ABSTRACT
Confusion and uncertainty are common reactions when learners are first confronted with the prospect of using learning contracts. In addition to being unfamiliar with the process and not knowing how to proceed, learners may be being introduced to learning contracts at the same time as they are coming to terms with new subjects and possibly a new learning environment. Negotiation, essential to the practice of working with learning contracts, is unlikely to be familiar to students in the context of formal education and should be addressed in the workshop. The workshop content will vary according to the student group and the particular course or subject. Workshop designs will obviously vary according to the experience of the group and the style of the workshop facilitator. Experience suggests that an orientation workshop should occupy two or three hours. Copies of completed proposals are useful for learners to examine and critique before they attempt to develop a proposal.
