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Behaviourist Model I Mastery Learning

Models and Strategies of

Teaching
Topic 7
Behaviourist Models I:
Mastery Learning
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Behaviourist Model I Mastery Learning

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Behaviourist Model I Mastery Learning

STRUCTURE
BEHAVIOURIST MODELS I: MASTERY LEARNING
7.1 Overview of behaviourist models
7.2 Task performance reinforcement
7.3 Instructional design under mastery learning
7.4 Planning lessons under mastery learning
7.5 Implementing lessons and activities using mastery learning

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Behaviourist Model I Mastery Learning

Behaviourist Models I M

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TOPIC

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of this topic, you should be

able to:
1.Describe Behaviourist Model
2.Explain about task performance
reinforcement
3.Explain instructional design under
mastery learning
4. Summarize how to plan lessons and
activities using mastery learning

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INTRODUCTIO N

In the psychology of curriculum design and education, behavioural approach is the most
dominant part, though it has its evolution from simple fundamental principles. There
have been many stalwarts like Ivan Pavlov and B.F Skinner, who have deduced theories
like Simple Classical conditioning and operant conditioning respectively, but they all
share a common principle that is being used to design the curriculum.
Normally while studying or even while teaching we move from simpler content to the
complex one. Behavioural psychologists believe in the sequence of the instructions that a
teacher should be able to present from simple to complex facts. It is believed that if the
teacher follows the sequence of instructions and carry out students evaluation, students
are bound to learn effectively.
Mastery learning was proposed by Benjamin Bloom in 1968. It states that unless
student achieves a particular mastery level he would not be able to move on, to the next
topics. If he does not achieve what is supposed to be achieved (90% in the test), he should
be given enough support to assist him in learning, after which, he is tested again. This
cycle would continue until the student achieves mastery of the topic and is able to move
on to the next stage.
Mastery learning suggests that every student should be given the period required to
learn the material and to gain the same level of understanding and mastery. This is a bit
different than traditional learning as in traditional learning, all the students are given
the same time to learn the same set of instructions.

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7.1

Overview of Behaviourist Models

Specific goals for instructions, sequencing of instruction material and presenting

sequential material along with the evaluation of students are the three
important simple pillars of Behavioural model of learning. Here are the three
important theories that are deduced by the veterans
o Classical Conditioning By Ivan Pavlov
o Connectionism Theory by Thorndike
o Operant Conditioning by Skinner

Let us take a look at all the three theories:

Ivan Pavlovs theory of classical conditioning
Classical conditioning by Ivan Pavlov has changed the way scientists and other
people looked at the psychological research. He found that dog salivated for food
as natural stimuli. As an experience, he would sound a bell before giving food to
the dog. He repeated this process of sounding the bell before giving food, so even
at the sound of the bell, without giving food, the dog used to start salivating. The
dog actually learnt to respond to an artificial stimulus as it did to the natural
stimulus, of salivating for food. This is called classical conditioning.
The bell being conditional stimulus and salivation at the sound of the bell is a
conditioned response.
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Connectionism Theory by Thorndike

John Watson and E.L Thorndike were impressed with the work of Ivan Pavlov
and applied it to the environment of education. Thorndike worked on applying a
behavioural approach to education.
He deduced that learning is a process of connectionism i.e., forming a connection
between a stimulus and the response to it.
He performed a simple experiment in his lab where a cat was kept in a cage and
pressing a lever it could open the cage. Food kept outside the cage was a reward
for the cat for opening the cage. This process was repeated and after much trial
and error, the cat could connect the aspect that pressing the lever would help it to
escape from the cage, and have the food as a reward. Based on this experiment
Thorndike concluded that learning is habit formation. It is a connection between
stimulus and the response (S-R Theory).
He further applied this S-R theory of trial and error to education and developed
laws for learning that were influenced by reward.
His laws are
-

Law of effect

Law of readiness

Law of exercise.

Law of Effect states that When a modifiable connection is made between a

situation and a response and is accompanied or followed by a satisfying state of
affairs, the strength of that connection is increased. When an annoying state of
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affairs goes with or follows a connection, the strength of that connection is

decreased.

The next law is the Law of Exercise. Thorndike says that the strength of the
stimulus-response connection is directly proportional to the connection between
stimulus and response. More the practice, stronger the connection, lesser the
practice, weaker the connection.
Skinners Operant Conditioning
As per Skinner there are two different responses in human behaviour, they are
respondent and operant. The first one occurs to specific stimuli and the other one
does not have any reason to occur. They occur at random. Skinner says that if
these operant responses are groomed they can be deeply ingrained in the
behaviour of a human being. This is what Skinner refers to, in the theory of
operant conditioning. He also believed that reward was one of the most
important things in the learning process.
As per Skinner, it was reinforcement that would increase the possibility of getting
rewarded. He says that
A reward is compensation or remuneration for services performed and is
seldom immediately contingent on behavior. We reward people; we reinforce the
behaviour.
There are reinforcements and punishments of two types. The reinforcements are
positive and negative.
The positive reinforcement occurs when a student does his homework well, and
the teacher says well done. The student gets positively reinforced with this
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encouragement. A negative response is that, at the very thought of an exam, the

student feels sick, and wishes to see the doctor, and the teacher allows him. This
reinforces negative response.

