Re: Learning Contracts LO885

DEWARTD@SNYBUFAA.CS.SNYBUF.EDU
Sat, 22 Apr 1995 09:57:22 -0500 (EST)

Replying to LO864 --

I have used learning contracts in my work as an adult educator with adult
learners in classes such as instructional techniques, facilitating adult
learning, adult learning and development. Judith O'Donnell and Rosemary
Caffarella have an excellent overview chapter on their use in the book
Adult Learning Methods edited by Michael Galbraith, Krieger Publishing,
1990. Malcolm Knowles has a 1986 book called Using Learning Contracts,
Jossey-Bass.

Even though these resources are aimed at educators, replace educator with
manager and you move to an organizational setting. Not sure if these are
the books you refer to in your posting, but I have found them useful. If
you'd like to ask me specific questions about my personal experiences with
them, please feel free to send a note.

Regards,

Tammy Dewar
Coordinator, Non-Credit Programs
Buffalo State College
Center of Lifelong Learning
TR100, 1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222-1095
(716) 878-5906
(716) 878-5930 FAX

dewartd@snybufaa.cs.snybuf.edu

The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave
when we don't know what to do. (John Holtz)

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Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 08:54:25 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mike Gurstein <mikeg@nywork2.undp.org>
Subject: Learning Contracts LO886
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Replying to LO849 --

I think this would be of more general interest to the list so perhaps
responses could be sent to the list as well as to Mr. Chiasson.

I am particularly interested in the notion of "learning contracts" as an
internal management consultant within the UN from the perspective of
accountability and "capacity building" in the developing world context.

Michael Gurstein, Ph.D.
Management Adviser
Office of Internal Oversight Services
United Nations
New York, NY 10017

On Thu, 20 Apr 1995, Andre Chiasson wrote:

[...snip by host...]
> We want to implement "Learning Contracts" in our organization. While we
> can describe the concept and outline what it might contain, I realized
> that this network may have already "invented this wheel". Does anyone have
> either documentation on Learning Cotracts in terms of forms, briefing
> naterials, hand-outs etc. or in terms of reference material that we could
> obtain. I have researched several books on the subject and haven not found
> much in the way of specifics.