Growth Mindset

How to Foster Enthusiastic Learning & Encourage Students to

Set Goals

First Year ConferenceSeptember 27, 2013

Sharon L. Silverman, Ed.D. Martha E. Casazza, Ed.D. TRPP Associates www.trppassociates.com

TODAY’S OBJECTIVES

• Understand mindset theory and the distinction between growth and fixed mindsets

• Examine the research related to mindset theory and its application to college students

• Learn how to integrate theory and research related to mindset in order to develop principles for practice

TODAY’S OBJECTIVES

• Develop at least one strategy for promoting a growth mindset in students

• Become aware of specific feedback techniques that promote a growth

mindset

• Apply growth mindset approaches with relevant case studies

WHAT IS MINDSET?

1. A belief about your ability

2. A belief that affects an outcome

3. A belief that can change

4. All except # 3

5. All of the above

MINDSET CONCEPT

• Fixed

• Growth

RISK AND EFFORT

What do risk and effort have to do with mindset?

Think of a time when you took a risk. How did you feel?

Think of a time when you exerted a significant amount of effort to accomplish something. What happened?

FIXED VS GROWTH MINDSET

Belief

Capabilities are primarily seen as inborn talents which are hardly changeable

Capabilities are seen as mutable by effort and effective learning strategies

Tendency

To try to appear as capable as much as possible

To try to learn and improve as much as possible

Challenges

Are avoided because, in case of failure, they can give an impression of lack of talent

Are embraced because you can learn from them and they can lead to growth

FIXED VS GROWTH MINDSET

View on EffortIs seen as an indication of a lack of talentIs seen as normal and a necessary step to growth

Response to Adversity/FailureResponse to Adversity and FailureIs seen as an indication of a lack of talent, often leads to giving up earlyIs seen as an indication that more effort and/or better strategies are needed

Response to CriticismResponse to CriticismSelf-defeating defensiveness; own mistakes are not recognized or admittedInquisitive and interested, eager to learn and open to feedback and suggestions

CHARLES

CHARLES’ MINDSET

Think about this as you listen to Charles:

What caused him to have a fixed mindset?

How did it affect him?

What happened to move him from fixed to growth?

How do you think he will respond the next time he is faced with a challenge?

TRPP: A FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE US

THEORY AND RESEARCH

Locus of Control and Attribution Theory

What is it?

How is it connected to Mindset?

What is the research?

THEORY AND RESEARCH

Self-efficacy

What is it?

How is it connected to Mindset?

What is the research?

THEORY AND RESEARCH

Mindset

Carol Dweck

Research findings

Website www.mindsetonline.com

PRINCIPLES FOR PRACTICE

Using Theory and Research to Construct Principles

To promote growth mindsets,

give feedback that emphasizes internal control.

Let’s discuss.

PRACTICE TO PROMOTE A GROWTH MINDSET

To promote growth mindsets, give feedback that emphasizes internal control.

What is needed for this strategy to be effective?

What is likely to get in the way of its effectiveness?

How can the barrier be overcome?

BACK TO CHARLES

What factors do you think interfered with Charles’ success early on?

How did he lose his way?

How did he find his way?

How do you think he will interact with his own students now?

CRITICAL REFLECTION

What situations in your practice are you facing now

where a fixed mindset is present?

How do you think this fixed mindset can evolve to a

growth mindset?

What actions will you take to accomplish this?

CRITICAL REFLECTION

What situations in your practice are you facing now

where a fixed mindset is present?

How do you think this fixed mindset can evolve to a

growth mindset?

What actions will you take to accomplish this?

WHAT’S NEXT

What do you still want to know?