Teacher Effectiveness and Learning for Mastery

Abstract

The effect of an excellent or master teacher's use of learning for mastery (LFM) procedures on student learning was examined. Although LFM research strongly supports a procedural effect, close scrutiny suggests a possible teacher-effect/procedural-effect confounding. The authors extended previous research reporting a main effect for mastery learning when the teacher was rated average, but no main effect for an excellent or master teacher. Performance in 2 mastery and 2 traditional classes of intermediate algebra, taught by a master teacher, was compared. Findings from a 2 × 2 randomized factorial design that controlled for repeatable or mastery testing, the LFM procedure, and pretesting indicated that student achievement on a final examination did not differ across mastery and control classes; however, instructor time was more than double in the mastery classes.