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Mastery learning versus traditional teaching methodologies' effect on secondary students' anxiety levels
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to determine if a mastery learning teaching methodology affected the anxiety levels of students compared to a more traditional teaching methodology. Teaching methodologies were identified in this study as (1) mastery learning and (2) a traditional (i.e. lecture) teaching methodology. The traditional teaching methodology was employed in two types of classrooms: (1) a vocational classroom and (2) a general education classroom. Traditional teaching methodology is based on large group instruction, passive student roles, and lecture as the primary teaching mode. The mastery learning teaching methodology was depicted by the MarkED Model Program model. Anxiety was operationalized through the use of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). STAI defines two types of anxiety: state anxiety and trait anxiety. The subjects were chosen from two Washington state high schools. Intact classes representing each teaching methodology participated from each school. Thirty-two students were in the mastery learning group, 24 students participated in the vocational class without mastery learning, and 32 students were in the traditional teaching methodology group. The study was conducted from September 1995 to March 1996. The STAI was administered three times during this study: September 1995, November 1995, and March 1996. A quasi-experimental repeated measures design was used with an analysis of the first administration of the STAI indicating the three groups were similar in regard to state and trait anxiety levels across the teaching methodologies. No difference was observed in state anxiety between teaching methodologies groups over time (F(2,85) = 2.05, p =.135) as well as no difference in trait anxiety (F(2,85) = 1.12, p =.332). Student demographics as age, parental support, number of employment and extracurricular hours did not influence students' trait or state anxiety levels. Females seemed to exhibit higher levels of state anxiety. Further research is needed with different student groups as college students, with different types of mastery learning, and in different subject areas.
Subject Area
Business education|Curricula|Teaching|Vocational education|Adult education|Continuing education
Recommended Citation
Yohon, Teresa I, "Mastery learning versus traditional teaching methodologies' effect on secondary students' anxiety levels" (1996). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9700111.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9700111