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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Individual instruction

Overview

  • Influence: Individual instruction
  • Domain: Student Learning Strategies
  • Sub-Domain: Student-focused interventions
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Likely to have positive impact
  • Influence Definition: Typically, one-on-one instruction between a student and teacher/tutor with the aim of immediate feedback, scaffolded concepts, and intervention at key moments of success or difficulty. Other forms of individualized instruction can include tailoring lessons for various student learning needs, providing individualized feedback, and teaching to mastery.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 12
  • Number of studies: 894
  • Number of students: 9,380
  • Number of effects: 1,434
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.26
  • Robustness index: 4

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Dissertation Hartley Meta-analysis of the effects of individually paced instruction in mathematics 1977 Individualization in math 51 NA 139 0.16
Evaluation in Education Kulik & Kulik Individualised college teaching 1980 Individualized college teaching 213 NA 213 0.33
Journal of Educational Research Horak A meta-analysis of research findings on individualized instruction in mathematics 1981 Individualization in math 60 NA 129 -0.07
Journal of Research in Science Teaching Willett, Yamashita & Anderson A meta-analysis of instructional systems applied in science teaching 1983 Individualized science curriculum 130 NA 131 0.17
Review of Educational Research Bangert, Kulik, & Kulik Individualized Systems of Instruction in Secondary Schools 1983 Individualized in high schools 49 NA 49 0.10
Conference paper Aiello & Wolfle A Meta-Analysis of Individualized Instruction in Science 1980 Individualized in high school science 115 NA 182 0.35
Journal of Educational Research Waxman, Wang, Anderson & Walberg Adaptive Education and Student Outcomes: A Quantitative Synthesis 1985 Adaptive methods (individual, continuous assessment, periodic evaluation) 38 7,200 309 0.45
Journal of Research in Science Teaching Atash & Dawson Some effects of the ISCS program: A meta analysis 1986 Individualized science curriculum 12 2,180 12 -0.02
Dissertation Mitchell A comparison of the effectiveness of innovative instructional methods utilized in lower division mathematics as measured by student achievement: a meta-analysis of findings 1987 Individualized instruction in mathematics 38 NA 39 0.19
Evaluation and the Health Professions Cohen & Dacanay Computer-based instruction and health professions education: A meta-analysis of outcomes. 1992 Individual instruction in medical education 30 NA 30 0.37
Dissertation Blumschein Eine Metaanalyse zur Effektivität multimedialen Lernens am Beispiel der anchored instruction 2003 Adaptive methods 144 NA 144 0.33
Learning Disabilities Research and Practice Jung, McMaster, Kunkel, Shin, & Stecker Effects of data-based individualization for students with intensive learning needs: A meta-analysis.  2018 Data based individualized instruction 14 NA 57 0.30
TOTAL/AVERAGE 894 9,380 1,434 0.22
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