Category: Growth Mindset

Trying hard in life leads to success, the inheritance of knowledge, and the expansion of self-esteem. A great man by the name of Mahatma Gandhi once said “Infinite striving to be the best is man’s duty; It is its own reward. Everything else is in God’s hands”. The definition of strive in the oxford dictionary is “to try very hard to achieve something”. Achieving takes time and continuous sheer determination and the more a person tries the better. Procrastination should not be thought of. If a person wants to go far and accomplish something, they should never dawdle on their journey. Mistakes are made everywhere and anywhere at any time, nobody is flawless, they are not always a bad thing. Mistakes help humans develop a better consciousness about their surroundings and allows them to grow by learning from them. It is paramount to strive towards a purpose, however without a positive mindset towards the subject/topic, there won’t be a positive outcome. Intimate growth is a continuous process of perceiving and understanding one’s identity and self in order to attain one’s fullest potential. Personal improvement is a crucial component in a person’s maturity, accomplishments, and euphoria. It is the infrastructure of emotional, physical, and mental health. To fulfil a purpose in life a person must strive, to do so one must have a growth mindset and not a fixed one.

Having a growth mindset allows a person to continuously improve themselves. Knowing that doing more and scoring a higher rank is possible, allows humans to believe and work harder. Individuals must know that everything they do or want to do should be executed at the best of their ability. Believing that they can always improve and there is no denouement. Talents and giving traits are just the start for people with growth mindsets. People who try and elaborate more on their desires will not only make it farther in life but also prosper. Establishing a fixed mindset will provoke the idea of struggle and consider that talent by itself will inaugurate success without effort. People with fixed mindsets spend most of their time documenting their wit and adroitness rather than developing them. One must believe that they can always do better by trying harder. Once an objective is achieved a person feels great especially if they tried hard for it. If people get what they want without trying hard and working for it they would not evolve mentaly or physically. Undergoing challenges and tests will cause people to make mistakes, which one could learn and succeed from.

Mistakes are made every where in everyday life. Everyone can learn from mistakes they are the bedrock of growing and improving. Not one living soul is flawless, the earth is filled and surrounded by errors of the past and errors in present time. If one just apologizes after making a mistake and continues on with their life they will most likely repeat the mistake, and not consume any wisdom from their faulty actions. A person must must accept their errors or else they won’t learn from it. Repeating the same flaws over and over again will not get humans anywhere. They then become an obstacle that one must face. Bad decisions are not always a bad thing, they cause humans to think and evaluate their mistakes due to the dull decision they made. Being knowledgeable and intelligent does not mean flawless. Those people have got their because of multiple mistakes they have done in the past. Reflecting upon those mistakes allows them to perceive and understand why they have done them in the first place. Learning from a mistake makes one feel noble and proud. As mentioned before mistake help human develop a better consciousness of their surroundings. Mistakes leave everyone with a lesson at the end of the day. Weather its to pay attention more or try harder. Trial and error is very stressful but it helps one have prodigious results. Even the greatest have made mistakes. No one should feel ashamed of their wrong doings, they should be appreciative because now they have a learning opportunity. Improvement is never ending one could always do better and make it farther in life. No one should ever procrastinate.

Leaving things for the future instead of doing them while it is possible is a very poor decision. If a person has involved this idea with their accustomed route they will not make it far whatsoever. Doing stuff right away will leave less obstacles a person must face throughout their journey. Once a human being fulfils a task they feel incredible and believe that they can do anything. This is not the end for them there is always something new they can start and finish at the best of their abilities. One might face challenges, tests, but always tries to attempt new things. Some people procrastinate tasks because they have no hope in being able to do it. They just don’t want to do it but shouldn’t be an excuse to not try something. No one should do things last minute always start on them right away. This process leaves extra time to enhance and expand on your projects and ideas. Most people who procrastinate try to avoid and ignore their tasks hoping that it will disappear and not have to worry about it. Procrastination is for people who are scared and worried. They are big dreamers that hope their worries and discomforting surroundings will go away, without having to try.

To fulfil a purpose in life a person must strive, to do so one must have a growth mindset and not a fixed one. People should always believe that doing better and enhancing tasks is possible. Individuals with growth mindsets are the ones who will most likely thrive and prosper throughout their life. making mistakes is an amazing thing to do. No one should be ashamed of their mistakes. They should be honored because now they have a learning opportunity that will help them tremendously in life. One must always be positive and boost their confidence. Thinking that achieving is impossible will only bring an individual down more. Trying hard and making mistakes are the bedrock of growing and achieving. Nobody is perfect and flawless, even the smartest and most talented people on earth. Spending lots of time documenting your wit and adroitness will not help a person improve. They must always believe that they could improve on them and be better people than they are today. It might seem hard but all it takes is a little bit of effort and determination.

Introduction (200)

Growth mindset is an area in educational psychology that has been examined for many years in a variety of different studies, but it is widely accepted that Carol Dweck was the first academic to fully define the concept. Her work defines mindsets as either fixed or growth (Dweck, 2006), where a fixed mindset is when a student believes their intelligence and knowledge is fixed and a growth mindset implies that through hard work and perseverance intelligence can expand.

