Mastery Learning: An Instructor’s Guide to Deeper Academic Proficiency

While not necessarily a new pedagogy, mastery learning represents a transformative approach in modern education and has revolutionized the way today’s students absorb academic material. 

At Demme Learning, we embrace the mastery-learning approach and offer many products rooted in its principles. But what exactly does “mastery learning” mean? And how do you track student mastery effectively? 

Let’s take an in-depth look at these questions below.

What is Mastery Learning?

Mastery learning was first introduced as a formal pedagogy in 1968, with the publication of “Learning for Mastery” by Benjamin Bloom. Bloom, an educational psychologist, emphasized the idea that students learn best when one concept or skill builds upon the next. With a mastery-based approach, students develop a thorough understanding of a topic before they move on. This creates a strong foundation of knowledge to build upon and ensures that students are ready to move forward.

Bloom’s educational research and subsequent models developed by other educators throughout the 1970s and 1980s provided a foundation for integrating mastery learning into various educational systems. This approach challenged the traditional fixed-time, variable-learning model prevalent in schools, where all students are given the same amount of time to learn but achieve varying degrees of understanding.

Over time, especially with the advent of personalized student learning technologies and methods in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, mastery learning has gained more traction and has been implemented in various forms across educational systems globally.

Why Teach with a Mastery Learning Model?

The traditional model of incremental (or spiral) learning doesn’t bode well for some students. When using a spiral approach, instructors present the same concepts repeatedly, expecting their students’ understanding to increase over time.

One significant challenge with the incremental learning process is accurately identifying and addressing gaps in student understanding. For instance, if a student struggles with a concept in elementary school but is still advanced to the next level, they face increasing difficulties. As new concepts build upon previous ones, the student, lacking a solid grasp of the foundational material, is still expected to comprehend its application in more complex contexts. 

Over time, the concepts continue to build with increasing complexity. The student may catch up along the way (if given proper support), or they may never master the concept and simply fall behind. This is how some students graduate from high school feeling like they are “poor” at math or lacking the knowledge and skills necessary for their next steps in life.

Teaching with a mastery learning program ensures that students have the foundational knowledge they need before progressing to more advanced material.

3 Ways to Monitor Student Mastery

A common question from instructors practicing mastery learning is how to ascertain if a student has truly mastered a skill. This concern is valid; incorrectly assuming mastery can result in academic challenges and increased anxiety for the student.

Several strategies exist to evaluate whether a student has genuinely grasped a concept or skill. Crucially, this assessment should be viewed as a continual process rather than a one-time test or evaluation. Here are three effective methods to monitor student progress and guide them toward mastery:

1. Observation

As an instructor, you should always pay attention to how your students learn and interpret information. You can gather valuable insights into students’ progress by evaluating how they find answers and complete assignments.

Body language and behavior can also convey information. For example, a student putting their head in their hands and sighing may signify frustration or confusion about a particular subject or skill.

These informal observations can help establish how the lesson might be adjusted to accommodate the student’s needs. By shifting the instructional approach and allowing for more time to practice, take a break, or ask more questions, you’ll strengthen the student’s understanding and help them demonstrate mastery.

2. Conversation

The “teach-back” method is an insightful approach to assessing student mastery. It involves having students articulate their understanding of a concept or skill, almost as if they were teaching it themselves. This method not only reveals their comprehension level but also identifies areas where they might need additional support. 

The student’s depth of understanding is most apparent when they can explain the rationale behind their answers or problem-solving techniques. 

Such dialogues also provide an opportunity for instructors to offer necessary clarifications or feedback, enhancing the student’s grasp of the subject without undermining their confidence. 

Questions like “Can you elaborate on ___?”, “How would you approach this problem?”, or “What led you to this conclusion?” encourage students to express their thought processes in a low-pressure setting. Remember that this is a process and instructors and students will need to work together to achieve a satisfactory result.

These teaching moments allow for reiterating key points, refining understanding, and addressing any misconceptions that may impede mastery. 

Important Note: It is crucial to distinguish between a conceptual grasp of a subject and actual proficiency. Recognizing this difference is essential in mastery learning, since a student who understands a concept in theory but lacks practical proficiency may encounter difficulties comprehending advanced concepts. 

For instance, a student might “get” multiplication conceptually but still struggle without memorizing the basic facts, which could hinder more advanced learning. Therefore, ensuring that a student not only understands the concept but can also readily recall and apply it is key before progressing further.

3. Application

Another way to monitor mastery-based learning is through practical application. Engaging in projects that incorporate real-world applications significantly enhances a student’s understanding and mastery of concepts. These projects can range from crafting a kite to designing a board game, cooking, or even gardening. Each project offers a unique opportunity for students to apply their knowledge in tangible ways.

During these activities, students often encounter scenarios that require additional information or a deeper comprehension of learned concepts. For instance, in constructing a sled kite, a student might realize the need to accurately divide measurements, sparking questions about fractions or geometry. These moments are crucial for instructors to gauge whether the student has truly mastered the subject matter or if further instruction is needed. 

By observing how students apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems, instructors can assess their progress toward mastery more effectively and provide targeted guidance where necessary.

Charting the Course for Life-Long Learning Success

Of course, all students are unique and master skills at different paces. Depending on each student and skill, mastery may take a few days or a few months. You just need to focus on how your student learns best and adjust your instruction through observations, conversations, and applications along the way. 

Mastery learning requires a lot of practice, re-teaching, and patience, but take heart in knowing that it will set your students up for success long-term.

Looking to learn more about mastery learning and how Demme Learning products utilize a mastery approach? Check out this helpful episode of The Demme Learning Show!