ABSTRACT
Mastery learning is embodied in B. S. Bloom's 'Learning for Mastery' and F. S. Keller's 'Personalized System of Instruction.' Bloom's approach was developed to exploit mastery learning in the schoolroom, whereas Keller developed his system for higher education. The research in programmed instruction showed that it worked very well for some students, especially those requiring small steps, drill and frequent reinforcement, but it was not so effective for all students, and it did not provide a useful mastery model in itself. Bloom also incorporated R. M. Gagne's theory of learning hierarchies in his learning for mastery approach. To develop mastery learning it is necessary, according to Bloom, to define what mastery is and whether or not a student has achieved it. The larger correlation of 0.68 for non-mastery students indicates the extent to which performance on the initial learning task will influence the final achievement when there are no correctives for defective learning.
