Re: Learning Contracts LO979

SUGARMANB@aol.com
Fri, 28 Apr 1995 15:19:17 -0400

LEARNING CONTRACTS IN A MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIP. Replying to LO864
Barry Sugarman

I have been using learning contracts for many years as the basis for the
student-designed internship that is the final requirement for the MSM at
the Lesley College School of Management. Most of these students are
part-time and are employed as managers or quasi-managers. Many do their
internship at their place of employment but a significant number do it
elsewhere. Some do it with their regular supervisor. In all cases, though,
there is a third player, much like the "learning coach" mentioned by an
earlier writer, the student's academic advisor at the SOM.

Our approach has been to place on students a great deal of responsibility
for deciding on the nature of their individual internships according to
their own interests and circumstances. They go through a self-assessment
process prior to setting their personal learning goals for the internship.
Students are introduced to a framework of expectations and tools,
including the contracting process over several classes.

It is assumed that the learning will take place mostly in an action
context and in the field. So, with learning goals in mind, the student
needs to find or create projects, jobs or other responsibilities in an
organization that s/he can undertake that will provide the opportunity to
learn what needs to be learned. In a workplace that is growing, is
oriented to the growth of employees, and provides good supervision at all
levels, it should not be hard to find plenty of such opportunities. In
reality, of course, it is more of a challenge. Interns sometimes arrange
for a job rotation or take on a special project for a higher level of the
organization, with the boss' permission. Some are lucky enough to have a
boss who can provide the kind of supervision needed.

Students are provided an orientation and support but each learner is
expected to take responsibility for the following :

* selection of personal priorities for the internship (e.g. skills to be
developed, experience to be acquired) based on an assessment of their
career goals, and their current strengths and weaknesses in relation to
those goals;

* "shopping around" for further insights about career factors and industry
characteristics in their chosen field and for further ideas and resources
that may be relevant and helpful in the next step . . .

* choice of the main focus of work, sponsor/supervisor, and host
organization, (in some cases this will be the student's place of
employment -- but working in a new capacity);

* drafting and negotiation of the contract specifics with the two other
key players who must be in agreement: the site sponsor and the intern's
academic advisor;

* choice of evaluation/assessment criteria to be used during and at the
end of the experience.

Evaluation/assessment and supervision necessarily involves two dimensions:

(1) the quality of the work that the intern contracted to accomplish for
the host organization?

(2) how fruitful is this proving as a learning experience for the intern?
A major responsibility of the academic advisor is to ensure that both
agendas receive due attention.

To earn the highest praise from their academic advisors, therefore,
interns must not only do a fine job for the host organization, but must
also be resourceful in making good use of the opportunities for learning
and be able to articulate in reflective notes how some of these
opportunities were created and utilized. The concept of "reflective
practice" (Schon) is central to this approach. Strengthening this
reflective habit and ability we believe to be one of the best
contributions we can make to the practice of life-long learning.

Unexpected learning is reviewed with the student, who is also encouraged
to capitalize on unexpected opportunities to re negotiate the contract if
acceptable to all parties. Unlike private or school-bound learning
contracts, this internship involves a commitment to accomplish certain
work and goals for a host organization, so the student must balance his or
her learning goals with the needs of the site. In this situation the third
role (academic advisor) seems essential to ensure that both dimensions
(work and learning; organization and student) are respected.

I think this model can be adapted to the workplace and am very interested
in communicating with anyone working on that or moving in that direction.
The third party, internal or external to the org., seems essential.

Barry Sugarman
Prof. of Management
School of Management
Lesley College, Cambridge, MA

SugarmanB@aol.com