The proceedings of the First Mastery Learning Conference begins with Rocco Caponigri's introduction and Oscar E. Shabat's discussion of the importance of mastery learning to community colleges as they attempt to educate large numbers of underprepared students. Next, Benjamin S. Bloom examines the shifting emphasis in education research from investigations of static student and teacher characteristics to examinations of alterable variables that can be used to adjust the learning process according to individual student needs. Mr. Caponigri reviews the pioneering research of John Carroll and Benjamin Bloom prior to Thomas Guskey's discussion of faculty and student orientations to mastery learning, the concerns teachers commonly have when first applying it, and methods of evaluating mastery learning programs. After Emmett Jones describes the orientation sessions he uses to familiarize students with the mastery learning approach, five conference workshops concerning the development of topical outlines, instructional objectives, formative quizzes, corrective processes, and summative evaluations are summarized. Mr. Caponigri then reviews the implementation, management, and outcomes of the Mastery Learning Program at the City Colleges of Chicago, and Hymen M. Chausow discusses mastery learning as an affirmation of teachers' professionalism and as a means of reducing student attrition. Biographical sketches of the conference speakers are provided. (JP)