Mastery learning is an instructional approach in which the educator helps students to achieve a deep understanding and mastery of the material before moving on to new content. This can be achieved in a number of ways, including:
In a mastery learning environment, the educator's role is to provide students with the support and resources they need to succeed, rather than simply evaluating or grading their performance. The focus is on helping students to achieve a deep understanding and mastery of the material, rather than just passing a test or meeting a minimum standard. This approach can be particularly beneficial for students who may struggle with certain concepts or skills, as it allows them to work at their own pace and receive the support they need to succeed.
Mastery learning (through deliberate practice) had the largest effect on learning in clinical education ➕➕➕➕➕ [1]. Similarly, small group learning, setting learning objectives, worked examples, and play programs had large effects on learning in clinical education ➕➕➕➕➕ [1]. Additional strategies that had a moderate effect on learning included questioning, concept mapping, meta-cognitive strategies, visual-perception programs, and teaching strategies ➕➕➕➕ [1].
This evidence summary is based on one meta-analysis [1] that focuses on effective teaching-learning factors in clinical education. The meta-analysis included 132 articles examining 16 teaching-learning factors and represented a variety of clinical education settings yet only 25 of these included studies were RCTs. No risk of bias was conducted yet the effect sizes for mastery learning, small group learning and learning goals were large, therefore risk of bias is unlikely to shift the findings considerably. The authors did not provide a measure of heterogeneity or provide any information on publication bias.
