Student-Teacher Contracting with Goal Setting for Maintenance

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This study evaluated the use of student goal setting as a strategy for maintaining the effects of student-teacher contracting on the academic productivity of eight economically disadvantaged high school dropouts between the ages of 16 and 21. The study was conducted during the students' basic education skills training class, where students worked in self-paced textbooks in preparation for the GED test. During baseline, students were paid for each hour they attended school. During contracting, students negotiated weekly work requirements with their teacher and were paid contingent on contract fulfillment. Employing a single-subject reversal design, the results showed that student-teacher contracting was effective in increasing student productivity substantially. Subsequently, a multiple-baseline design across students was employed to evaluate the necessity for, and effectiveness of, student goal setting as a strategy for maintaining productivity. During goal setting, students wrote their own work contracts without teacher feedback and were paid contingent on contract completion. The results indicated that goal setting for reponse maintenance proved effective.