Changes in Teaching Philosophies among In-Service Teachers after Experiencing Mastery Learning

Abstract

Central to the new standards being adopted in each discipline of education is a principle of equity: that each student can and must learn math, science, social studies, and literacy skills to a high level. This principle is also central to the philosophy and methods of mastery learning, which as a field has accumulated empirical evidence from hundreds of studies showing its efficacy for student achievement and positive affect. Since few teachers have had exposure to mastery learning's philosophy or testing/grading techniques, this study examined how in-service teachers, among others, were influenced cognitively and affectively by a graduate course that taught and used mastery learning and its assessment and grading procedures. Results indicated that as students gained knowledge about mastery learning and criterion-referenced assessment, their beliefs changed positively toward the fundamental tenets of mastery learning, including their willingness to try to incorporate these procedures in their own teaching.