STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF MASTERY LEARNING STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED IN A NURSING CURRICULUM.
Contributors: University of Massachusetts (System)
Published: 1986
Number of pages: 174
Subjects: Education, Curriculum and Instruction.
Description: This study was designed to survey two groups of sophomore nursing students, in two associate degree nursing programs, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The survey determined student perceptions of mastery learning concepts and strategies included in associate degree nursing curriculums in order to provide the impetus for acceptance of innovative teaching strategies. The groups were identified as the some mastery (s-m) group who used some, but not all, of the components of a mastery strategy in their traditional curriculum design and the all mastery (a-m) group who used a criterion-referenced mastery curriculum design. These student perceptions may help educators in the future to determine if a particular teaching-learning strategy increases student performance by facilitating learning; and, in the long run such improvements in learning could lead to reduced attrition in nursing programs in particular and in education in general.

A two part questionnaire was developed to elicit demographic and mastery perception data. Student perceptions to mastery items were based on a four point Likert scale.

Results of demographic data indicated that there were significant differences between the age variable and grades received in the first two nursing courses. The younger, s-m, group scored according to the bell curve while the grades of the older, a-m, group clustered to the top of the grade scale. Age also contributed to the significant differences at the .01 level between the perception of the two groups and research questions 1, 3, and 4.

The results also indicated that significant differences existed at the .01 level between the groups and their perceptions to 11 of the 28 mastery items.

This study determined that the a-m group was generally more positive about their learning experiences than the s-m group. The a-m group earned higher grades; perceived that they had mastered basic concepts and that these basic concepts helped them with subsequent courses; and felt that grades were the result of understanding concepts and not of memorizing content. They generally felt that their instructors were sensitive to their needs and that their learning was individualized with a variety of teaching strategies offered to complement their individual needs.

Recommendations for further study include the development of a criterion-referenced curriculum, the development of a curriculum where students are able to learn at their own pace, and the development of a variety of instructional methodologies to meet the needs of a diverse student population.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-09, Section: A, page: 3297.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, 1986.

School code: 0118.