Mastery Learning Model

CORE DEFINITION

Mastery learning is associated with Benjamin Bloom, who argued in the late 1960s that with sufficient time and appropriate instruction the great majority of students can reach a high standard. The model divides content into units, each with an explicit mastery criterion, and uses formative assessment after instruction to identify who needs more work. Those who fall short receive additional time and targeted remediation and are retested before moving on. The core claim is that variation in achievement comes mainly from variation in time and support rather than from fixed ability. The qualification is that the model demands flexible scheduling, which conflicts with fixed-pace curricula.