Here are the two types of punishments.

Increase in response

Positive:

Helps

Decrease in response

strengthen

Type

Punishment:

responses that are pleasant.

Weakens the response and

Negative:

decreases bad behaviour

Type
II
Punishment:

Helps

strengthen

responses that are unpleasant

reprimand.Weakens
response.

Table 7.1 Types of Punishment

Punishment 1: When teacher says I will not allow you to sit for the exam if you
come late This decreases the bad behaviour
Punishment2: When teacher reprimands by saying Will you please stop
talking? This weakens the bad behaviour.
Skinner is regarded as the most influential behaviourist. His theories of operant
conditioning are considered as a base of mastery learning, programmed
instruction, philosophy, and so on. His major contribution can be observed in
applied behavioural analysis and developing the schedule for reinforcement.

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Operant conditioning is the base to behavioural models. Here is a pictorial

depiction.

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Fig. 7.1 Operant Conditioning

7.2

Task Performance Reinforcement

What is reinforcement?
It is a consequence that has the capacity to strengthen future behaviour when it
is preceded by the antecedent stimulus.
Task performance reinforcement is based on the schedule of reinforcement.
Let us first understand about the schedule of reinforcement.
In schedule reinforcement, operant conditioning by Skinner is used as a basic
fundamentals. The response to a particular stimulus needs to be reinforced in
such a way, that the persons behaviour changes according to the ,results of the
behaviour, which is suggested by the schedule of reinforcement. It tells how
often the response needs to be reinforced.
There are two types of reinforcements
-

Continuous

Intermittent
Continuous reinforcement is provided after each correct response,resulting in
quick learning, but satiation may take place.
Intermittent reinforcement is much more effective than continuous

Intermittent reinforcement is carried through ratio or an interval. All correct

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responses are not reinforced,but behaviour are maintained for longer periods of
time,although it is not suitable to teach new behaviours.
There are primary reinforcers and secondary reinforcers.
Primary reinforcers: Unconditional reinforcer that do not need pairing to
anything as a reinforcer. Sleep, air, food ,drink belong to this category.
Secondary reinforcers are called as Conditioned reinforcers which requires
pairing with a stimulus as a reinforcer. Money is one such secondary reinforcer.
Here is a brief understanding of intermittent reinforcement schedule. It says that
not all the behaviour can be reinforced every time it is exhibited. The patterns of
reinforcement which happen intermittently has an impact on the speed of
learning. Also, it has an impact on the time it continues after the reinforcement is
stopped.
Here are some schedules of task reinforcement
-

Ratio Schedule:
o Depends on the number of responses performed

Continuous
o A reinforcement where each occurrence of the response is followed
diligently by a reinforcer.
Simple schedules, on the contrary, have only one rule, to understand the

response delivered by the same. Here are some of the types:

Fixed Ratio: Delivering reinforcement after each nth response.
Example: FR10 = Getting bonus after selling ten products out of the lot.
Variable Ratio Schedule: On an average, reinforcing nearby the nth response.
Example: Gambling machines. The probability of getting a jackpot is constant but
which no of lever press will hit it, is a variable.
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Fixed interval: Reinforced after n time.

Example: A cycle of washing machine.

Here are schedules and their effect on responding, in a nutshell.

Table 7.2 Schedules and their Effect

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7.3

Instructional design under mastery learning

Benjamin Bloom in 1968 has devised this theory of mastery learning. In this
theory of mastery learning, he proposes that every student should secure 90%
marks in a knowledge test before moving forward for the subsequent topic. If
the student is unable to achieve mastery in that particular topic, then he is given
help to achieve it and asked to take the test.
Mastery learning gives ample time to the student to achieve a level through
instructions as against the traditional method. Here one can also see that the
responsibility for the failure of the student is not much about the part which he
plays but it is because of the instructions.
So the challenge that exists in mastery learning is about having proper
instructional strategies so that all the students achieve the same level of mastery
in different time periods.
The motivation required for mastery learning ideally comes from an effort to
reduce the gaps between achievements of students in classrooms. This is called
Uniform Instruction,which is representedin Fig. 7.3

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Fig. 7.2 Uniform Instruction

As per the aptitude of the subject, if students are provided instructions then the
achievement levels of all students is normally distributed.
If the learner gets optimal instructions and more learning time as per their need,
then the majority of students will achieve mastery. This is represented as Optimal
Instruction in Fig. 7.4

Fig. 7.3 Optimal Instruction

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Bloom had stated that, with the following points in place every student can
achieve high levels of learning capacity:
-

If the instructions are given systematically

Supporting and helping the student whenever he has a learning difficulty

Giving each student ample time to achieve mastery over the subject

Establishing a criterion about what exactly contributes to mastery.

