A clearinghouse on mastery learning (CML) has been established at Loyola University (New Orleans, Louisiana) to accommodate the informational needs of mastery learning researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. Manual and computer searches on this topic have been conducted in the following databases: ERIC, Education Index, Psychological…

Cognitive mapping, one of the Educational Sciences developed by Joseph Hill, makes individualized mastery learning programs possible. This article reviews the cognitive mapping method of determining individual cognitive styles, discusses methods used to cater to these styles, and defines the seven Educational Sciences. (DC)

This personal account of the development of computer-based learning from the 1960s to the present argues that the 1960s were a period of gestation. Instructional applications of computers at that time included efforts to simulate physics experiments and the debut of the PLATO system, which already had the ability to deliver interactive instruction…

It has been 25 years since the publication of J. B. Carroll's (1963) seminal work on the model of school learning (MSL) and its subsequent identification by B. S. Bloom (1968) as the theoretical basis underlying mastery learning. Carroll's model of school learning is a theoretical formulation asserting that the degree of learning attained on a…

A recognized correlate of student success in science classes is the use of teaching strategies that are learner-centered and goal-oriented. Research has shown that several practices in particular are associated with increased student achievement and with developing scientifically literate students. The focus of this paper is on scientific literacy…

This study of the application of cognitive style theory to the development of computer-based instruction explored two questions, i.e., whether computer-based courseware can be designed to address specific learner characteristics, and, if so, which characteristics. Several factors involved in the optimization of instruction are described: learner…

This report covers characteristics of accelerated education and the applicability of accelerated education to the disadvantaged. The report reviews eight approaches to accelerated education: (1) traditional accelerated practices; (2) suggestive-accelerated learning and teaching; (3) Montessori method; (4) Bereiter-Engelmann approach; (5) Yale…

The extent of use of the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI), also called the Keller Plan, at a large university campus was investigated. Attention was also directed to the features of PSI used: mastery criterion, self-pacing, proctors, number of times students could retake an exam, and the number of forms of each examination used. The PSI…

Four methods of individualized instruction are described and introduced, and their similarities and differences are reviewed in terms of effectiveness, grading, lectures, mastery, pacing, theoretical base, and unit size. The methods described are (1) audio-tutorial, developed by S. N. Postlethwait, an instructional system that allows students to…

This handbook deals with the specifics of integrating teaching and testing in the context of high school classes. It is part of a school-based staff development program for high school teachers and is designed to have faculty members in a department work as a team. Colleagues are asked to help one another develop instructional units and courses…

According to Benjamin Bloom's (1981) concept of of mastery learning, most students--given the appropriate instruction and learning resources, adequate time spent learning, and perseverance--can learn a particular academic skill. Because a classroom often does not provide enough time or resources for developmental students to master necessary basic…

False-positive and false-negative dicisions are the fundamental errors committed with a mastery test; yet the estimation of the likelihood of committing these errors has not been investigated. Accordingly, two methods of estimating the likelihood of committing these errors are described and then investigated using Monte Carlo techniques.…

Mastery learning has been called cold and impersonal. On the contrary, it is humane because it allows for individual differences, emphasizes each student's ability to master the subject at hand, and provides honest and opencommunication between students and instructors. (DC)

This guide for teachers considering using independent learning describes the Keller Plan and describes ways in which it has been adapted for use in a variety of school situations. A discussion of the Keller Plan and its original formulation is followed by six case studies written by teachers in schools and colleges describing their use of the…

Mastery Learning and Student Team Learning are two widely used instructional methods designed to confront the problem of student diversity in group-paced instruction. This study evaluated Mastery Learning, Student Team Learning, and a combination, in 43 inner-city math nine classes over a full school year. Results indicated greater achievement on…