ERIC Number: ED230210
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1983-Apr
Pages: 15
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Contract Learning in the Traditional Technical Writing Class.
Matulich, Loretta
At Clackamas Community College, a system of contract learning has been adapted for use in a technical writing class. The course focuses on teaching the essentials of technical writing (i.e., clarity and organization in report writing); the basic employment attitudes that local businesses and industries expect; and the form of writing that the student's major field demands. After spending half of the course learning the core elements of technical writing, the contract learning process begins. The learning contract specifies objectives, resources and strategies, target date for the completion of a final project, evidence of learning, and evaluation of learning. In this second part of the course, students and instructors agree upon the types of reports to be produced, e.g., lab reports for science majors or feasibility reports for accounting majors. Students select resources (e.g., texts or library materials) or resource people (e.g., content area faculty or experts in their field) to advance their research or experimentation; and meet in weekly conferences with the technical writing instructor. On the basis of a final report and oral presentation, the technical writing instructor with input from the outside resource people assigns the course grade. The contract learning process has brought out students' creativity, self-confidence, and organizing ability and has provided a medium for communication with business and industry. Relevant forms are appended. (HB)
Publication Type: Opinion Papers; Tests/Questionnaires; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A