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Mastery
Learning
November 7th 2016 Mrs Morganti.
With thanks to Rob Carpenter for some slides
Mastery Learning St. Dunstan’s
The aims of today’s session :
Explain what mastery learning is
Share why are aiming to use mastery learning and teaching at St Dunstan‟s
Answer common questions regarding Mastery teaching and learning.
Look at examples of Mastery learning in the Mathematics and English Curriculum.
What does learning look like?
What does this tell you
about learning?
Learning is not easy.
Learning does not follow a straight path.
Learning never ends.
Learning is a struggle.
Learning may be fun or it may be hard work.
Learning is an experience.
Learning can‟t be taken away.
Learning is an active process.
Learning involves making mistakes.
What is Mastery or
„Expert' Learning?
Are highly motivated
Are reflective Take part in deliberate practise
Choose the best strategies
Look for relationships with learning
Applies analysis to solve problems
Masters or ‘Expert'
Learners:
Different ways to understand the
mastery learning process.
The journey from Novice to
Master.
Novice Apprentice Master Expert
Gordon Stobart: Expert Learners
From Novice to Master The journey from novice to master is driven by
conceptual understanding (the theory, the thinking part of learning).
It is not driven by cognitive (intellectual) or „innate‟ ability.
One can be an expert in an aspect of learning whilst at the same time, a novice in another.
Gordon Stobart: Expert Learners (Challenging the Myth of Ability)
Procedural
Fluency
Problem solving
Reasoning
From Novice to Master
The relationship between prior knowledge and
new knowledge and skills is important.
This relationship can then be developed through
interweaving multiple opportunities to problem
solve and reason.
This leads to a deeper level of understanding.
From Novice to Master
I have no
knowledge,
information or
concept of this
learning.
I cannot draw on
prior experience
to form a
relationship with
the new learning.
Through direct
learning
experiences, I
have an
understanding of
the learning and
can connect this
to other aspects
of learning. I am
constructing
meaning.
I can put parts of
the learning
together to form
a deeper
understanding of
key learning that
relate to the
„whole‟ learning.
I value the
relevance of the
learning and am
making sense of
this.
I have
internalised
learning and can
apply this to a
wider schema
(plan or theory)
linked to life and
new contexts.
This enables me
to evaluate and
create new
learning.
Stages of Understanding
Mastery Definitions – Learning:
Move from shallow knowledge to deep knowledge;
The whole class masters key concepts before moving on;
and frequently revisit concepts to ensure fluency and
retention;
Use of assessment to plug gaps in knowledge and
understanding where needed (corrective time);
The same curriculum and expectations is given for all pupils,
with all achieving the same minimum(high)level of
knowledge and understanding (security/ mastery); and
Different levels of support for pupils depending on their stage
in learning– corrective teaching for those who need it to
reach the minimum level, while differentiating by depth
rather than speed or breadth for the most confident pupils.
Mastery Definitions - Teaching
Mastery refers to a teaching approach :
An expectation that every pupil reaches a minimum (but high)
level of knowledge and understanding of the same content;
Effective teaching, with carefully sequenced, structured
approach focused on a small steps of progression ;
Additional support for those who need it to reach the minimum
level, through corrective teaching etc. ;
A focus on learning being about pupils ability to recall, apply
and demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skill in a
different contexts over a period of time.
Regular assessment, through a variety of means (questioning,
review work, quizzes and testing) which helps ensure accurate
understanding of pupils‟ learning.
LESSON 1
Instruction
Unit of work
broken down into
small areas of
learning. Review
previous
learning.
Assessment.
Brief and
formative for
evaluation and
checking
understanding.
Aim for 80%
success rate
before moving
on.
Corrective.
Pupil needs more
experience and time.
Enrichment Activities.
Mastery is
demonstrated.
Activity - deeper
problem solving,
Formative
Assessment
Aim for 80%
success rate
before moving
on
LESSON 2
instruction.
Bloom’s Mastery Learning Process
The Mastery Learning Instructional Process (diagram adapted)
(Guskey, 2005)
In „The Empire Strikes Back‟ Luke Skywalker, even
though his training to be a Jedi Knight hasn‟t
finished, decides he needs to go off and rescue
his friends.
Luke has already failed one of the tests (to use
the force to get his spacecraft out of the swamp)
where Yoda gave him multiple attempts and
changed his instruction to help him towards the
goal.
Jedi Master Yoda insists Luke must finish his
training, but Luke is adamant. Yoda eventually
has to let Luke go to save his friends, but he insists
that he will not confer Jedi status on him until he
has finished his training properly.
This is the principle of mastery learning.
Pupils are not allowed to move on until they have
mastered the essential standard/s.
