Learning of Online Graduate Students: Learning Experiences, Challenges, and Strategies in a Self-Paced, Competency-Based Mastery Course

Abstract As the demand for online graduate courses and programs continues to rise, diverse course formats and delivery methods have been explored to optimize the learner experience and enhance academic outcomes. One such approach, competency-based learning, when integrated with mastery learning, supports the development of practical, job-relevant expertise. This study investigated the challenges encountered by learners in an online graduate course driven by a competency-based and mastery learning framework and explored the strategies they employed while navigating and overcoming these challenges. Grounded in the model of action phases, this study examined students’ learning experience across the learning phases. The analysis was guided by the self-regulated learning assessment framework, which considers course-related, self-related, and task-related factors. Findings reveal that learners faced a range of challenges pertaining to course structure, other life priorities, and task completion. Furthermore, the results underscore the essential role of a mindset shift in achieving success within a mastery learning context. Implications for both practice and future research are discussed.