Benjamin S. Bloom

The 2 Sigma Problem: The Search for Methods of Group Instruction as Effective as One-to-One Tutoring

T w o University of Chicago doctoral students in education, Anania (1982, 1983) and Burke (1984), completed dissertations in which they compared student learning under the following three conditions of instruction: 1. Conventional. Students learn the subject matter in a class with about 30 students per teacher. Tests are given periodically for marking the students. 2. Mastery Learning. Students learn the subject matter in a class with about 30 students per teacher. The instruction is the same as in the conventional class (usually with the same teacher). Formative tests (the same tests used with the conventional group) are given for feedback followed by corrective procedures and parallel formative tests to determine the extent to which the students have mastered the subject matter. 3. Tutoring. Students learn the subject matter with a good tutor for each student (or for two or three students simultaneously). This tutoring instruction is followed periodically by formative tests, feedback-corrective procedures, and parallel formative tests as in the mastery learning classes. It should be pointed out that the need for corrective work under tutoring is very small.

Stability and change in human characteristics

Stability and change in human characteristics , Stability and change in human characteristics , کتابخانه دیجیتال و فن آوری اطلاعات دانشگاه امام صادق(ع)

Twenty-Five Years of Educational Research*

As President of The American Educational Research Association I have been trying to take stock of what we have accomplished during the past quarter of a century. Such stock taking tells as much about the person doing the inventory as it does about the field. Although the President (now Past President) of an organization may believe that his role gives him access to more information and a more objective perspective than is available to others, this is probably one of the delusions fostered by the office.

Recent developments in mastery learning 1

Abstract Mastery learning strategies have been widely used with considerable success in increasing the proportion of students attaining the mastery criterion. Students attaining mastery do, under appropriate conditions, change in their affect about the subject and themselves. Research on time and achievement in relation to mastery learning procedures show reduction in student variability and increases in learning efficiency and learning achievement.

Use of the test scoring machine and the graphic item counter for statistical work

The graphic item-counter is described and its use as a statistical device is explained. Procedures are presented for obtaining Pearson product-moment correlations by means of the graphic item-counter.