Task 5 - Learning Agreement

Edited by Debbie Howlett, 3/2/2012 10:09 PM

Introduction to Learning Agreement. Pdf available here

The pedagogy for this e-tivity and approaches to learning are problem-based and collaborative rather than didactic.  The participants on this course are adults and bring a variety of skills and knowledge with them.  Knowles (2005) identified six principles of

adult learning:-

1          Adult learners are internally motivated - traditional factors such as grades, competition are not seen as significant whereas internal motivation plays a large role in adult learning.

2          Adults bring life experiences and knowledge to learning experiences – however this experience may be instilled with bias and presupposition.

3          Adults are goal oriented

4          Adults are relevancy oriented – they need to know why they need to learn something before they learn it.

5          Adults are practical – they adopt a problem-based approach to learning and put  emphasis on meaning and relevance of learning activity

6          Adult learners like to be respected – they need to feel responsible for their decisions and to be treated as capable people.

Because of the nature of this e-tivity and the learners on this module, the process of ‘learning’ will be owned by learner.  As they progress through the module and e-tivity they will be shaping the direction and nature of their learning using the available resources. 

Gaiptman and Anthony (1989) identified two main factors essential to the successful implementation of this model for learning.  These are:

Establishing a climate that is conducive to learning; and

Involvement of the learner in all stages of the learning process.

The use of a learning agreement is a way of achieving this participation and collaboration.

A learning agreement is a written agreement between the learner and the e-moderator about the particular knowledge, skills and attitudes the learner will develop.  A learning agreement allows the learner to make the best of available learning opportunities.  It also gives the learner opportunities to focus on their individual learning needs.

There are several stages required in the development of the formal ‘Learning Agreement’.  These include:-

Establish the learning needs – What is the focus of the module? What experiences do I have for the module?  What do I want to learn and achieve?

These issues are answered in the Introduction Wiki.

Identify goals – What steps are required to ensure that the learner will achieve the learning needs.

This issue is answered in the Learning Model Wiki.

Identify resources and strategies – Consider what to look for and where?  Consider means of communication and collaboration? 

These issues are addressed in the Activity Wiki.

Determine outputs – Consider what is to be produced as evidence that goals have been achieved.

This issued is addressed in the Activity Wiki.

Determine assessment –Assessment methods are varied and include discussion, written work and group work and will also include feedback.

These issues are addressed in the Introduction Wiki and the Activity Wiki. 

The Learner Responsibilities – Arising out of the above, the responsibilities and expectations on the learner are documented.  See below.

Student Learning Agreement

It is important, before you enrol on the courses, that you have a clear understanding of what you can expect from us - and what your responsibilities are.

This is to make sure there are no misunderstandings between us.

Section 1: What we will do for you

We will:

1. Establish learning outcomes for your course
2. Provide you with suitable materials, sufficient for your course
3. Ensure that course materials conform to the syllabus.
4. Inform you when, and how, to participate in activities.
5. Encourage you during your studies.
6. Provide you with access to appropriate expertise to support you during your course.
7. Update your learning materials as and when required. 
8. Assign you an e-moderator with whom you can work.
9. Deal with your tutorial queries by email or through Webcourses.
10. Inform you about contact arrangements and times between yourself and your tutor.
11. Provide constructive and individual feedback on your progress.
12. Deal with any difficulties promptly and fairly.
13. Remind you if you have fallen behind with any course work.   We can, in exceptional circumstances make arrangements for an extension to the deadlines.
14. Remove you from the course if, in our opinion, your behaviour towards us, or any member of our staff, is abusive or unreasonable; or if you indulge in plagiarism by submitting work for marking that is not your own. 

Section 2: Your responsibilities

You will:

1. Read the relevant course information pages on the website to establish that the course is appropriate for you. You may contact us if you wish to discuss your options. We are bound by the Colleges Code of Practice to give honest and impartial advice.
2. Read the Introduction file thoroughly at the start of the course so that you are fully aware how the course works.
3. Proceed with the course in the way prescribed in the Activity Guidelines.  
4. Ensure that all course fees are paid by the agreed times.
5. Attend on-line lectures promptly and at designated times (approx 3 hours).
6. Undertake sufficient independent study (approx. 20 hours) to maintain progress on your course.  This will involve doing further reading, and research, to supplement our teaching materials.
7. Submit work which is either your own original work or work as part of a group, clearly presented and a true reflection of your knowledge and abilities.  Students who commit plagiarism by submitting work that is not theirs will be removed from the course immediately.
8. Submit work in the format, and by the method, explained in the Introduction file and Activity Guidelines.
9. Keep in contact with your tutor by email, discussion forum or manner prescribed, without making unnecessary demands upon his or her time.
10. Be prepared to email your tutor to ask for help if you find that you are stuck.
11. Take reasonable precautions against computer viruses when communicating with us online.
12. Notify us in advance if you wish to take a break from your course.

