The learning contract is a collaborative effort between the student, their practicum instructor, the agency, and the School of Social Work. The learning contract is to be completed within the first five weeks of the semester and is considered a working document and guide for supervision throughout the academic year.
The learning contract is made up of three components:
Learning goals - where they are going
Learning tasks - how they will get there
Timeframe for accomplishing the tasks - which semester (fall, spring, or both) do you expect to complete the task
Planning should begin during the first 2 weeks of the placement.
Things to consider:
Student's goals
Student's experience level
Student's learning style
Student's strengths, limitations, motivations, and interests
Learning Contract Process:
The student drafts the initial learning contract in CalState S4 collaboratively with their practicum instructor and task supervisor (if applicable)
The faculty liaison reviews the draft learning contract and provides the student with comments and suggested edits
The student makes edits and submits the final document in S4
The student, practicum instructor, task supervisor (if applicable), and faculty liaison sign the final learning contract
Each student is expected to formulate specific goals in each of the 9 competency areas (within each competency consider 3-5 learning tasks that address three areas):
Agency services
Personal development
Professional development
Agency Learning Goals - consideration should be given to tasks that help the student learning the following:
Services and programs the agency provides
Agency history, philosophy, structure, funding
Nature of the the client population
Agency policies and procedures
Application of the generalist method to specific cases/assignments (micro, mezzo, macro)
Agency decision-making processes
Personal Learning Goals - consideration should be given to tasks that help students identify the following:
The differences between personal and professional boundaries
Personal blocks to effective work practice
Self-awareness in relation to human diversity (cultural and lifestyle differences, disadvantaged groups, women's issues, etc.)
Personal values that help or may hinder effective practice
Assessing and recognizing impact of secondary trauma
Professional Learning Goals - consideration should be given to the following:
Development of skills and knowledge bases necessary to perform the role of a social worker in your agency
Accountability to client systems (maintaining confidentiality, keeping appointments, following through on plans, etc.)
Learning to work as part of a team with agency staff
Identification of client concerns/problems
Communication and interviewing skills
Problem-solving process
Diversity
Community resources and making referrals
Social work practice methods (establishing relationships, collecting data, making assessments, intervention, evaluation, and termination)
Integrating and applying academic knowledge and theory to actual social work situations
It is acknowledged that each agency varies in it's ability to provide the student with equal experiences with all client systems. Examples of each:
Micro - case management, individual counseling, advocacy/brokering
Mezzo - attend team or multidisciplinary meetings, attend support, educational, or recreational/socialization groups, make home visits and participate in family interviews
Macro - identify specific techniques or agency's administrative decision making, write a letter to the editor regarding an issue, attend a board meeting