"SLC | S21W1: Developing a Learning Contract"

I want to thankful for organisers of this learning challenge! I learned many things from this course as well as I also want to share my personal experiences for developing are learning contact in between teachers and students and for this I have an experience of more than 6 years being a lecturer in different colleges of Pakistan.

Can you explain what obstacles a teacher may face in the classroom learning process?

If I talk about obstacles that a teacher can face in classroom learning process then these obstacles can be of different categories so first of all I want to explain these obstacles according to category;

Teacher-Related Obstacles

• If teacher is not much trained or experienced then this is an obstacle in learning process.
• Uf from the side of teacher there is less effective management of classroom then this is another obstacle.
• If a teacher don't have sufficient grip or knowledge about his subject.

Student-Related Obstacles

• If there are diverse learning requirements and abilities that cannot be affordable by students then it can become an obstacle.
• If there is any barrier of language like if there is any subject that some particular students can understand only then it will hinders the learning process.
• If there are behavioural issues with class as a whole or with some of the students of class then it will be also an obstacle as well as lack of motivation and engagement of students can also be an obstacle.

Environmental Obstacles

• If there are restricted resources and technology then students cannot learn in an engaging way.
• If classroom conditions are poor like there is no proper ventilation then it will increase stress and burnout in environment so ultimately it will become an obstacle.

So all these are some of the major obstacles that can restrict proper learning process in classroom.

What do you think is the importance of learning contracts and how have learning contracts helped your teaching process so far?

If I talk about importance of learning contract then definitely this is one of the most powerful tool that is used for highlighting student learning objectives, its strategies and criteria of evaluation.

• Learning contracts are most important for clarification of expectations.
• Learning contracts are important for encouragement of autonomy and accountability.
• These are important for fostering self directed learning.
• For the purpose of enhancement of goal setting skills these are also important as well as promotion of reflection and self assessment can also be judged by learning contracts.

There are some of the benefits of teaching process;
• First of all it will enhance engagement and motivation of students overall.
• Secondly it with increase ownership of students for learning.
• It will make a good Bond by enhancing teacher student communication.
• It will bring one of the most effective assessment and feedback.

What important components should be included in a learning contract and explain why they are helpful to you?

There are some of the essential components according to me that every learning contract should include;

• Learning objectives in which there are smart goal for achieving smart study and for getting a good outcome.
• Student self assessment for having a know how of current knowledge and skills of student is another essential component.
• If I talk about learning strategies which starts from action and and at achieving particular objectives is also crucial component.
• Evaluation criteria that how assessment would be performed and then deadline for achieving a particular milestone is also important component.
• Last but not least monitoring and progressing report of a learning process is also important.

Again these are very helpful because of;

• Clarification of expectations.
• Encouragement of autonomy and accountability.
• For fostering self directed learning.
• Enhancement of goal setting skills and promotion of reflection and self assessment.

What are your strategies for ensuring student compliance with the learning contract and how have the consequences worked so far, or do you have other ways of organizing the learning activities to remain effective?

If you want to ensure compliance of students with learning contract then;

• There should be a very clear communication in between students and teachers about expectations.
• There should be a regular process of monitoring progress of students and then receiving feedback from students.
• There should be proper system of self assessing of students so that they may know about their self.
• There should be proper incentives for meeting the criterias of milestones like their should be proper rewards and recognitions.
• There should be the involvement of guardians of students either these are their parents or any other ones.
• An adjustment of little flexibility in contract according to requirement is always a good choice.

There can be some of the alternative organisation methods also;

• We can focus on learning that is based on a particular project because it will also bring engagement motivation and interaction in between students.
• There can be focus at personalized learning programs.
• Competency based progression can another be alternative organisational method.
• Gamification and Peer mentoring can be helpful.

Some of the effective outcomes that we can extract after all these things are loss of privileges, some of the additional assignments, parents and teachers meeting or meeting with teachers with guardians of students and last but not least a kind of temporary adjustment with contract.

With my teaching experience I can say that all the strategies I have explained can help in improving compliance of students and engagement.

I want to invite @kouba01,@ngoenyi,@lirvic,@memamun to participate