Abstract
BACKGROUND: The benefits of contract learning have been identified in the literature as increased individualization to meet the student's individual needs, promotion of learner independence, and development of lifelong learning behaviors among students.
METHODS: I used an “action research” approach to implement the contract-learning method into a clinical course. Clinical learning contracts were designed to provide students with the opportunity to focus on any identified areas of unsatisfactory or desired practice. The learning contract specified how the learner would acquire the knowledge and attitudes relevant to their selected learning experience. The learning contract was used as a learning tool and as evidence of the student's development in the clinical experience. Twenty-four senior respiratory therapy students in the College of Health Related Professions, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, prepared and used learning contracts during their Clinical Practicum IV. After they had completed the clinical practicum and received their grades, I surveyed the students about their experience with the learning-contract method. The surveys were administered anonymously.
RESULTS: Twenty-one students (88%) returned the surveys. The respondents were overall quite optimistic regarding learning contracts. They generally agreed that they could use the learning contract with confidence and that there is an increase in student autonomy and motivation in scholarship with a learning contract. The median agree/disagree ratings on the survey ranged from 1 (strongly agree) to 2 (agree).
CONCLUSIONS: Contract learning is favorable to students' knowledge and skill acquisition and can be incorporated into clinical education of respiratory care students.
- students
- respiratory therapy education
- respiratory care education
- contract learning
- clinical education
- learning strategies
- motivation
- autonomy
Footnotes
- Correspondence: Kathy Jones-Boggs Rye EdD RRT, Department of Respiratory and Surgical Technologies, College of Health Related Professions, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W Markham Street, Slot 704 (14B/NLR), Little Rock AR 72205-7199. E-mail: ryekathyj@uams.edu.
The author reports no conflicts of interest related to the content of this paper.
Ms Rye presented a version of this paper at the OPEN FORUM at the 53rd International Respiratory Congress of the American Association for Respiratory Care, held December 1-4, 2007, in Orlando, Florida.
- Copyright © 2008 by Daedalus Enterprises Inc.