Achieving Academic Excellence Through

Mastery Learning

Catherine Smith MacDermott Program Director, Business Administration

Professor of Business Communication

Lori West PetersonAssociate Professor of Communication

STRATEGIC PLAN 2015 Academic Distinctiveness and Global Preparedness

II. Academic Challenge:

St. Edward’s University will enable all our students to attain the fullest potential of their intellectual, personal and career goals.

• What is academic challenge? Excellence?

• Do these terms differ among the disciplines, or, is there common ground?

• How can we know & assess if we are enabling all our students to attain their fullest potential?

1. Define/describe the core elements of Mastery Learning as a method of achieving Academic Excellence.

2. Offer specific examples from our own courses on Teaching for Mastery

3. Encourage audience members to explore the possibilities for Mastery Learning in their disciplines (especially interdisciplinary Enhancement Exercises!)

4. Provide tangible resources including sample assignments & grading rubrics.

Achieving Academic Excellence Through Mastery Learning

MASTERY LEARNING SEU MISSION/HOLY CROSS VALUES

• Although students learning rates & modalities vary widely , nearly all can reach a high level of achieve- ment if teachers provide necessary time & learning conditions (Benjamin Bloom).

• A caring faculty… teach…encourage… help…

• Provide educational opportunities for students of varied cultural, religious, educational and economic backgrounds

• Foster each student’s unique intellectual, ethical and moral development

• To reduce variation in achievement of diverse groups of students and have all students learn well, Bloom argued that educators must increase variation in instructional approaches and learning time (Guskey, 2010).

Bloom envisioned the mastery-learning environment as one that captures “the most powerful aspects of tutoring and individualized instruction to improve student learning…”. (Guskey, 2010).

Higher Education for All

As a private, Catholic, liberal arts university, St. Edward's provides higher education opportunities to students of all ages and of varied cultural, religious, educational and economic backgrounds.

SCHOOL OF HUMANITES:

Approachable faculty members whose top priority is ensuring you benefit from a personalized learning experience.

How Varied and Diverse are We?

•55% Hispanic and/or persons of color (George Martin, August 21, 2012).•“First Year in France Students” finishing years 2-4 at SEU Austin.•Highest numbers of international students this incoming year.

Unit 1: Formative Assessment

A

Enrichment Activities

Feedback/Correctives

FormativeAssessment

B

Unit 2

The mastery learning instructional process. (Guskey, T.R., 2007)

Time + Learning Conditions = Mastery

Family Images, Themes, Boundaries, & Cross-generationalPatterns

Family“Genogram”Assignment Assignment

is graded & returned

Assignment is revised & resubmitted until mastery is demonstrated

Family Systems Theory

Dr. V. Meunier’s Graduate-level class role-play experience…..

Unit 1: Formative Assessment

AFeedback/Correctives

Enrichment Activities

Unit 2

FormativeAssessment

B

Time + Learning Conditions = Mastery

The mastery learning instructional process. (Guskey, 2007)

Ethical issues in the workplace

Reflection Paper Assignment

is graded & returned

Interviews with co-workers/supervisors regarding ethical dilemma in the workplace

Ethical case revisited/ analyzed. Paper resubmitted

Problem Solving & Decision Making

….…… = Norm-based grading_____= Criterion-based grading

Effects of Mastery Learning

• Students’ cognitive & achievement outcomes. • Confidence in learning situations• Class attendance rates• Class participation• Attitudes toward learning• A variety of other affective measures (Guskey, 2007). • Retention!

Improvements in: Grade Distributions:

Question for Consideration:

• Audience questions about Teaching for Mastery in various disciplines.

• Explore possible “enhancement exercises” that emphasizes interdisciplinary learning.

References• Bloom, B.S. (1971). Mastery learning. In J.H. Block

(Ed.), Mastery Learning: Theory and practice (pp.

47-63). New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.• Guskey, T. R. (2010). Lessons of mastery learning.

Educational Leadership, pp. 52-57.• Guskey, T. R. (2007). Closing achievement gaps:

Revisiting Benjamin S. Bloom’s “Learning for

mastery,” Journal of Advanced Academic, 19, 8-31.• Klecker, B.M. (2008, November.). Advocating the

implementation of mastery learning in higher education to

increase student learning and retention. Paper presented

at the annual meeting of the Mid-South Educational

Research Association, Knoxville, TN.