Contracts and Completion Rates in Correspondence Study

Abstract

To establish the effect of learning contracts on independent study students, a study contract was offered to randomly assigned experimental groups at both the university and high school levels; noncontract control groups were formed for comparison. In all, 430 students were tracked from start to course completion, from January 1979 to January 1980. University and high school students were uniformly motivated by contracts to begin course work promptly, but persistence to course completion was not strongly influenced. The researchers conclude that the use of learning contracts has significant value in stimulating the timely submission of an initial lesson.