This important concept applies to all of us, not just students, and it is for a lifetime. I love researching and discovering truth by building on previous discoveries from others. I'm constantly reminded that we see further when we stand on the shoulders of giants. In the next few paragraphs I want to discuss a couple of giants who have shared their research and have created a disruptive ripple in the fabric of what we might call traditional education.
Possibly one of the most significant discoveries related to mastery learning was made by a giant in educational psychology, Albert Bandura. His research on guided mastery focuses on performance anxiety and helps us understand the importance of creating learning environments where it is "safe to fail." All students are afraid of failing. They fear being ridiculed and possibly exposed at "not being good" at something. It is safer for them to lay low and do the bare minimum which greatly diminishes their ability to experience and learn deeply.
Tradition classrooms foster an educational standard where being perfect on the first try is the expectation. If a student does not master the concept, they get a bad grade and we move on. This is not good enough. We need schools that embody the idea I first heard from design giant David Kelley, the founder of Stanford University's Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, known as the d.school and the global design and innovation company IDEO, whose motto was "fail early and fail often." We need students to wrestle with concepts and ideas to the point of understanding and mastery. Students need built-in opportunities to develop grit, determination, and perseverance; character traits that will serve them well regardless of what life throws at them.
If you've heard the term "growth mindset" then you can thank another giant in the field of psychology, Carolyn Dweck. Her book, Mindset, reinforces these concepts and it contrasts a fixed mindset (only one way, only one try) with a growth mindset where students take more of a human centered design approach. They incorporate trial-and-error is a part their learning and world. They also know that learning is a marathon, not a sprint. Growth oriented people tend to be more patient with themselves and others and recognize we grow from our mistakes when we try again.
Lastly, successful mastery learning environments are ones where students take agency of themselves and their learning. Taking responsibility and action for their effort and learning is live-giving. According to education giant, Ruby Payne, when a student takes agency of their learning they break through the barrier of a poverty mindset. This empowers the learner with a 'high' perceived self efficacy (PSE). Research shows that students who experience high PSE are the least likely to stay in poverty and are most likely to become life long learners.
The SNU Lab School sees project-based learning, content area learning, and social emotional learning as equally important areas of emphasis. We assess student success in each area using a mastery learning model as part of our rich legacy. As a school who values diversity of thought, equal opportunity, and is built for belonging, we invite you to come learn more about us and consider joining our growing community!