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Khan for Educators (US)

Course: Khan for Educators (US) > Unit 1

Lesson 4: Introduction to mastery learning

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What is mastery learning?

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Have you ever tried to learn something… and you just couldn’t? 😣 It’s not you. It’s just the traditional approach to learning. But what if there were a different way to learn? One that empowers you to really understand any subject? 📚 Well, there is, and it’s called #masterylearning. 🎓 Now you have the tools to make mastery learning possible. Are you ready to learn anything? ✨ Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on support from people like you. Make a difference in the lives of students by donating today: http://www.khanacademy.org/donate?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=desc. Created by Khan Academy.

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mr.james.teacher25
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to mr.james.teacher25's post “Do you have a video that ...”
Do you have a video that is tailored to the primary grades?
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(5 votes)
Answer
- G. Tarun
  Posted a year ago. Direct link to G. Tarun's post “This video would be my to...”
  This video would be my top recommendation—it may have been made for high-schoolers, given the references to Algebra and Calculus. But it's a good visual explainer of mastery learning.
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  (1 vote)

Video transcript

- [Narrator] Have you ever really tried to learn something, and you just couldn't? It can make you feel like you're not so smart, right? Well, it's not your fault, and it's not your teacher's fault. It's just our traditional approach to learning. We go through school and we accumulate gaps. You're a bit shaky on pre-algebra, but you move on to algebra anyway. By the time you get to calculus, you've got lots of gaps. If enough gaps build up, you'll eventually hit a wall. Calculus makes no sense, and that can be frustrating. But what if there were a different way to learn? That's mastery learning. Unlike traditional learning, where all students move in lock step, with mastery learning, you go at your own pace. You progress through questions at just the right level for you. If you get 50% right the first time, it's not a big deal. Try as many times as you need, get feedback as you learn, and help when you need it. Teachers can track your progress, identify any gaps, and give you one-on-one attention. Decades of research shows mastery learning works. Now you have the tools to make it possible. Are you ready to learn anything?