Students with different mindsets also have a different outlook on effort, fixed mindset students often believe that because they have to work hard that means they lack the ability, however, growth mindsets have the understanding that hard work pays off with understanding (Mills & Mills, 2018). The key is that students with a growth mindset appear to have greater resilience when being confronted by challenges.

In this paper, we will examine the use of growth mindset further with a specific interest in mathematics. The paper will set out what is meant by growth mindset interventions, the benefits of these interventions as well as the criticisms. By examining this topic, we hope to explore the GTCS registration standards 2.1.4, 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 3.1.2, 3.2.2 and 3.4.1.

Scottish Context (250)

The gap in academic achievement between low- and high-income households has been well studied and is fully accepted as needing to be addressed. Scotland has created a framework in the hope that this gap can be addressed (Scottish Government, 2019) which looks to implement a number of different programs from different perspectives from school leadership to parental engagement. Growth mindset sits within the school leadership and teacher professionalism aspect of the National Improvement Framework since this is where the most impact can be made through professional development. Further to the National Improvement Framework growth mindset could feed into the “How good is our school?” framework of self-improvement (Education Scotland, 2015). The purpose of this framework is to improve schools and their teaching through a constant cycle of self-improvement and collaboration within all areas of the school. The framework puts a high emphasis on areas such as empowering students to be involved in their learning and quality feedback to ensure learners are able to be fully engaged at all times which are two areas that underpin the growth mindset theory (Dweck, 2006).

What is Growth Mindset (500)

Incremental mindset is an intelligence theory where we are concerned about how a person might view intelligence. Carol Dweck coined this as growth mindset (Dweck, 2006) and this has been accepted within the literature ever since. The opposite of growth mindset is the fixed mindset (Dweck, 2006) where we see intelligence as an entity which is unable to be altered in any way. The way we perceive intelligence can have an impact on several things but fundamentally it concerns how we would face challenges and setbacks (Mills & Mills, 2018) were those with fixed mindsets finding setbacks difficult to deal with where those with growth mindsets are able to be resilient and learn from mistakes (Glerum, et al., 2019).

Growth mindset is often characterised through the idea of effort where students are often pushed in their abilities. Dweck calls this “the power of yet” where students are encouraged to communicate their incorrect answers in the hope that they learn from feedback, work on their weaknesses and then get the next example correct (Dweck, 2006). Those students with a fixed mindset tend to get discouraged by their wrong answers and as such would not communicate wrong answers in this example.

Growth Mindset in Mathematics

Mathematics is traditionally a subject where students feel that they either understand the content or they don’t which is typical to fixed mindset approach to study. Indeed this mindset appears to be culturally acceptable where people are often happy to admit they “don’t get maths” and is often proudly proclaimed to their children particularly when helping with homework (Langford, 2016). This seems to be exacerbated through the way mathematics is often taught with short-form questioning with distinct answers meaning if students don’t get to the solution they are down-heartened and easily give up (Boaler, 2018). This has led to a further idea of mathematical mindsets where new methods of questioning has been developed in order to create questions where different methods are rewarded and can be further developed (Anderson, et al., 2018) to help with a deeper understanding.

What are Growth Mindset Interventions? (250)

The aim of mindset interventions is to change a pupil’s perspective from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, this is achieved through a few different methods however there appears to be only a limited number featured within the academic literature. These can be broken down into two broad categories, in-person and online interventions.

In-Person Interventions

In-person interventions are often a series of workshops that are run to teach students about the brain and how intelligence is malleable (Good, et al., 2003, Aronsen, et al., 2002, Orosz, et al., 2017). These can be run by the academic conducting the research (Good, et al., 2003) or through the idea of “train the trainer” where teachers are taught about growth mindset and then in turn they run the workshops (Orosz, et al., 2017). The latter would arguably be more effective as teachers are then able to really embed the practise into their everyday pedagogy rather than having a one-off intervention.

Online Interventions

Online interventions are those which happen through the internet or a computer programme. These are often adapted from the in person interventions in that they are transformed from a workshop-based intervention to one adapted for online work (Paunesku, et al., 2015). These online workshops are predominantly focussed on students rather than practitioners and the content revolves around teaching about the brain being a muscle and centre around the message of intelligence being elastic (Paunesku, et al., 2015, Burnette, et al., 2018). Further to this there are specific computer programs that have been studied (Donohoe, et al., 2012) which aim to take students through mindset theories with a combination of activities and challenges. These online interventions have the benefit of not needing direct instruction so are not resource heavy as well as being able to study the impact across a vast geographic area rather than concentrating on a smaller area and therefore a smaller study population (Paunesku, et al., 2015).