Instruction is adjusted if lessons are not learned,
and students have multiple attempts to achieve
mastery.
Traditional Methods of learning, where time and instruction are
fixed.
To agree with mastery learning we need to
accept that:
aptitude and competence is incremental
given enough time, and
ability is not fixed.
This is a Growth Mindset approach.
(Carol Dweck)
With Mastery Learning, all are given time and instruction enough to
achieve the required standard.
With Mastery Learning methods, because each learner receives the
right instruction for them and as much learning time as they require,
then a larger majority of students should attain mastery.
Teaching to Mastery
Keep the class working together on the same
topic (at the same time addressing the need for
all pupils to master the curriculum and for others
to gain greater proficiency and understanding)
Challenge is created by going deeper rather
than accelerating into new content.
In the mastery learning classroom, the challenge
is about providing enough time and variety of
strategies to get all students past a set
standard….
Crucially, other students who have achieved
mastery of the required standard can be
challenged to deepen and apply their
knowledge in different circumstances.
This enables them to not race through content
after only superficial levels of understanding
but get the opportunity to perfect their new
skills.
Pupils who do not achieve mastery of a skill
or topic are given additional support and
activities before they are tested again until
they achieve the required level of mastery.
Why do this?
To reduce the achievement gaps in the
classroom
Avoid superficial (surface level )learning
In typical mastery models, the entire class
do not proceed to the next unit until the
majority of students have fulfilled the
learning objectives of the current unit (80%
achieving 80%-85% of objectives).
Why follow this Mastery
approach to learning’?
Recent changes to National
Curriculum
The National curriculum emphasises the
importance of all pupils mastering the
content taught each year and
discourages the acceleration of pupils
into content from subsequent years.
Bake off Contestants compete against each other to
proceed to the next level.
They are given the same uniform tasks to achieve,
sometimes with more clarity than others, and
expected to show their knowledge and skills.
They are then judged (summative assessment) but
not allowed to have another chance to master.
Those that are worst drop away.
Bake off This model is a test of abilities already assumed to
have been acquired, rather than an environment
for learning.
If classrooms are like Bake-off, pupils are moved to
new levels without having mastered the lessons
previously.
Over time, this causes an ability gap to widen and
attitudes to harden around innate ability.
Surface learning
Learners simply cope with the learning required.
Learning is unrelated bits of knowledge.
There is memorising of facts.
Learners carry out procedures routinely with little understanding of „why?‟ e.g. column addition.
There is learning without thinking about purpose or strategies.
Learners tend to worry about learning.
Learning often does not „stick‟
Surface learners.
Deep seeking learning
Learners make links with previous learning to the new learning
Learners look for patterns
Learners are actively interested in learning
Learners develop own ideas about learning
Learners look for different strategies to use for the purpose
Learners understand the „why?‟
Middle Game End Game
Random Actual
Game
Random Actual
Game
Novice 2 5 1 8
Intermediate 3 9 2 7
Expert 3 16 3 8
The number of chess pieces correctly remembered from
random and real game situations.
The experts remembered more pieces during the game as
they could put all pieces into a context, they were thinking
moves ahead for many pieces. The novices are not yet able
to do this.
How Experts Learn
“It‟s not that I‟m so smart; its just that I stay with
problems longer”. (Albert Einstein)
“I hope I do it in time. I myself am very far from
satisfied with this but, well, getting better and
better must come through doing it and through
trying”. (Vincent Van Gogh)
Deliberate Practice:
is a highly structured activity, the explicit goal of which is to
improve performance.
involves specific tasks planned to overcome weaknesses.
carefully monitors performance to provide further cues to
improve further.
requires effort and is not inherently enjoyable.
happens when individuals are motivated to practice
because practice improves performance.
Ericsson (1993)
Common questions
Do teachers still differentiate?
Differentiation often used in schools before
mastery teaching, favoured allowing more
capable or more motivated students to
progress ahead of others.
They often were given different work (rather
than extension or „stretch‟ challenges)
It simplified the content for some children.
Why we do not „differentiate‟.
Mastery does not „dumb down‟ content. It
changes the methods and tools of instruction if
it hasn‟t worked in the first instance.
Non-masters are given tasks to bring them up
to speed
Masters either peer-tutor or perform enrichment
activities that deepen their understanding.
The time and way the instruction is given is
differentiated. All get the same content and
expectation.
Will mastery methods hold the
brightest pupils back? This comment relates to the idea that pupils are „more
able‟ than others or „brighter‟.
Ability is something that cannot be controlled.
Mastery learning does not think of learners like this, but as learners with different levels of preparation and cognitive skills.
