NCJ Number
96585
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 48 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1984) Pages: 34-37
Date Published
1984
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The California Men's Colony, a medium-security correctional institution, used a mastery-learning approach to teach college-level American history and government. This approach produced rewards in terms of student performance and expressed student satisfaction.
Abstract
The program included individual student answers to a weekly set of study guide questions in preparation for a weekly essay quiz, discussion of test items immediately following the quiz, and completion of projects that required the application of newly learned concepts in analyzing current social conditions. The mastery-learning approach is based on the belief that almost all students, can achieve learning goals at a high level of performance if given a fair chance to learn. The approach differed from the traditional approach in explanation of goals and teaching methods to students, type and frequency of assignments, products, instructor's role, forms and frequency of feedback, student use of evaluations, grading, and use of class time. Of 324 students who enrolled in the classes at the California Men's Colony over a 4-year period, 69 percent completed the entire course. Over three-fifths earned grades of A, and students often told the instructor that they had never before had as fair a chance to succeed. This approach is well-suited to the learning needs of most prison inmates who enroll in college-level classes. Six references are listed.