Here are some of the factors that influence the levels of achievement:
-

Aptitude: Is the amount of time needed to attain mastery.

Quality of instruction: For a given learner how optimal the presentation,

explanation and ordering of the elements in an instruction is, is what decides
the quality of instruction.

Ability to understand instructions: There are two types of abilities which a

learner need to possess - Reading comprehension and Verbal ability. These
two things are most related to students achievement.

Instructional design & mastery learning

Learning processes have a deep relationship with instructions. Instruction is a set
of events that are external.
The following aspects are involved in formalising events of instructions.
-

Empirical observation
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Information processing model

The events are sequentially are arranged as follows:

-

Gaining the required attention

Providing the learner with information about the objective

Recalling prior learning

Presenting the stimuli

Providing guidance for learning

Performance elicitation

Giving feedback

Performance Assessment

Enhancement of the retention or transfer.

The above events are closely related to Mastery learning

Here are some points that elaborate the relationship between instructions and
mastery learning.
-

Recall of prior learning

o Assurance about retrieval of existing information/knowledge

Presenting the incitement

o Identifying what needs to be learnt

Providing guidance for learning

o Giving hints and prompts about the learning outcome

Performance elicitation
o This helps to understand the level of understanding of students

Feedback.
o Getting feedback on the lessons learnt
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DID YOU KNOW

Here are five myths about mastery learning
- Mastery-based learning is difficult to
implement
- Mastery-based learning is expensive
- Mastery-based learning makes
grading more difficult
- Too many students fail with masterybased learning
- In mastery-based learning, smart
students are not challenged.

7.4

Planning lessons under mastery learning

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Mastery learning has some strategies which have discrete topics with which the
students start learning together. After the beginning, all the students will be
given an assessment test for the teacher to identify whether the objective of the
learning has been reached or not. Here the instruction gets bifurcated in two
different directions.
The students who have achieved the objectives will go ahead with subsequent
topics whereas students who have not achieved the same kind of mastery would
go through corrective measures. The corrective measures would include
different activities, varied type of instruction, individualised instructions and
some more time to complete the assignment.
Preconditions
Here are some preconditions for the same
-

Students and teachers should clarify the objective and content of instructions.

Develope the evaluation criterion and achievement criterion

Operating Procedure

Formative evaluation

Alternative learning process

Outcomes for mastery learning are

Cognitive Learning

Affective Learning

7.5

Implementing activities under mastery learning

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Here is how you can implement activities under mastery learning

o Process

Teachers divide the curriculum into some instructional units

Teachers will teach topic and then evaluate the understanding

of students for each unit

Students who have mastered a particular unit will go on

performing enrichment activities while others who have not
achieved the same kind of mastery would practice the unit with
additional support.

Some of the benefits of mastery learning include

o It is suitable for students with normal aptitude
o At the same time, it is challenging for students with higher aptitude.
o It allows for learning pace of an individual slow learner.
o It helps all types of students by

giving appropriate time and

environment
Some strategies you can use for implementing activities using Mastery
Learning
o Plan the curriculum in advance and break it into some specific units
o Write the learning objectives that can be compared with the goals
achieved by each student
o Planning to evaluate the skills.
o Plan for appropriate enrichment activities.
o Plan supporting activities for students who do not achieve mastery in
the first instance.
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CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

- Interpret your understanding of mastery
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learning concept.
- Construct the strategies to formulate
lessons using instructional design and
mastery learning.

SUMMARY
-

In this topic we learnt about different behavioural models

deduced by Ivan Pavlov, B.F Skinner.
Ivan Pavlovs theory of classical conditioning
Skinners theory of operant conditioning
We also saw some methods for task performance
reinforcement
We saw different types of task reinforcers
In later chapters we saw how instructional design mingles with
mastery learning
Also we took a brief look at how to plan and implement lessons
through mastery learning.

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KEY TERMS
-

Mastery Learning,
Operant Conditioning,
Classical Conditioning,
Behavioural models,
Task reinforcement,
Reinforcement methods

EXERCISES
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1.Define reinforcement.
2. Explain the term mastery learning.
3. Identify the person who designed the theory of mastery learning.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
1.Write in detail about classical conditioning.
2.Describe Operant conditioning.
3.Categorise the events in instructional design that relate to mastery learning.

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