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Version 1.3 – Updated November 2024

Mastery learning

Overview

  • Influence: Mastery learning
  • Domain: Teaching Strategies
  • Sub-Domain: Learning intentions
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to considerably accelerate
  • Influence Definition: Based on the premise that all students can eventually (at their own speed and ways of progress) meet success criteria.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 16
  • Number of studies: 771
  • Number of students: 11,383
  • Number of effects: 589
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.67
  • Robustness index: 4

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author First Author's Country Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Review of Research in Education Block & Burns USA Mastery Learning 1976 Mastery learning 45 0 45 0.83
Journal of Research in Science Teaching Willett, Yamashita & Anderson USA A meta-analysis of instructional systems applied in science teaching 1983 Mastery teaching in science 130 0 13 0.64
Educational Leadership Guskey & Gates USA A synthesis of research on group-based mastery learning programs 1986 Group based mastery learning 38 7,794 35 0.78
Dissertation Hefner USA The effects of a mastery learning/competency-based education instructional approach on facilitating students' retention of achievement in language arts and mathematics 1985 Mastery learning/Competency based methods 8 1,529 12 0.66
Journal of Educational Technology Systems Kulik & Kulik USA Mastery testing and student learning: a meta-analysis 1986 Mastery testing 49 0 49 0.54
Review of Educational Research Slavin USA Mastery learning reconsidered 1987 Mastery learning 7 0 7 0.04
Journal of Educational Research Guskey & Pigott USA Research on group-based mastery learning programs: A meta-analysis 1988 Group based mastery learning 43 0 78 0.61
Dissertation Hood USA Using meta-analysis for input evaluation 1990 Mastery learning 23 0 23 0.56
Review of Educational Research Kulik, Kulik, & Bangert-Drowns USA Effectiveness of mastery learning programs: a meta-analysis 1990 Mastery learning 34 0 34 0.52
Teaching of Psychology Kulik, Kulik, & Cohen USA Instructional technology and college teaching. 1980 PSI and achievement 61 0 75 0.49
Journal of Research in Science Teaching Willett, Yamashita & Anderson USA A meta-analysis of instructional systems applied in science teaching 1983 PSI in science 130 0 15 0.60
Computers in Human Behavior Kulik, Kulik, & Bangert-Drowns USA Effectiveness of computer-based education in elementary schools. 1985 PSI in college students 72 0 72 0.49
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association Cook, Hatala, Brydges, Zendejas, Szostek, Wang, Erwin, & Hamstra USA Technology-enhanced simulation for health professions education: a systematic review and meta-analysis 2013 Mastery learning using technology enhanced simulations 59 2,060 59 1.17
Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education Ede & Igbokwe Nigeria Meta-analysis of the effects of mastery learning on students' academic achievements in Nigeria 2018 Mastery testing 42 0 42 0.54
Journal of International Scientific Publications Vladescu Romania A meta-analysis on determining the general effectiveness of teaching mathematics using mastery learning strategies. 2020 Mastery learning 6 0 6 0.94
Journal of Measurement and Evaluation in Education and Psychology Basar, Tekkol, & Gelbal Turkey The effect of mastery learning model on students academic achievement: A meta-analysis study 2016 Mastery learning 24 0 24 1.55
TOTAL/AVERAGE 771 11,383 589 0.69
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