Investigation into the use of learning agreements to enhance stakeholder engagement and promote self-efficacy in computing education.

Ballew, William; McDermott, Roger; Zarb, Mark; Daniels, Mats; Clear, Tony

Abstract

We examine controversial issues surrounding the locus of control in the implementation of learning agreements, plans or contracts, in the context of the U.K. university-level Graduate Apprenticeship scheme. We begin by giving an account of the stakeholders and their positions as well as their motivating principles as they strive to maintain their respective loci of control with regard to the negotiation of the learning agreement. We then describe the idiomatic challenges to implementation of a learning agreement and subsequent plan in work-based learning environments with a range of employers from different sectors. An investigation into the manner in which learning agreement tenets are changed due to competing pressures on the various stakeholders leads to a discussion of challenges to successful prioritisation of the learning plan that occur as a result of mutually exclusive requirement sets. We discuss the challenges that may present themselves in which the requirements of one set of stakeholders appear to conflict with others and the questions that are raised as those involved seek to ensure suitable standards of academic quality in difficult cases. Finally, we discuss whether learning agreements are the most appropriate operational instruments for maintaining standards in these circumstances.

Citation

BALLEW, W., MCDERMOTT, R., ZARB, M., DANIELS, M. and CLEAR, T. 2018. Investigation into the use of learning agreements to enhance stakeholder engagement and promote self-efficacy in computing education. In Proceedings of the 48th Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Frontiers in education 2018 (FIE 2018): fostering innovation through diversity, 3-6 October 2018, San Jose, USA. Piscataway: IEEE [online], article ID 865138. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1109/fie.2018.8659138

• Conference Name: 48th Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Frontiers in education 2018 (FIE 2018): fostering innovation through diversity
• Conference Location: San Jose, USA
• Start Date: Oct 3, 2018
• End Date: Oct 6, 2018
• Acceptance Date: Jun 1, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Mar 7, 2019
• Publication Date: Mar 7, 2019
• Deposit Date: Aug 26, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 26, 2019
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Series Title: Frontiers in education conference
• Series ISSN: 0190-5848
• ISBN: 9781538611739
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2018.8659138
• Keywords: Learning agreement; Learning plan; Work-based learning; Locus of control; Stakeholder prioritisation; Academic quality; Academic integrity
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/231424