Components of a Learning Contract
- Learning goals: What specific knowledge, skills, or attitudes does the learner want to develop?
- Learning strategies: How will the learner pursue these goals? (readings, conversations, experiments, projects, observations)
- Resources: What materials, people, tools, or experiences will support the learning?
- Evidence of achievement: How will the learner and facilitator know the goals have been met? (products, demonstrations, reflections, assessments)
- Timeline: When will specific milestones be reached and when will the contract be reviewed?
- Criteria for evaluation: What does good look like? Who evaluates (self, peer, facilitator)?
Preparation
01 · Create conditions of trust
- Learning Contracts only work when learners feel genuinely safe to identify their real goals and gaps.
- Facilitate a brief conversation about what participants hope to get from the learning experience before introducing the contract.
02 · Introduce the concept
- Explain that the contract is not a test or a performance obligation — it is a self-designed learning roadmap.
- Show examples of completed contracts from similar contexts.
03 · Prepare the template
- Create a simple template with the six components listed above.
- Provide guiding questions for each section to help learners who are unfamiliar with self-directed learning.
Step-by-step instructions
1
Individual reflection (10–15 min)
- Each learner reflects on: Where am I now? Where do I want to be? What matters most to me in this learning process?
- Write initial ideas before discussing with anyone.
2
Draft the contract (15–20 min)
- Each learner fills in the contract template, drafting all six components.
- Encourage specificity: not "I want to learn more about facilitation" but "I want to be able to design and facilitate a 90-minute participatory workshop by [date]."
3
Partner review (10–15 min)
- Learners share their draft with a partner.
- Partners give feedback using questions: Are the goals concrete enough? Are the evidence items achievable? Is the timeline realistic?
4
Negotiation with facilitator (5–10 min per person)
- Each learner reviews their contract with the facilitator (in a brief 1:1 or in small groups).
- Facilitator asks probing questions, suggests resources, and proposes adjustments if goals are unclear or unrealistic.
- Both learner and facilitator sign or formally commit to the agreed contract.
5
Mid-point check-in (ongoing)
- At pre-agreed intervals, learners review their own progress against the contract.
- The contract can be renegotiated if goals evolve or context changes — this flexibility is a feature, not a flaw.
6
Final evaluation (end of learning period)
- Learner completes a self-assessment using the contract as the reference.
- Share evidence of achievement with the facilitator and/or peers.
- Reflect: What did I learn beyond the contract? What would I change in how I designed it?
Materials
Learning Contract template (printed or digital)
Guiding questions for each section
Example contracts from previous cohorts (anonymized)
A shared system for storing and accessing contracts over time (folder, platform, binder)
Digital tools
Platforms
For virtual sessions or collaborative documentation.
Practical recommendations
Model vulnerability
If the facilitator is also a learner in the space, share their own learning contract — this normalizes honest self-assessment.
Resist the impulse to standardize
The power of Learning Contracts is in their personalization. If all contracts look the same, the method has been undermined.
Make renegotiation normal
A contract that cannot change is a cage, not a roadmap. Build in explicit moments for revision and celebrate when learners identify needed changes — it shows metacognitive growth.
Use peer contracts
Pairs or small groups can create shared learning contracts for collaborative goals — this adds accountability and builds community.
Connect to portfolio
Learning Contracts pair naturally with learning portfolios — the contract defines the goals, the portfolio documents the evidence.
Inspiration
Application examples by context:
- Higher education: Students in an elective course design individual research paths, choosing their focus, methods, and output format — the contract ensures the professor can certify rigor while allowing radical personalization.
- Professional development: Participants in a leadership program each define a specific leadership competency they will develop, with evidence to demonstrate growth by the end of the program.
- Community learning: Participants in a neighborhood capacity-building program define the practical skill they will master and the community contribution they will make with it.
- Online learning: Asynchronous learners use contracts to create personal structure and accountability in self-paced environments where external deadlines are absent.
