The Future of Learning

    What if we could all learn all whatever we were interested in with different learners only requiring varying amount of time to learn the same material and achieve the same mastery. This is in contrast with classic models of teaching that focus more on differences in students’ ability and students are given approximately the same amount of time to learn as well as the same set of instructions.

Students should achieve a level of mastery in prerequisite knowledge before moving forward to learn subsequent information. While this may sound similar to the case in our traditional learning institutions there’s more to be offered by mastery learning. If a student does not achieve mastery on the test they can get additional support and resources in learning, review the information and then get tested again. This cycle can always continue until the learner accomplishes mastery then proceeds to the next stage.

With mastery learning responsibilities shift, such that failure is considered to be more due to the instruction and not necessarily the students’ lack of ability. Teacher’s attention to individual students is emphasized as opposed to assessing group performance. The challenge becomes providing enough time and employing instructional strategies so that all students can achieve the same level of learning. Mastery learning, since its conception, has been effective in improving education outcomes in a variety of settings. This rationale is behind what makes small tutorial group, discussions as well as MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) more effective.

In the near future the only requirement for learning in a particular field would only be interest. Everyone would be able to learn so long as they have basic level of intelligence and are willing to persevere. 

Mastery learning is group-based, individualized teaching and learning strategies based on the premise that learners will achieve a high level of understanding in a given domain if they are given enough time.

Motivation 

Mastery learning is motivated by the need to reduce achievement gaps for students in average school classrooms. This approach to learning proposes that if each learner was to receive optimal quality of instruction and as much learning time as they require, then a majority of students could be expected to attain mastery.

It is interesting to note that this approach could be already in use in places like Quran memorization centers where children and adults from diverse background achieve the same goal ultimate, only in approximately different times. 

The classical school would set the cut-off for mastery to say 50% or 45% as commonly see in tertiary institutions. The student might only be given a second chance of trial in the form of a carry-over. In some institutions the student is only required to make the minimum amount of credit could be advised if otherwise. Would the student then be written off as a failure in that field since was unable to proceed? But with mastery learning the student can even be made to achieve higher level of mastery, as high as (i.e. 80-90%) by spacing assessment and giving time for review.

It has been shown that period of assessment is usually the point where most learning takes place. The implication of this as learners is that chances of success are higher for those who assess themselves before a test. Talk about holding oneself to account before being taken to account. The implication of this is that those assessing the learner needn’t condemn the learner at initial failure.

MOOC are the best application of mastery learning. The learner is presented with an array of questions from which assessment is based. On initial failure the learner has another chance and can review the material before having a go at it again.

In the end most traditional assessment is usually based on the Parieto principle in which it contains only about 20% of the material taught which the examiner considers important. If the learner has been bombarded with a lot of information and is unable to distinguish the more important things this would affect performance.

The only major challenge with mastery programs in institutions is the commitment required by the teacher and the difficulty in managing the classroom when each student is following an individual course of learning. Technology can play an immense role in tackling this. The innovation of MOOC is such.

Mastery Learning is the transformational education innovation of our time. It has a lot of applications in this era of learning tech. Websites that teach tech skills like programming and data science make use of this approach to teach. At its core, learners are able to move forward at their own pace as they master knowledge, skills, and dispositions. If learners are always given the opportunity of another trial their chances of success increases ultimately rather than being condemned to failure at the first or second attempt. 

Mastery Learning as a concept and instructional practice is not new. It can be as old as one can picture the earliest students of knowledge sitting at the feet of scholars. Technology has granted us the ability to scale this model of learning at an international level. The only question is: will we choose to do it? Because it is challenging work as the current system is driven by teaching rather than learning basing all its complexity on this paradigm. Mastery Learning will require innovation –in software tools, classroom practices and policies. And innovation is challenging, especially in education.

Mastery learning approach is the future of student instruction. The key elements of mastery learning at scale are:

Clear, specific, demonstrable learning objectives

Clear mastery thresholds for each learning objective

Clear processes for students to demonstrate mastery

Clear processes for examiners to assess mastery

A system to effectively organise and display the data about mastery-based student learning progress

Innovation has begun already. The enablers are in place. The time has come. The future is now!

Muhammad Oluwatimilehin Saka