Benefits of Mindset Interventions (750)

There have been several studies which focus on growth mindset interventions at different stages of academic careers from early childhood right through to university levels. For the purpose of this paper we will highlight the work of three studies in particular: Aronsen, et al (2002) who focusses on the impact of interventions on students from a minority background who are often disadvantaged as well, Blackwell, et al (2007) who focusses on learners in the transition phase between primary and secondary school and Good, et al (2003) who focusses on girls, minority and low-income groups as these are groups who suffer from stereotyping when it comes to academic ability.

The first paper we will explore is Aronsen et al (2002) where the academics studied the impact of growth mindset on minority college age students. The reason for choosing this group for the study is that in the United States of America it is recognised that race has an impact in educational attainment though there is no agreed reason as to why this might be the case. This phenomenon causes a stereotype and learners will tend to live up to this belief through their mindset and thus create a ceiling for their own abilities (Aronsen, et al., 2002). The academics then conducted their intervention and reviewed their SAT scores and attitudes to learning at different points. What was found was that the students receiving the intervention improved their attitude towards learning and this in turn improved their academic outcomes, however it was found that they still lagged behind their counterparts (Aronsen, et al., 2002). While this study was conducted in America and with a minority group this could be applicable to Scottish students as those with low incomes tend to have a similar stereotype when it comes to attainment. This study is very encouraging as there was an improvement, but it shows that interventions need to be long-term and potentially at an earlier stage than college students.

The second paper Blackwell et al (2007) study the stage where students moved from primary to secondary school. This is a stage where students have an increased time of turmoil and instability and is characterised by change (Eccles, et al., 1993). Growth mindset is closely linked to motivation where it is argued that those with a growth mindset have high motivation and therefore high effort (Dweck, 2006). Blackwell et al (2007) looks at how teaching students about their intelligence malleability can influence their mathematics scores, they found that those students who held a more fixed mindset benefitted more from the intervention and reported an increase in their scores (Blackwell, et al., 2007). Further to this the study found that those students who are given the intervention also achieve the higher grades than predicted throughout the following two years (Blackwell, et al., 2007).

The third and final paper Good et al (2003) emphasises the idea that minority groups often perform less well than their peers as with Aronsen et al (2002) however also highlights that girls tend to also have a lower standardised test score particularly in mathematics (Good, et al., 2003). The authors note that there are a number of reasons this could be the case including teachers and society belief that girls will underperform, however it also states that students might be just living up to expectations and succumbing to the stereotype when faced with a test (Good, et al., 2003). This resilience is typical of a fixed mindset where students tend to give up when faced with any kind of difficulty (Dweck, 2006). The study showed that when girls were exposed to the mindset interventions they increased their test scores by a greater margin than the boys thus reducing the gender gap, further to that the minority students who struggled with their reading scores also improved significantly when receiving the interventions (Good, et al., 2003). Further to this the study finds that those with fixed mindsets often blame themselves for the failure where those with a growth mindset look for external influences for their failure and as such tend to look for ways for improvement (Good, et al., 2003) which they are then able to take throughout their academic and further life.

It is important to note that these are only three studies but there are many more available looking at mindset interventions in different settings. These three were chosen because they are a good spread across issues which would be applicable in Scotland due to minority groups often being from low socio-economic backgrounds, girls moving into STEM subjects is a well known issue worldwide and it is important to note the impact of mindsets during a transition time in schools. All three of the studies reported an increase in attainment and academic scores particularly in mathematics where fixed mindsets are more prevalent (Langford, 2016) due to the nature of the subject.

Critics of Growth Mindset Interventions (750)

There is growing evidence of research against the growth mindset interventions, particularly those which state that they have minimal impact. We will explore this area with respect to reducing the attainment gap where studies tend to focus on low socio-economic groups.

Sisk et al (2018) conducted a meta-analysis which aimed to discover the relationship between growth mindset and achievement and whether growth mindset positively influences achievement. The purpose of this study was to bring together the large academic literature on the topic and appear to get a definitive answer on whether interventions have an impact generally rather than relying on one study. What is found is that while studies claim that mindset interventions have a positive impact and indeed close any attainment gaps which occur the results of this meta-analysis does not support these claims overall, though there is some indication that interventions do benefit students in low socio-economic groups (Sisk, et al., 2018). Further to this the study found that interventions might not help all students regardless of their current academic achievement therefore if interventions were to be introduced it implies that these interventions should be targetted.

Further to this it has been found that growth mindset interventions might not increase attainment at various levels, or at the very least have a minimal impact on attainment (Burnette, et al., 2018; Schmidt, et al., 2017). Interventions could help to stop a decline in achievement at certain points in school and as such help to maintain a certain level of achievement (Schmidt, et al., 2017) but in lower grades the interventions do not make an impact. While interventions might not have an overall impact on achievement it should be noted that it did have some impact on learners motivation (Burnette, et al., 2018) which may given time could have a positive influence on grades. Both these studies used an online intervention where one used online workshops (Burnette, et al., 2018) and the other used a computer programme which uses games and activities (Schmidt, et al., 2017) which could suggest that online interventions may not be as impactful as in person interventions.

