Bloom’s 2 sigma by marietta jones

Blooms 2 SigmaMarietta Jones

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Search for Methods of Group Instructionas Effective as One-to-One Tutoring The following three conditions of learning were compared in a study conducted by two University of Chicago doctoral students:

Conventional: Students learn the subject matter in a class with about 30 students per teacher. Tests are given periodically for marking the students. Mastery Learning: Students learn the subject matter in a class with about 30 students per teacher. Formative tests (the same tests used with the conventional group) are given for feedback followed by corrective procedures and parallel formative tests to determine the extent to which the students have mastered the subject matter.Tutoring: Students learn the subject matter with a good tutor for each student (or for two or three students simultaneously). This tutoring instruction is followed periodically by formative tests, feedback-corrective procedures, and parallel formative tests .

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Findings of the StudyUsing the standard deviation (sigma) of the control (conventional) class, it was typically found that the average student under tutoring was about two standard deviations above the average of the control class (the average tutored student was above 98% of the students in the control class). The average student under mastery learning was about one standard deviation above the average of the control class (the average mastery learning student was above 84% of the students in the control class).

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Findings (continued)90% of the tutored students and 70% of the mastery learning students attained the level of summative achievement reached by only the highest 20% of the students under conventional instructional conditions. There were corresponding changes in students' time on task in the classroom (65% under conventional instruction, 75% under Mastery Learning, and 90+ % under tutoring) and students' attitudes and interests (least positive under conventional instruction and most positive under tutoring).

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Findings (continued)The most striking of the findings is that under the best learning conditions they could devise (tutoring), the average student is 2 sigma above the average control student taught under conventional group methods of instruction. The tutoring process demonstrates that most of the students do have the potential to reach this high level of learning. One to One Tutoring can be too costly for most societies to bear.

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The 2 Sigma ProblemCan researchers and teachers devise teaching-learning conditions that will enable the majority of students under group instruction to attain levels of achievement that can, at present, be reached only under good tutoring conditions?

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Mastery Learning (ML) Strategy Large numbers of teachers at every level of instruction and in many countries can use the feedback-corrective procedures to get the 1 sigma effect (the average ML student is above 84% of the students under conventional instruction-even with the same teacher teaching both the ML and the conventional classes)Researchers have systematically tried other variables which, in combination with ML, might approach the 2 sigma effect size. So far, they have not found any two variable combination that has exceeded the 2 sigma effect.

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Search for Practical Methods to the 2 Sigma ProblemImproving student processing of conventional instruction: If students develop good study habits, devote more time to the learning, improve their reading skills, and so on, they will be better able to learn from a particular teacher and course-even though neither the course nor the teacher has undergone a change process. The major changes under the ML process are that more of the students have the cognitive prerequisites for each new learning task, they become more positive about their ability to learn the subject, and they put in more active learning time than do the control students.

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Search for Practical Methods to the 2 Sigma Problem (continued)Help students develop a student support system in which groups of two or three students study together, help each other when they encounter difficulties in the course, help each other review in advance of taking tests, and review their learning periodically.There is evidence that students who take special programs to improve their reading and/or their study and learning methods tend to learn more effectively. Ideally, such special programs should be available at the beginning of each new school level.

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Improve Instructional Materials and Educational Technology : the organizational aids can be built into new textbooks and can be used by the students with a minimum of emphasis by the teachers.Home Environment and the Peer Group: the most effective method was the series of meetings between groups of parents and the parent educator. The changes in the home environment of this group were highly significant. If parents continue to encourage and support each of their children to learn well in school throughout the elementary school years, this should greatly help the children during the years they will attend schools and colleges. Search for Practical Methods to the 2 Sigma Problem (continued)

