The effects of ascending,descending, and fixed criteria on student performance and attitude in a mastery-oriented course

This study examined whether the criteria for mastering unit quizzes in a mastery-oriented course should increase, decrease, or remain fixed across units. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatments, one in which mastery criteria on unit quizzes gradually increased, a second in which mastery criteria gradually decreased, and a third in which mastery criteria remained fixed. Results indicated that students in the fixed criterion condition proceeded through the course at the steadiest pace and performed better than the other students on the unit quizzes they mastered. In addition, the vast majority of subjects indicated that they preferred the fixed criterion condition. These results strengthen the notion that the level of performance expected of students in a mastery-oriented course should not vary across units.