Another criticism to growth mindset interventions is that these can often have relatively short-term benefits. It has been found that weeks after interventions have been delivered there was an increase in motivation and performance however as time goes by these increases become void and in most cases disappear (Orosz, et al., 2017). This sentiment is echoed by Dommett et al (2013) in that the effects of mindset intervention appears to be temporary but this study shows that mindset interventions still have a greater impact on achievement than study skill interventions (Dommett, et al., 2013). Both these studies had an element of teacher led interventions which appears to suggest that in person interventions may have greater impact, indeed this has been concluded by Dommett et al (2013) who states that those students who received teacher led inteventions had a more positive attainment than those who had the computer based intervention (Dommett, et al., 2013). This however would require more analysis through a more detailed study.

Each of these studies had something in common, they all stated that interventions appear to have a positive influence on a group of students but that these interventions are not a catch all approach and indeed might be temporary in nature.

Conclusions (250)

In conclusion, growth mindset could be a powerful tool to use in classrooms, particularly maths classrooms to empower pupils to learn from mistakes rather than focus solely on grades. When truly embedded into teaching it can have a positive influence in attainment, boost a learner’s confidence and motivation as well as increase resilience in learners so that they may bounce back from challenges which will help them throughout their lives. These interventions appear to need to be fully embedded in day-to-day teaching rather than one-off workshops and as such the way we teach would need to be adapted in order to do this. While there is an element of doubt on the true effectiveness of interventions they do appear to help those students who are most at risk of low attainment so some form of targeted interventions may be helpful, and as such could help meet some the goals of the Scottish Attainment Challenge. These interventions would fall into the category of what is in our control as class teachers which while may make a smaller impact than achieving true equality in terms of socio-economic measures is the only area where we can make a true difference.

References

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The key insight driving this investigation was based on ‘Mindset.’ Mindset is characterized by a person’s attitude and beliefs that can therefore influence and structure one’s behaviour. Building on Davis, Sumara and Luce-Kapler’s theories, Carol Dweck has identified two types of mindsets; growth and fixed mindset. A growth mindset is where a person’s self-belief is centered around the notion that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work (Dweck, 2006). Those with growth mindsets have a greater receptiveness to challenging situations that provide opportunities for learning and thus are more willing to engage in experiences that extend their learning (Vandewalle D). A fixed mindset is where people believe traits such as intelligence or talent are fixed and set at birth (Dweck, 2006). A person with a fixed mindset will often let failure or success define them, often exerting less effort to succeed. Davis, Sumara and Luce-Kapler believe that growth-mindset learners are more likely to continue to improve whereas fixed-mindset learners stall in their development.

Dweck (2006) suggests that a person’s beliefs can lead to more rigid judgments that therefore limit the paths we choose to take. The view we adopt for ourselves profoundly affects the way we lead our lives. It can determine whether we become the person we want to be and whether we accomplish the things we value. By teaching young students how the brain is capable of change when faced with challenges, ultimately will help them to persevere and develop a growth mindset to therefore engage in deeper learning rather than surface learning that is associated with a fixed mindset. Mindset is a topic that I think is relevant to not only the learner but to all the human race. It is a topic that I would like to understand further to not only enhance my way of thinking but to ultimately empower and enhance my future students learning and way of thinking.

Background:

I completed my secondary education and VCE studies at Loyola College in Watsonia. During my schooling, I found a real passion for health and physical education and also a love for hospitality. In my final year at Loyola I was selected as the year 12 College Sports Captain which was one of my most proud moments. After completing my VCE in 2014 I decided to study a three-year bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science at La Trobe University. In my final year of studying Exercise Science, I was lucky enough to be one of the small number of students selected for an internship position within Exercise Research Australia where I completed my certificate to become an Allied Health Assistant. Some of my most memorable, enjoyable and educative life experiences include living out of home on my own for two years after secondary school and travelling extensively around Europe for two and a half months in 2018. I am now studying full-time in my first year of a Master of Secondary Teaching Practice at RMIT University.

Methodology:

The methodology used to collate the data was by means of a self-interview. Prior to the interview, I created a variety of questions focusing on mindset, more specifically, the influence my own mindset has on my learning and life experiences. Furthermore, I sought to understand what specifically influences my mindset and how these influences can shape the way I learn and live my life. The interview was documented using an audio recording device on my mobile phone. The time allocated for the interview was five minutes. After completing the interview, the answers were then recorded on a Microsoft Word document to reflect back on and annotate.

Method of Analysis:

The method chosen to analyse the data was through the use of thematic analysis. Thematic analysis can be defined as a method for identifying, analyzing, organizing, describing, and reporting themes found within a data set (Braun & Clarke, 2006). It aims to highlight the most relevant and important themes that are presented in the data. Thematic analysis can look at manifest themes as a means of understanding hidden or unspoken content (Joffe, H, 2012).

Data and Analysis:

In examining my data, the overall key theme driving my investigation was the mindset. It was evident in my responses that although I understand a growth mindset, I find it challenging to implement and practice frequently in my own life. For example, in my response to question two, “I am constantly trying to think more positively and with a growth mindset”, raises the question, how hard should one with a growth mindset have to consciously try and think with a growth mindset? As humans, I think we are forever learning and processing new information however we fall into patterns that we recognize and become easy for us to follow, therefore we become stuck in particular ways of thinking that ultimately affect our learning experiences and learning opportunities.

