Contracting in Fieldwork Education: The Model of Self-Directed Learning

The educational role of fieldwork supervisors has become an increasingly salient one in Occupational Therapy programs. This paper discusses the model of self-directed learning and the use of this model as a framework for the fieldwork education of occupational therapy students. The assumptions underlying the model of self-directed learning are presented and contrasted with the assumptions underlying the traditional model of learning in fieldwork education. The learning contract as a tool in the implementation of the model of self-directed learning is described and the four components of the learning contract are discussed. Areas for further investigation are identified.