University Of Connecticut
EDLR 5092– Practicum in Student Affairs & Higher Education
Learning Contract
Name
Practicum Site
Practicum Supervisor
Using your Transferable Skills Assessment as a guide, develop three - five learning/development
outcomes, assessment methods, strategy, and action steps. Make your learning outcomes
SMART – Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, and Timely. More information
about constructing outcomes can be obtained from Tscheipkow, K. (2009, Winter). Coming to
terms with writing outcomes. Student Pulse: Department of Student Affairs Assessment
University of Georgia, 3, 9 -11.
OUTCOMES, ASSESSMENTS, STRATEGIES, AND ACTION STEPS
FOR EACH OF YOUR 3 -5 OUTCOMES, SPECIFY THE FOLLOWING
COMPONENTS




OUTCOME STATEMENT: As a result of participating in this practicum, what will you
learn or how will you develop? An outcome can focus on skills, knowledge or attitudes.
Include the condition, the audience, the behavior, and the degree of achievement.
ASSESSMENT METHOD: What will you do to demonstrate that you have reached the
outcome?
STRATEGY: What is your means to achieve this outcome? This should be a short,
general statement.
ACTION STEPS: What are the specific actions you will take and the deadlines for
each?
Discuss these with your site supervisor and sign below to indicate agreement with the goals.
__________________________________________Student Signature
______Date
__________________________________________Supervisor Signature ______Date
Practicum Learning Contract Example
CONTEXT: Felicity is participating in a practicum in the Dean of Students’ Office at a
small private college. Her work is focused on creating an online manual to provide pre-trip
information for students who study abroad.
1ST OUTCOME
OUTCOME STATEMENT: As a result of creating a pre-departure student information
manual, Felicity will demonstrate comprehension of the commonly identified best practices to
prepare students for study abroad, as shown through feedback from supervisor and experienced
students.
Assessment Method: Felicity’s supervisor will write a written review the draft manual on a
monthly basis, commenting on the degree to which the information represents effective practices.
In addition, four students who have recently returned from study abroad will review the final
draft and make comments on its usefulness. A written report containing supervisor and student
comments will be submitted with the final monthly practicum journal.
Strategy: In order to demonstrate comprehension of best practices, Felicity will need to
research information from a) benchmark institutions with excellent study abroad programs and b)
NASFA publications. Further, Felicity will need to create written drafts of the manual and
obtain feedback from supervisor and students.
Action Steps and timeline:
a. Determine benchmark institutions with excellent programs. January 26.
b. Obtain and read literature from NAFSA about what pre-departure information is needed.
January 30.
c. Create and administer questionnaire for benchmark institutions to determine what is
included in their pre-departure information manuals and/or training. January 30.
d. Create topical outline for manual and review with supervisor. Receive written feedback.
February 6.
e. Review questionnaire results and begin writing sections of the manual. February 13.
f. Complete final draft of the manual and obtain written feedback about usefulness of
information from supervisor and students. February 21.
2nd OUTCOME
OUTCOME STATEMENT: As a result of creating a manual that can be used interactively
online, Felicity will demonstrate improved skill in webpage construction, as shown by feedback
from students and SAIT consultant.
Assessment Method: Three or four experienced students will rate the ease of use of the both the
preliminary and final online version of the manual. The SAIT consultant will write commentary
on Felicity’s webpage construction skill improvement. Both the ratings and consultant
commentary will be included in the final monthly journal.
Strategy: In order to improve skill in webpage construction, Felicity will need to a) participate
in campus workshop about webpage construction, b) to create preliminary online version, and c)
to modify that version in light of student feedback.
Action Steps:
a. Participate in campus workshops on webpage design. January 15 and February 2.
b. Consult with SAIT to obtain ideas about the best ways to make the manual interactive in an
online environment. February 28th
c. Create a preliminary online version of the manual and have it reviewed by SAIT consultant.
March 25.
d. Create and administer short questionnaire for experienced students to rate the ease of use.
April 1.
e. Revise online manual in response to student and SAIT consultant feedback. April 15.
f. Discuss webpage construction skill development and future skill development opportunities
with the SAIT consultant. May 1.