In response to question three I express the feeling of disengagement due to my lack of confidence and feeling of incompetency in math’s. I used words such as “I suck”, “felt embarrassed”, “never bothered”, “waste of time” that are characteristics of a fixed mindset. These attitudes and behaviors have been learned, most likely from other peers, teachers and potentially my parents. As educators, it is highly important that we are conscious of our own attitudes and behaviors, that we support and give guidance to our students, to help them develop a growth mindset so that they can engage in deep learning.

Learning and motivation to learn was also a theme presented in the data. It is evident that I value learning that is applicable to my interests, that is hands-on, self-directed and social. These would be the subjects I described “I loved” such as health, physical education (PE) and hospitality. Could it be that my mindset alters depending on the topic or subject of interest? Davis, Sumara and Luce-Kapler established that personal connection to content and view of content where two qualities that heavily influenced engagement in surface or deep learning. Deep learners consciously relate the material to past experiences and seek to integrate knowledge, looking for connections and patterns within and across disciplines (Davis, Sumara & Kapler, 2015). Surface learners are inattentive to the importance of content and see material as disconnected knowledge. This suggests that learners who engage in deep learning are more likely to have a growth mindset whereas surface learners are more inclined to having a fixed mindset. Seeing the learner as a whole rather than within disciplines may help the way we think as teachers and influence our approach to teach to increase student engagement and performance across the curriculum not just within students’ favorite subjects.

Interestingly, I commonly used language such as ‘believe’ and ‘beliefs’ throughout the interview suggesting self-belief and self-efficacy were also common themes. Ones self-efficacy can play a major role in how one approaches goals, tasks and challenges. Students face a wealth of challenges in school, for example a lack of support, sometimes making it difficult to persevere (Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015). Students with a low socioeconomic status and poor upbringing are more likely to have low self-efficacy and self-belief due to this lack of support. As mentioned earlier mindset can be learned behaviors, particularly from parents or guardians. If students have low self-efficacy and are lacking support from their parents and/or teachers, it can negatively influence their self-efficacy thus contributing to a fixed mindset. This suggests that my low self-efficacy in math’s contributed to my fixed mindset. Growth mindsets see ability as variable and experience-dependent where as fixed see ability as gifted or pregiven. Ensuring students have high self-efficacy will increase the likelihood of developing a growth mindset. Social media is scarily influential on young people’s self-belief and mindset. In my response to question four, I express the feeling of frustration, particularly with Instagram and the power it holds over young girls/women like myself. I mention being “constantly connected” and “constantly comparing” suggesting that this constant connection to social media and comparisons to people online may be contributing to fixed mindsets. For example, young girls not liking math because it’s not seen to be socially acceptable or cool as it’s not seen often online. This constant connection to the internet and social media also raises the question how much sleep are students regularly getting? I mentioned my own energy levels being affected and how I’m more inclined to think negatively when I’m tired. Based on these observations I wonder how significantly it will not only affect my teaching but the learning and mindsets of my students.

Implications for Teaching Practice:

Dewey (1986) describes teachers as the agents through which knowledge and skills are communicated. For me as a teacher, it is important that as we evolve from traditional education methods to a more progressive and new style of education, that I am thinking about the 21st-century skills students need to learn so they can then be transferred across the curriculum. To do this both the teachers and students must adopt a growth mindset. Sumara and Kapler raise the issue of how teachers can be contributors to learner’ mindsets. Ensuring teachers are aware of their mindset and understanding its power, particularly of a growth mindset, is the first step to creating learning spaces that are opportunistic for the whole learner.

Dweck and many others have demonstrated that specific practices in teaching can significantly affect student’s attitude. Attitude can shape a person’s beliefs which can in turn shape mindset. Teacher mindset is extremely influential as it will manifest itself in to teaching either consciously or subconsciously. It is the school’s responsibility also to create an environment where growth mindset is fostered. Focusing on how to challenge students through creative processes and problem-solving rather than results-focused has been a strategy implemented in some schools to help develop growth mindsets. By choosing to focus on and assess the process rather than the end product or result, enables students to become better thinkers and deeper learners not only in relation to their schooling but about themselves.

It is important for me as a teacher to be mindful of the way I deliver feedback to my students. Studies have shown that the way teachers provide and deliver feedback to their students can influence mindset. People with a growth mindset are more inclined to have a positive relationship with receiving negative feedback, seeing it as useful diagnostic information. Whereas those with a fixed mindset see negative feedback as a judgment about their talent or ability (Vandewalle, 2012). Therefore, I must consider different methods of feedback to ensure students take feedback constructively to further educate and better themselves as learners.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, mindset impacts the way people respond to challenges and obstacles. It can either trigger resignation and withdrawal or trigger persistence and increased effort to succeed and do well. A growth mindset can be achieved by changing a student’s thinking that intelligence is not a fixed number (Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015). Teaching students that they are capable of greatness when faced with challenges can help develop a growth mindset and ultimately increase learning experiences. As teachers, it is extremely important to be actively aware of our own mindset and how it can manifest into our teaching and the implications of that. Dewey urges that all teachers looking for a new movement in education focus on the deeper and larger issues of education. I believe mindset to be one of these deeper issues.

