The Learning Contract as a Strategy to Foster Communication Competencies

Developing competence in linguistic communication is essential to meet university demands and facilitate the employability of graduates. However, students present significant deficiencies in this regard. In light of this situation, the present study proposes the use of the Learning Contract to address these limitations. Specifically, the main objective is to analyze the influence of this innovative strategy on the development of oral and presentation skills. Therefore, the aim is to describe the evaluations given by student collectives from different universities regarding the benefits that the application of the Learning Contract provides in their education and to determine if there are significant differences between interdisciplinary groups. To achieve this, an ad hoc questionnaire was developed, and the opinions of 403 students were collected. Subsequently, a descriptive analysis was conducted, as well as a non-parametric inferential analysis using Kruskal-Wallis and Games Howell tests. The results confirm an improvement in communicative competencies related to socializing, teamwork, problem solving, and decision-making. Furthermore, similar to previous research findings, the Learning Contract emerges as a favorable option to enhance competence in linguistic communication, which is essential for the personal, social, academic, and professional development of students