The diverse population of students in grades 1- 3 at a suburban elementary school has created a challenge for teachers when differentiating instruction in reading. The purpose of this doctoral project study was to explore the lived experiences of these teachers as they have acquired research-based instructional strategies in reading that support…

Weekly testing coupled with a mastery performance requirement generated higher student performance in an introductory psychology class. (DE)

Focuses on modifying personalized systems of instruction (PSI) by using competency unit testing instead of mastery testing. The algebra service courses at the University of Arizona are described. Includes data on student achievement. (MNS)

A total of 51 students participated in a study to determine the effect of a behaviorally oriented individualized instruction program on the objective grammar proficiency of academically deficient college freshmen. From a group of special students, 15 were randomly selected for the individualized instruction while 17 were assigned to sections of…

Research evidence shows that mastery learning is much more effective than conventional methods; however, it is not yet known whether it works equally well for all kinds of learning and for all kinds of students. (Author/JM)

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two treatment variables, mastery and aptitude, on two outcome variables, achievement and retention, as measured by researcher-constructed tests. Seventeen classes of seventh-grade geography students were taught an instructor-developed geography unit with either mastery or nonmastery…

Describes an investigation of time as a learner variable in an individualized mode of health instruction where time was permitted to vary, hypothesizing that aptitude as measured by a standardized test could correlate more closely with time in instruction than with achievement where students were expected to reach criterion levels. (MBR)

This study examined the relationship between two independent variables, mastery and aptitude, on two dependent variables, achievement and retention. Aptitude was measured by administering the word meaning section of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Achievement and retention were measured by a researcher-constructed test. The study involved 17…

This doctoral thesis analyzes the effect of mastery and nonmastery teaching procedures upon student achievement and attitudes in an introductory college-geography course. Mastery learning is the teaching strategy where each segment of materials must be mastered before instruction can begin on the next segment. A classroom lecture-discussion method…

An individually-paced, open-entry/open-ended mastery learning approach for a state-wide civil engineering technology curriculum was developed, field-tested, and evaluated. Learning modules relying heavily on audiovisuals and hands-on experience, and based on 163 identified competencies, were developed for 11 courses in the curriculum. Written…

Literature on individualized learning appearing in the past three years includes many reports which are rewritings from the same data; however, generalizable results do exist for the practitioner. Individualized instruction systems work as well or better than traditional, conventional instruction. Students learn more, make higher grades, save…

Research was conducted to determine the effectiveness of computer-managed instruction (CMI) as an aid to the mastery of factual content, as compared to the method of frequent, pre-announced quizzes. One section of an undergraduate education course received conventional instruction along with quizzes; another section used a CMI program whose major…

The state of the art of behavioral instruction and examples of successful implementation of behaviorally-based college teaching are provided in this book. In Chapter 1, the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) is covered, including a discussion of the problems inherent in traditional teaching methods that led to the development of personalized…