Abstract

The human mind has historically been the subject of research on cognitive ability and ways to measure intelligence. In the early 1900s and throughout the twentieth century, an increased interest in this field would lead to the development of theories by prominent psychologists such as Jean Piaget, Alfred Binet, Charles Spearman, and William Stern who coined the term “intelligence quotient” or “IQ” as it is commonly known. Recent offerings to this ever-expanding field, are Robert J Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence (1985), Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory (1983) and Growth Mindset Theory, the brainchild of Dr. Carol S Dweck. In Dweck’s book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, published by Ballantine books in 2006, the author offers a study of intelligence as a malleable trait that all people can develop. Since its inception, the Growth Mindset Theory has been both widely acclaimed and criticized. A noted researcher, and professor of psychology at such prestigious universities as Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia, Dweck (2006), asserts that the idea behind teaching growth mindset over a fixed mindset is to “give kids greater confidence, give them a path into the future that creates greater persistence.” She presents this growth mindset theory with the intention of training a generation of educators and learners to adopt a new way of thinking. In doing so, Dweck(2006) uses GMT[footnoteRef:1] to help its practitioners push beyond self-imposed limitations which reinforce what she describes as the “tyranny of no” and hinder the “power of yet”[footnoteRef:2] (TED 2014)

[1: Abbreviation, Growth Mindset Theory 1983 by Carol S Dweck PhD et al] [2: developed by Dweck 2006, idea outlining the positive impact approaching performance without grades but the connotation of “not yet” which allows for the possibility to change an undesired outcome. ]

Dissecting the Power of Yet

While reviewing the TED talk presented by Dr. Dweck,[footnoteRef:3] I was initially a proponent of the theory. However, after several views, a few comments made by Dr. Dweck did not sit right with me. The research centers around developing a mindset aligned with positive affirmations of effort. With the “power of yet” or “not yet,” as described by Dweck, viewing problems as challenges to be accepted (growth mindset) opens multiple lanes to success for the practitioner by not associating their successes (or failures), with a grade. This theory seemed akin to motivational speeches I had heard as a teen playing sports but repurposed for the classroom. The study also suggests that one who operates from a “fixed mindset” is more likely to fail because they believe their limitations cannot be improved. According to the TED talk, students who underperformed would “probably cheat the next time instead of studying more if they failed“(Dweck, TED 2014). Per the study, underperforming students admit to making themselves feel better about failing by looking for other students whose performance was worse than theirs. [3: TED “The power of believing that you can improve” 2014 Carol Dweck https://youtu.be/_X0mgOOSpLU]

Dweck’s approach to solving these issues is to correct negative thoughts by steering praise away from achieving perfect grades to praising good effort. Reading the video transcript, however, made me immediately draw comparisons of Dr. Dweck’s theory with that of Rhonda Byrne’s once wildly popular and (often) refuted book The Secret. Byrne, whose “Law of Attraction” theorem proposes one should simply believe in the power of their mind to “manifest their wishes,” treads a similar path to Dweck’s. The problem with both ideas is that, although a person consciously builds a belief in any mindset, it does not mean their brain will comply. Critics in various academic circles, tend to agree.

The Shallow Truth

Further reading on Dweck’s research reveals that the study’s results have not been easily replicated except by Dweck, and her colleagues. In fact, many critics of Dweck’s extensive examination take issue with the fact that the growth mindset theory falls apart if even one parameter diverges from the controls in the original study. In the essay “The growth mindset problem,“[footnoteRef:4] its author, Carl Hendrick concurs. In his critical review of Dweck’s theory, Hendrick writes, “the story of the growth mindset is a cautionary tale about what happens when psychological theories are translated into the reality of the classroom, no matter how well-intentioned”(Hendrick, p.6). This statement seems to support that while Dweck’s research might be applicable to help struggling students with fixed mindsets, the inability to replicate results consistently could potentially set educators up for failure. [4: “The growth mindset problem,“ 2019 Carl Hendrick https://aeon.co/essays/schools-love-the-idea-of-a- growth-mindset-but-does-it-work]

While there is no lack of articles supporting Dweck’s theories, the work on its own cannot drown out the cries of its naysayers. Dweck, however, persists presenting her data confidently, even if portions of the academic population simply “don’t buy it.” A search through recent academic journals discussing GMT quickly produced articles that dismiss the psychologist’s theories using traditional research methods and no small amount of empirical data. One such article“To What Extent and Under Which Circumstances Are Growth Mind-Sets Important to Academic Achievement? Two Meta-Analyses” (Victoria F Sisk, et al., 2018), published by the Association for Psychological Science, attempted to identify what factors strengthened or weakened the relationship between mindsets and academic achievement. The research article quantified and qualified its findings to ultimately conclude “The evidence suggests that the “mindset revolution” might not be the best avenue to reshape our education system.”(Sisk, et al, p.569).