Even if some students are better prepared and more skilful than others, research does not suggest that these pupils are held back or under-perform.
The teacher must ensure that enrichment and extension tasks are there to deepen their understanding to new levels.
Pupils are required to struggle and discuss, create, teach and reason with their learning. Therefore, to apply it in different ways to different contexts. It is not about getting 100% and feeling they have achieved and are the brightest in the classroom.
What about pupils who continuously do
not achieve mastery? There may be pupils who do not achieve mastery
over and over again.
It is the expectation of the teacher that is important here: that the message is they can achieve it with more time and help.
Also, the importance of mastery is in the recognition of progress. If a pupil makes a jump from 40% to 70% from test 1 to test 2, this is something to praise and be used to encourage.
If a child is continually failing to make the mastery standard, the teacher must look to change the instructional method to make sure they are suitable for the child.
Mastery assumes that with time and the correct instruction all learners can achieve the standards required.
What can parents do to help?
Growth Mindset and resilience In order to build resilience in pupils, parents have to
create the environment at home where they divert their children from their habitual calls for help.
If teachers and parents create a „bumper‟ between pupils‟ feeling „stuck‟ and the instant support for help, then independence develops in the gap. Open the space to allow children to try and solve things for themselves.
As with all strategies, it‟s important not to expect this to happen instantly or without some planning and preparation.
Children need to know what good practice looks like: make sure it is clearly explained and modelled including what good thinking and good independence look like and how support will be given and when.
Develop expectation of improvement,
not congratulating innate skill
Professor Hattie says that what works most in terms
of impact is …..„learners own expectations of how
successful they will be.‟
Learners should be praised on their achievements
and perseverance towards mastery, not on a
perception of innate talent (e.g. how clever they
are) that is somehow fixed.
Try to avoid unselective, haphazard
congratulations on completing tasks or activities
e.g. I am so impressed by your determination to
complete your homework all by yourself even though
your were struggling.
Be careful with what you praise
Praise actions, not ability.
Praise effort, not talent.
Praise resilience, not the norm
Praise courage, not ease
Praise improvement, not speed
Praise progress as well
Praise the behaviour of learning
What are we doing at
St Dunstan‟s?
Aspiration and Mastery- Setting
Standards
Using exemplars and models to help children
achieve great work and to give them a base to
aspire to. (It rarely leads to copying.)
It also makes feedback so much easier later on,
when everyone has a reference point they can
compare against.
High expectations of presentation, care of books,
participation, speaking and listening and learning
behaviour.
Range of deep, high order questions to
test/probe pupil knowledge.
What happens when a bee visits a flower?
A simple question which will give you either
a lot or very little to make a judgement on.
What might happen to plant pollination if bee numbers reduced?
If there was not a carpel in the flower, what would happen?
Which organs are involved in both pollination and fertilisation?
Give other examples of animals that help in pollination?
What happens in plants without flowers? Look at the different flower shapes- which ones do you think
are insect pollinated or bird pollinated?
Language prompts- develop
language of learning.
Making Learning Visible
Topic tables
Making Learning Visible
Working walls
Cross Curricular/ themed topics
To make learning memorable
To make links between existing knowledge
and future knowledge and skills
To share the big picture, the purpose for
the learning
To engage a range of learners
Mastery in Maths and English
Examples of Reasoning
We aim for pupils to solve problems by applying their
mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine
problems with increasing sophistication.
These include breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.
Examples of Problem Solving
Writing-Emphasis on the reader
Children are taught to think about all of their writing choices
in relation to the reader.
We ensure that children are able to make choices over their
writing and explain what effective choices they have made.
There is always choice and discussion over:
Word/language choices
Sentence choices
Punctuation choices
In relation to the
reader and the
intended
impact/effect on
the reader
Progression in Writing Technical Skills
*Capital letters *Full stops *Punctuation *Handwriting *Spelling *Quantity
Word Choice
*Exchange one adjective for another *More effective word to use
*Most effective word to use
Beyond Word Choice
*Meaning *Impact *Effect
*Choices that impact the reader *Emotion
*Effect of sentence choice in relation to different situations *Organising
information at text level for effect
Summary of Mastery
Mastery is much more than being able to
memorise key facts and answer test questions
accurately and quickly.
It involves knowing – Why ? – as well as knowing
that and how.
Using knowledge appropriately , effectively,
flexibly, and creatively – in new and unfamiliar
situations.
Summary of Mastery Becoming an expert requires both
motivation and opportunity to succeed.
It involves extensive and long term practice.
It requires extensive knowledge which is organised and linked through deep understanding so that more is remembered and relevant information accessed.
It involves reflection on methods used and thought processes.
