Achieving Excellence: Exploring Mastery Learning Techniques in Digital Education

Deciphering Mastery Learning:

Mastery learning is an educational approach that ensures students achieve proficiency in a specific concept before moving on to the next. It is based on the belief that with the right instruction, time, and persistence, all students can achieve mastery. The significance of allowing students to learn at their own pace was underscored by Bloom’s Learning for Mastery (1968) and Keller’s Personalized System of Instruction (1968), positing that mastery is attainable regardless of factors such as student aptitude and instructional quality.

Key Elements in Mastery Learning:

Mastery learning involves students understanding the task and how to complete it. There are specific learning objectives for each task. Subjects should be divided into smaller sections with assessments occurring after each section. Feedback should be provided to students after each assessment. Students learn at their own pace within each unit of study and progress when they demonstrate mastery.

The Functioning of Mastery Learning:

For mastery learning to be effective, the learning outcomes and what constitutes mastery must be clearly defined. These learning outcomes are organized into instructional units. After completing the initial instructional materials, students undertake formative assessments based on the defined learning outcomes. Students who display mastery move onto enrichment activities or the next unit of instruction. Conversely, students who do not meet mastery are given corrective exercises and reteaching pertinent to the specific concepts they missed. They are remediated until they demonstrate mastery.

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The Impact of Mastery-Based Learning:

Students are often more satisfied with the instruction they receive and have a more positive attitude towards the content. Students have been found to stay more on task and decrease the amount of variability in aptitude between students. This leads to students retaining their learning long-term.

How edaptAI Facilitates Mastery Learning:

At our core, we believe in empowering learners through the transformative approach of mastery learning. Our one-to-one tutorial style instruction allows learners to progress at their own pace. Initial course and unit diagnostics enable showcasing mastery and skipping of already-acquired material. Targeted reinforcement adjusts difficulty based on individual progress, focusing on foundational concepts. A sequential approach ensures step-by-step understanding, minimizing gaps in knowledge and fostering confidence. Immediate feedback fosters effective learning. Real-time feedback corrects misconceptions and reinforces correct concepts, preventing the accumulation of errors and promoting accurate understanding. Learners, aware of their performance, stay engaged and motivated, adjusting efforts accordingly.