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire

In Alfie Kohn’s Salon Magazine article “The perils of ‘Growth Mindset’ education: Why we’re trying to fix our kids when we should be fixing the system” the author wastes no time in outlining a similar position against implementing an “oversimplified idea…coopted by conservative ideology”(Kohn, p.1). This author’s article, while not completely discounting the work of Dweck and her colleagues, deftly addresses factors that are not clearly identified in their research. For example, little attention is given by Dweck on the day-to-day factors that might influence performance. This is particularly true of inner-city students facing issues they and their parents do not often report. In truth, the data presented by Dweck seems almost sanitized, presenting only the bright and shiny wins over the losses that must undoubtedly exist.

An example of how the results of GMT in practice are vaguely presented can be seen in Dweck’s TED talk. In a moment highlighting GMT in practical use, she speaks about the accomplishments of Bronx and Harlem students in umbrella terms but never quite reveals her numbers or provides insight into how she measured their achievements. The trope of “underdog” city students outperforming the “Microsoft kids” (Dweck, TED 2014) is unashamedly used and the audience (feeling great about saving inner-city kids) can all but help to nod their approval.

With few ways to gauge true learning other than the system Dweck denounces as tyranny (but selectively uses), teachers are left responsible for a larger systemic issue which can result in failing students and punitive action for themselves. Kohn responds to this plight when stating;

The problem with sweeping, generic claims about the power of attitudes or beliefs isn’t just a risk of overstating the benefits but also a tendency to divert attention from the nature of the tasks themselves: How valuable are they, and who gets to decide whether they must be done? Dweck is a research psychologist, not an educator, so her inattention to the particulars of classroom assignments is understandable. Unfortunately, even some people who are educators would rather convince students they need to adopt a more positive attitude than address the quality of the curriculum (what the students are being taught) or the pedagogy (how they’re being taught it).

As Kohn suggests, some teachers are complicit in the problem and contribute to the continued breakdown of a failing system. In light of this fact, school districts and administrators should be wary of how they package and implement GMT. This is not an indictment of the practice as positive attitudes towards learning are clearly important to student motivation, however, the ability of those instructors to hide their own failures within this model should be addressed. To be effective, GMT can work hand in hand with the development of culturally relevant curriculum and wholistic teaching practices that address the needs of students with diverse backgrounds at all levels. In short, the Growth Mindset Theory must be used in conjunction with effective pedagogy to achieve its greatest impact.

Writing on the Wall

The initial draw to theories like the Growth Mindset is understandable. Student motivation plays an important role in learning. At its core, GMT seeks to foster an attitude that will make students successful and resilient learners. However, as students often move between the growth and fixed mindset, how do we provide them with adequate support for when they inevitably fail? For some students, failure can result in inescapable consequences. As many of the researchers referenced in this review have indicated, the system itself is broken. In this system, some students’ failures follow them throughout their entire academic career. Educators, who care about their students, should ask how they are expected to embrace a growth mindset when they are limited by traumas (in and outside of school), labels (learning disabilities and behavioral issues), tracking (regents, honors, and AP course), and standardized testing? Additionally, these educators need to be acknowledged for being on the front lines, often fighting their own administrations, who at times undermine good teaching practice. Carl Hendrick summarizes this sentiment when he writes;

Recent evidence would suggest that growth mindset interventions are not the elixir of student learning that many of its proponents claim it to be. The growth mindset appears to be a viable construct in the lab, which, when administered in the classroom via targeted interventions, doesn’t seem to work at scale. It is hard to dispute that having self-belief in their own capacity for change is a positive attribute for students. Paradoxically, however, that aspiration is not well served by direct interventions that try to instill it. Yet creating a culture in which students can believe in the possibility of improving their intelligence through their own purposeful effort is something few would disagree with. Perhaps growth mindset works best as a philosophy and not an intervention (Hendrick p.9).

Hendrick’s statements strike accurately at the core of this debate. In plain language, he stresses that the real growth mindset needed must come from within the administration of failing schools. Those that have adopted Dweck’s theories in hopes that the “elixir” will cure their ailing curriculum, must reassess and come back to the drawing board with something more realistic.

At the End of It All

Given arguments against the implementation of GMT into school curriculums across the globe, a return to proven strategies modified for diverse students in a new century appears to be in order. Whatever the path, one thing is certain, a change is needed. If asking the hard questions is the first step, then a united voice rejecting practices that historically underserve the population most in need should follow. Until this united voice presents viable cooperative solutions to decades-old problems, the coming generations of students will find themselves in the same predicaments as their predecessors. The path forward is not an easy one, but seeing successful students achieving their goals without the aid of gimmicky educational fads is in itself a reward. Responsible educators should, therefore, ask themselves if they are willing to keep supporting the status quo or take up the mantle of leadership on behalf of those who need it most.

