Mastery learning can help close pandemic learning gaps

As the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and prepares for its first post-pandemic faculty 12 months, the outcomes of a brand new Khan Academy survey of lecturers provides hope for a brighter future and, on the identical time, reaffirms schooling’s deep dedication to staying laser-focused on restoration.

The findings present: 

• Nine out of 10 lecturers say they’ve been in a position to determine learning gaps that must be addressed. 
• 84% of lecturers imagine mastery learning can help tackle learning loss from the pandemic.

We wholeheartedly agree. Mastery learning ensures every scholar has the chance and incentive to grasp an idea earlier than they cease engaged on it. It’s the philosophical core of Khan Academy, and decades of research exhibits that mastery learning works. 

The nationally consultant survey of lecturers exhibits that almost all of lecturers are utilizing mastery learning or want to. For instance:

• 53% of lecturers use mastery learning of their lecture rooms. 
• An extra 35% want to use mastery learning.

While this information is encouraging, the survey additionally exhibits the profound affect of the pandemic: 

• More than 80% of lecturers say that when launched to new ideas, their college students want extra help than they might have wanted earlier than the pandemic.
• Only 59% of lecturers say their college students mastered the content material they wanted to final faculty 12 months.

Mental well being and behavioral assist had been additionally distinguished threads. After a tumultuous two years, lecturers determine scholar psychological well being wants and an absence of behavioral assist as main limitations within the classroom.

Mastery learning can fill within the learning gaps 

We imagine mastery learning can speed up pandemic restoration. Sal Khan, our founder, is a longtime advocate for mastery. Unlike conventional learning, college students in mastery-learning lecture rooms aren’t pushed forward in lockstep, which can trigger the buildup of data gaps. (Sal calls these “Swiss cheese gaps.”) 

Last 12 months, within the wake of pandemic faculty closures, a number of giant faculty districts, together with Los Angeles Unified, turned to parts of mastery learning to deal with misplaced learning time. Six superintendents revealed a high-profile op-ed advocating for the widespread adoption of competency-based learning, which shares lots of the identical tenets. 

“It’s terrific to see so much enthusiasm for mastery learning,” Sal says. “Mastery can play a critical role in recovery. It allows teachers to personalize learning so that each student can progress through their grade level while also addressing the areas where they may need extra help.” 

Mastery learning permits college students to progress at a tempo that’s proper for them underneath the watchful eye of skilled lecturers who make selections about instruction.