Enhancing Metacognitive Skills through Learning Contracts.

This 6-year study examined how metacognitive strategies could enhance learning achievement and whether the use of individual learning contracts could enhance an individual's ability to become a conscientious learner. The criteria included whether students would learn by planning, controlling, monitoring learning processes, and using study skills. The process of using metacognitive strategies included setting goals for individual learning programs, developing individual learning contracts, monitoring learning processes, writing reflective journals, conducting individual conferences with the instructor, and being involved in summative evaluations. Participants were 222 college students. At the beginning of the semester, the instructor explained the purpose of the Individual Learning Plan (ILP), connected students to resources, and set the time frame for planning. The instructor reviewed students' ILPs for learning objectives and strategies, self-monitoring processes, evaluation processes, expected grade, and feasibility. At the end of the semester, a summative evaluation was implemented, and an individual conference invited feedback. Students were asked about how well they used the skills and the overall effectiveness of the ILP. Data analysis involved tallying survey forms and transcripts from interviews and reflective journals. Results indicated that this process helped students become conscientious learners. The instructor found that using learning contracts, appraisals, reflective journals, and conferences helped develop a rapport with students. (Contains 11 references.) (SM) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Enhancing Metacognitive Skills through Learning Contracts Mid Western Educational Research Conference