 Section 3:  Communication

Once you have completed your enrolment, you will have full access to our Student online facility.  The following Terms and Conditions will apply to you when using Webcourses.  Acceptance of this learning agreement implies acceptance of these terms and conditions.

3.1. Acceptable On-line Behaviour 

1. Remember the Human 

 Do unto others as you'd have others do unto you. Imagine how you'd feel if you were in the other person's shoes. Stand up for yourself, but try not to hurt people's feelings.

2. Adhere to the same standards of behaviour online that you follow in real life

In real life, most people are fairly law-abiding, either by disposition or because we're afraid of getting caught. In cyberspace, the chances of getting caught sometimes seem slim. And, perhaps because people sometimes forget that there's a human being on the other side of the computer, some people think that a lower standard of ethics or personal behaviour is acceptable in cyberspace. 

Be ethical, breaking the law is bad Netiquette 

3. Know where you are in cyberspace 

Netiquette varies from domain to domain 

What's perfectly acceptable in one area may be dreadfully rude in another. For example, in most TV discussion groups, passing on idle gossip is perfectly permissible. But throwing around unsubstantiated rumours in a journalists' mailing list will make you very unpopular there. 

And because Netiquette is different in different places, it's important to know where you are. Thus the next corollary: 

Lurk before you leap 

When you enter a domain of cyberspace that's new to you, take a look around. Spend a while listening to the chat or reading the archives. Get a sense of how the people who are already there act. Then go ahead and participate. 

4. Respect other people's time and bandwidth 

When you send email or post to a discussion group, you're taking up other people's time (or hoping to). It's your responsibility to ensure that the time they spend reading your posting isn't wasted.

Bandwidth is the information-carrying capacity of the wires and channels that connect everyone in cyberspace.  When you accidentally post the same note to the same newsgroup five times, you are wasting both time (of the people who check all five copies of the posting) and bandwidth (by sending repetitive information over the wires and requiring it to be stored somewhere).

You are not the centre of cyberspace 

5. Make yourself look good online 

Take advantage of your anonymity 

As in the world at large, most people who communicate online just want to be liked. Networks let you reach out to people you'd otherwise never meet. And none of them can see you. You won't be judged by the colour of your skin, eyes, or hair, your weight, your age, or your clothing.  You will, however, be judged by the quality of your writing. For most people who choose to communicate online, this is an advantage; if they didn't enjoy using the written word, they wouldn't be there. So spelling and grammar do count. 

Know what you're talking about and make sense 

Pay attention to the content of your writing. Be sure you know what you're talking about.

Don't post flame-bait 

Finally, be pleasant and polite. Don't use offensive language, and don't be confrontational for the sake of confrontation. 

6. Share expert knowledge

The strength of cyberspace is in its numbers. You do have something to offer. Don't be afraid to share what you know. It's especially polite to share the results of your questions with others.

7. Help keep flame wars under control

"Flaming" is what people do when they express a strongly held opinion without holding back any emotion. Netiquette does forbid the perpetuation of flame wars; however it's unfair to the other members of the group.

8.  Respect other people's privacy 

You'd never dream of going through your colleagues' desk drawers. So naturally you wouldn't read their email either. Failing to respect other people's privacy is not just bad Netiquette.

9. Don't abuse your power 

Knowing more than others, or having more power than they do, does not give you the right to take advantage of them.

10. Be forgiving of other people's mistakes

Everyone was a network newbie once. So when someone makes a mistake -- whether it's a spelling error, a stupid question or an unnecessarily long answer -- be kind about it.  If you do decide to inform someone of a mistake, point it out politely, and preferably by private email rather than in public.

Section 4:  Objectives 

Learners will be expected to demonstrate:

1)    a detailed understanding of a range of learning theorists from the Behaviourism, Cognitivism and Constructivism school of thought.

2)    the central ideas of the main theorists from each school.

3)    a comprehension of the shortcomings and limitations of the theories and the ability to compare and contrast the different theories.

4)    an operational knowledge of Facebook, webcourses and blogs.

The learner agrees to a set of deliverables with time allocations planned and detailed by the e-moderator.  These deliverables include

            uploading personal details of the theorist,

            posting to blogs and discussion forum,

            a 300 word blog, outlining the major contributions of the theorists

            participate in chat sessions

            submit and respond to questions on the theorists,

            write a 1000 word reflective assignment.

Section 5:  Obstacles 

The following issues may arise:

            Communication with team members or e-moderator,

            Negotiating team roles,

            Working effectively within a team,

            Personality clashes and

            Dealing with non-performing team member

Learners who fail to resolve these issues amongst themselves must communicate any difficulties to the e-moderator as soon as possible.

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