Improvement of Teaching: 20% of the students under conventional instruction do about as well as the tutored students, and about 80% of the students do relatively poorly under conventional instruction. This is believed to be in part from the unequal treatment of students within most classrooms. Nordin found that the average student in the enhanced cue and participation group was 1.5 sigma higher than the average student in the control (conventional instruction) classes. The tactic of providing a "mirror" to the teacher of the ways in which he or she is providing cues and explanations, appropriate reinforcement, and securing overt as well as covert participation of the students in the learning, seems to us to be an excellent approach.Search for Practical Methods to the 2 Sigma Problem (continued)

Improvement of Teaching of the Higher Mental Processes: In different countries (e.g., Israel, Malaysia, South Korea) there is great emphasis on problem-solving, application of principles, analytical skills, and creativity. Such higher mental processes are emphasized because these centers believe that they enable the student to relate his or her learning to the many problems he or she encounters in day-to-day living. In contrast, teachers in the United States typically make use of textbooks that rarely pose real problems. Attempts to improve higher mental processes included group instruction emphasizing higher mental processes and feedback-corrective processes, which also emphasized higher mental processes.Search for Practical Methods to the 2 Sigma Problem (continued)

Even being at U of M, when a student transition from a high school of 30 students in a class to a seminar of 150 students. It takes less and less concentration on each student. One on one tutoring would be more effective, because that teacher is focus on making sure that one student is on right track.There was one teaching method that was a solution to the 2 sigma problem that stood out a lot to me. It was the combination of ML and initial enhancement of cognitive prerequisites. I believe this combination would have really helped me in school, specifically for math and foreign language classes.Peer groups are said to help students learning . If students see their friends doing well then the more likely they will follow.Personally, I'm one of those students who study better by themselves. So, it could be a consideration that many students learn differently as individuals.smaller classes where the teacher is able to know each student name and know their faces will allow for the students and teacher to make a personal connection and will aid in the students to learn effectively.

Summary of Class Comments

While there may not be enough resources to provide each student with a tutor, placing them in smaller groups with their peers will force them to interact with one another and work together to understand the materials.The importance of the one on one, or the personal aspect of learning, has without a doubt been proven here, especially when compared to results of conventional learning.Oddly the student's peer group has the strongest influence (negatively and positively) on the student's learning. I found this interesting because it explains why the student learns better in one to one tutoring.I find it very interesting that so many other places around the world teach in a way that has great emphasis on problem-solving, application of principles, analytical skills, and creativity.I had tutoring once and it helped out a lot but I think if I would found two other people to tutor with me I wouldve understood the subject better. I would have had the privilege of having two other people opinions and how they understood it.

Summary of Class Comments (continued)

One on one tutoring or small group tutoring tends to be much more intensive - which is good, but can also require more time in order to properly comprehend what is being taught, whereas conventional and master learning(to a lesser extent) streamline the learning process so a given quantity of material is covered in a given time period.I do not feel like there is any one method of group instruction that is as effective as one-to-one tutoring but rather a combination of instruction between the classroom, students, and home (parents).I think often when students struggle it is viewed as they are uncommitted or not capable of doing the work. The Sigma Problem proposes the exact opposite in that it may be the approaches of the teacher or an absence of positive learning environment that is the actual culprit of a student's learning challenges.One on one learning gives a student undivided attention and more opportunities to learn the lesson. The other methods give the student have to learn the lesson within a given time whether they understand or not.The (areas) that I think need the most improvement is involvement of all students in the classroom, the way the information is being taught, and a healthy home life.


Tutoring allows us to read and tune studies to the students needs at the time, which is very difficult to do with 30 students at a time. Is it possible to tune studies per student in a class of 30 in a realistic fashion? If it were possible, would it be better to have shorter classes with fewer students?I think that they are referring to the standard deviations but I do not understand what it means by 2 sigma an why that determines the effectiveness?A home environment that is routine with homework being a big part, academic support and help from parents, stimulation like providing opportunities to learn by exploring maybe a trip to the local museum, using correct language in the home will help students to use it at school, and academic expectations and standards that are set by parents and praised for doing well are said to help.If more measures could be taken to prevent the slipping of students behavior and grades, there may be less of a problem with failure and group instruction will become as effective as one-to-one tutoring.
