M3CA is a model of mastery learning developed in a college classroom, and an acronym for Mastery, Concept Maps, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Assessment. The M3CA model is a formative model of skill based mastery learning and assessment that produces high levels of academic achievement and empowers students with a feeling of fairness. Mastery is based on students' creation of concept maps, and the steps toward mastery include learning the skills of: critical thinking, prioritization (evaluation), individual and group synthesis, group evaluation (prioritization), and the application of multiple choice items to assess the facts, concepts and knowledge embedded in the concept maps. Multiple choice items created by and collected from teams of students are available for all to see and used in their assessment. Each step toward mastery is observable, transparent, and open to public view by the students.