting fees for completing projects they design and propose. Project work becomes a portfolio for future employment. (Contains 15 references.) (SK)

The present study focuses on the use of a cooperative methodology with university students during the last year of their degree programme. The task structure could be freely chosen, and there were no restraints on group decisions to deal with the classroom work. All the elements of cooperation were based on a reward structure. The results show…

At Clackamas Community College, a system of contract learning has been adapted for use in a technical writing class. The course focuses on teaching the essentials of technical writing (i.e., clarity and organization in report writing); the basic employment attitudes that local businesses and industries expect; and the form of writing that the…

The concept of growth contracting in higher education and the applications and limitations of growth plans are examined. In addition, critical steps in the process of developing contracts with faculty are identified. A professional growth plan is a binding agreement, which helps faculty and institutional representatives clarify specific goals.…

Changes toward a more egalitarian teacher-student relationship are discussed, including elimination of the academic caste system, increased faculty encouragement of student autonomy, reconstruction of fieldwork experiences, increased student involvement in school administration, and individual instruction based on contract. (Editor/PG)

Discusses the use of performance contracts as a means of stimulating student motivation. (JR)

Summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of contract grading as revealed through current research. A sample contract syllabus which was used in a basic university speech communication course is included. (MH)

A behavior contract is a tool that many teachers and school staff use to successfully control or modify the behavior of students. In such a contract, behavior that the teacher wants the student to achieve as well as the actions that the student promises to perform to achieve the desired behavior are stated in writing. There are many types of…

Independent learning, supported by a learning contract, is a viable option for college English courses. The learning contract states the student's general educational purposes, specific purposes of the contract, learning activities to be undertaken, and evaluation criteria. Each student meets with the instructor individually to set time goals and…

The subject of this bulletin is achieving better discipline through the use of contingency management. Part 1 discusses the basic beliefs of behaviorists and the basic principles of behaviorism. It states that all human beings do what they do in pursuit of some variety or combination of tangible reinforcers, social reinforcers, and intangible…