What is mastery learning?

less than 1m read

·Nov 11, 2024

[Narrator] Have you ever really tried to learn something and you just couldn't? It can make you feel like you're not so smart, right? Well, it's not your fault and it's not your teacher's fault, it's just our traditional approach to learning.

We go through a school and we accumulate gaps. You're a bit shaky on pre-algebra, but you move on to algebra anyway. By the time you get to calculus, you've got lots of gaps. If enough gaps build up you eventually hit a wall. Calculus makes no sense and that can be frustrating.

But what if there were a different way to learn? That's mastery learning. Unlike traditional learning where all students move in lockstep, with mastery learning you go at your own pace. You progress through questions at just the right level for you. If you get 50% right the first time it's not a big deal.

Try as many times as you need. Get feedback as you learn, and help when you need it. Teachers can track your progress, identify any gaps, and give you one on one attention. Decades of research shows, mastery learning works.

Now you have the tools to make it possible. Are you ready to learn anything?

Worked example: Calculating mass percent | AP Chemistry | Khan Academy

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What is mastery learning?

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