Effects of a modified mastery learning strategy on achievement, attitudes, and on‐task behavior of high school chemistry students

The effects of a mastery learning strategy modified to limit diagnosis to two cycles were tested with high school chemistry students. The results indicate that achievement of mastery learning students was significantly greater than that of nonmastery control students. On‐task behavior (academic engagement) of mastery learning students increased in a linear fashion during the study (45 instructional days), while on‐task behavior of nonmastery students decreased. Attitudes toward science and science instruction were not significantly different but were positive in both mastery and nonmastery conditions.