Works Cited

1. Byrne, R. (2006). The Secret. New York: Atria Books.
2. Carol Dweck: A Summary of The Two Mindsets. (2018, September 12). Retrieved October 19, 2019, from, https://fs.blog/2015/03/carol-dweck-mindset/.
3. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: the new psychology of success. New York: Ballantine Books.
4. Dweck, C. S. (2014, December 17). TED Talk: The Power of Believing That You Can Improve. Retrieved October 19, 2019, from https://youtu.be/_X0mgOOSpLU.
5. Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences. Fontana Press.
6. Hendrick, C. (2019, October 21). Schools love the idea of a growth mindset, but does it work? – Carl Hendrick: Aeon Essays. Retrieved October 19, 2019, https://aeon.co/essays/schools-love-the-idea-of-a-growth-mindset-but-does-it-work.
7. Kohn, A. (2015, August 16). The perils of ‘Growth Mindset’ education: Why we’re trying to fix our kids when we should be fixing the system. Retrieved October 20, 2019, https://www.salon.com/2015/08/16/the_education_fad_thats_hurting_our_kids_what_you_need_to_know_about_growth_mindset_theory_and_the_harmful_lessons_it_imparts/.
8. Sisk, V. F., Burgoyne, A. P., Sun, J., Butler, J. L., & Macnamara, B. N. (2018). To What Extent and Under Which Circumstances Are Growth Mind-Sets Important to Academic Achievement? Two Meta-Analyses. Psychological Science, 29(4), 549–571. DOI: 10.1177/0956797617739704
9. Sternberg, R. J. (1985). Beyond IQ: A triarchic theory of human intelligence. New York: Cambridge University Press.

An organization that adopts a growth mindset can be well-positioned to thrive. However, what exactly defines a growth mindset?

We can define the growth mindset as a set of attitudes and behaviors that reflect the belief that a person’s talent is not set in stone. You can develop talent, foster intelligence, and strengthen creativity and innovation. Leaders can emerge. People have potential.

This means that all employees in an organization must have the ability to develop, grow, and learn. And organizations that believe in this look for individuals who demonstrate the capacity for such growth. Companies that work to help each of these people progress, advance in their roles, gain more leadership skills, and constantly develop their skills and think they will prosper as a whole.

The key is in the growth mindset

Strong leadership, continuous learning, and innovation are keys to business success today. And not just among the C-suite or those in designated leadership roles. Leadership and learning must be fostered throughout the organization for that organization to truly progress. Although this often begins at the higher levels, it must be confirmed at all levels.

A fixed mindset, unlike a growth mindset, fosters neither of these ideals. Nor does it allow employees to grow and new leaders to emerge. And less risk, less freedom, less collaboration, and less acceptance of failure—all behavioral symptoms of a fixed mindset, which can be detrimental to business.

Adopt a growth mindset to drive business

It is possible to adopt a growth mindset that drives the company forward by:

1. Search for students

Often in business, as experience increases, people struggle more and more to see new solutions or ideas. Learning stagnates and this leads companies to get stuck in their thoughts.

To adopt a growth mindset that can propel an organization forward, we must focus on people’s abilities, not their pedigree. As such, hiring must value individuals who show a real commitment to learning. These people will help build a culture of learning, develop independently, collaborate successfully, and be able to adapt to whatever challenges arise.

People who value learning and show competence and a passion for continuous learning have a natural growth mindset that can lead any business to success.

2. Allow employees to leave their daily work

Creating a growth mindset means allowing each individual’s work to be more than just their work. Developing new skills, even if they differ from your usual duties, is always valuable.

Understanding and learning roles other than your own can help promote empathy, and collaboration, and encourage new ways of approaching things. And setting aside time to develop skills like collaboration and leadership is key to making teams more productive.

3. Build a culture that is willing to take risks and accept failure

An inevitable part of growth is failure. Adopting a growth mindset means accepting the possibility that you may ultimately fail. But innovation, creativity, and business growth would not be possible if people were not willing to take risks.

And often this starts at the top. Leaders must set an example but also allow all employees to take on leadership roles, giving them the independence and freedom to try things, fail, and learn from their mistakes.

Taking on challenges is key. And organizations that see their people as capable of taking on challenges, even if it means failing, position themselves for success.

4. Driving commitment, determination and innovation

Workers at companies with a growth mindset feel more engaged in their work because they feel they have the potential to grow, learn, and thrive in it. They also feel more motivated to do their best because they know that their personal development and hard work are valued.

Employees in organizations with a growth mindset pursue more innovative projects. They also behave more transparently, cut fewer corners, and work more collaboratively. And these genuinely motivated people will drive innovation and business.

Any company that wants to position itself to achieve goals and objectives, set new ones, continue to thrive, and move forward needs to adopt a growth mindset to be successful.

It is about developing, moving forward, expanding, and seeing the opportunity and potential in every moment, failure and success. A growth mindset will move your business forward and position you, your brand, and your team for future profits and success.