The dictionary definitions of ‘Mastery’ would fit different and possibly conflicting ways of thinking about mastery learning including:
- A command or grasp of a subject and the act of mastering it
- Expert skill or knowledge
It is in these two definitions that potential conflict lies – for some schools the word is used to describe students who are working in greater depth as achieving mastery, while, in other schools, students who achieve the learning objective are deemed to have mastered it. Both are correct but they seem to conflict because, within the theory of Mastery Learning as set out by Benjamin Bloom in 1971, the aim is for every student to achieve mastery rather than for some students to be working at a higher level than their peers.
However, both definitions can apply because the aim and focus of mastery learning is to achieve deep and sustained learning and, through this, excellence for all.
A mastery curriculum can be contrasted with other approaches because it breaks the key knowledge areas relating to each subject area into units with clearly specified objectives, which are pursued until they are achieved. Learners work through each block of content in a series of sequential steps. Students must demonstrate a high level of success in tests. Typically, about 80% of students are expected to have mastered the threshold concepts before progressing to new content. Retention of this knowledge is then assessed in future testing and gaps which emerge are addressed. Though this approach may take longer initially, the deeper learning achieved avoids unnecessary repetition.
Those students who do not reach the required level are provided with additional tuition, peer support, small group discussions, or homework so that they can reach the expected level. Students who acquire the knowledge covered within a unit more quickly are required to apply the relevant knowledge in more challenging tasks which demand higher order thinking skills, work on similar tasks using a broader range of knowledge or work with their peers to reframe and support their learning.