Authors of skills management systems may have misinterpreted and misapplied Benjamin Bloom's theory of mastery learning in developing their systems for teaching reading. Skills management procedures are inconsistent with Bloom's theory in the areas of management, learning tasks, skills hierarchy, and instructional methods. In addition, the four…

Both the process and the antecedents of transfer (transfer of skill or knowledge from prior experiences to new ones) are considered by the authors, who suggest ways that teaching for transfer can be implemented. Three questions relating to transfer are considered: Is the capacity or ability to transfer attended to and developed in education and…

Discusses the effects of mastery learning and criterion-referenced grading schemes on student memory and motivation to succeed. Indicates that such programs are effective in college level developmental education programs. Provides suggestions for establishing criterion-referenced grading schemes, including several variants of mastery grading…

The items in this report represent the proceedings of a national conference that explored ways in which community colleges can serve the nontraditional student. The report contains the program for the two-day conference, a list of the participants and their addresses, and excerpts from speeches on the following topics: assessing past performance…

A Brooklyn (NY) district superintendent rebuts arguments against the Chicago Mastery Learning Reading (CMLR) program that appeared in an article in Learning (November 1982). Based on his district's experience with CMLR, the superintendent points to improved reading scores, teacher enthusiasm, and renewed student interest in reading as indications…

Argues that current educational practices underestimate the magnitude of diversity in educational achievement and that disregarding diversity widens the range of differences. Reducing concern with grade-level achievement and increasing concern with academic mastery would have long-term educational benefits. Changes are proposed for elementary…

Reading improvement programs that have focused on additional staff for teaching, tutoring, and counseling; prescriptive, self-paced learning methods; unstructured open-education strategies; and intensive reading have often been successful in small towns and middle sized cities, but none has made a major impact on the reading achievement of…

Extensive commitment to the remedial "tracking approach" over many years by the City Colleges of Chicago has not produced the desired outcomes. The results of several studies indicate that: student achievement in remedial courses has not resulted in improved performance in regular college courses; student and institutional retention is…

This book is a manual for educators to use in curriculum planning and development. Chapter 1 examines the nature of curriculum and its relationship to instruction by (1) defining curriculum and the four main levels of curriculum work (curriculum policy, field of study, program of studies, and course) and (2) distinguishing between six types of…

Following a summary of what is presently known about transfer skills, the options available for assessment of transfer skills are identified and problems inherent in that task examined. Transfer skills (the ability or capacity of the learner or worker to transfer skills or knowledge from prior experiences to new ones) are discussed using the work…