A meta-analysis of findings from 108 controlled evaluations showed that mastery learning programs have positive effects on the examination performance of students in colleges, high schools, and the upper grades in elementary schools. Effects of mastery programs on student attitudes, instructional time, and college completion rates are discussed.…

In response to Utah's establishment of state special education certification standards, the University of Utah has developed a teacher education program with two distinctive features: field experience as half the program, and mastery learning of specific objectives leading to endorsement. (MSE)

Provides an overview of alternatives to whole-class instruction which incorporate limited individualization. Discusses the purpose and process of using tiered activities, learning outcomes/mastery learning, learning centers, cooperative learning, computer-assisted learning, and self-directed learning (including negotiated contracts, journals,…

This article provides information on designing a college course grading plan. It reviews the history of grades; describes and discusses common approaches to grading; examines the purposes of grades, problems with current practices, and situational factors to consider in selecting an approach; and proposes eight principles to observe in developing…

Describes mastery learning, a teaching model that allows full inclusion of rural students with intense educational needs. The approach is based on curriculum modifications, team teaching, peer tutoring, and cooperative learning. Documents the success of mastery learning in the case of a rural first-grade student with Down's Syndrome. (LP)

Social adjustment of 46 children with and 199 children without learning disabilities (LDs) who were integrated full time in third grade team approach to mastery (TAM) classrooms were examined. Children with LDs, particularly boys, were well-integrated socially in TAM classes. The mixture of students may enhance acceptance of children with LDs.…

Two approaches to measurement for instructional decision making (specific subskill mastery measurement and general outcome measurement) are described and illustrated with case studies. The paper concludes that measuring general outcome indicators can bridge traditional and contemporary assessment paradigms to form an innovative approach to…

To bring students up to internationally benchmarked standards, high schools must abandon the ineffective general curriculum and focus resources on a narrower, academic curriculum. Professional and vocational education should be provided in postsecondary settings after students receive certificates of initial mastery. A 12-point school redesign…

Surveyed female K-12 and college teachers regarding their reasons for teaching science, investigating their use of mastery oriented learning and resiliency strategies in science classes as they pursued their goals of becoming science teachers. Presents the women's narratives, their reasons for pursuing science, challenges they faced, and a…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree to which A. Bandura's ([1997]) hypothesized sources of self-efficacy predict the science self-efficacy beliefs of middle school students (N = 319), to replicate previous findings that science self-efficacy predicts science achievement, and to explore how science self-efficacy and its…

Contemporary theories of learning postulate one or at most a small number of different learning mechanisms. However, people are capable of mastering a given task through qualitatively different learning paths such as learning by instruction and learning by doing. We hypothesize that the knowledge acquired through such alternative paths differs…

This article looks at the perils and promises of standards-based instruction in urban environments. We begin with an outline of the rise of the current standards movement. Then turn to the con position which contends; states, schools and districts do not always implement standards-based ideals effectively, especially in urban settings where…

With the education spotlight shifting to secondary schools and conversations about dropout rates, high school redesign, and workforce readiness taking place in government agencies, schools, universities, businesses, and foundations across the country, teenagers have become a focus of serious policy discussion. It is imperative that the evolving…

We need a model that can guide middle school educators to implement multiple literacies (multiliteracies) so prevalent in today's global economy, but how can this be successfully accomplished in today's schools? As a result of content analyses, regular classroom observations, and interviews, the researchers document a framework for…

This exploratory study examined the range of gender-based achievement motivation patterns evident in a group of Australian final year high school students. Single, dual and multiple goal complexes were compared, enabling an evaluation of the relative impact of each of the goals on these patterns, as well as their relationships with academic…