Educational Horizons (2013). Mindsets: How to Motivate Students (and Yourself). This paper presents a conversation with Carol Dweck, the author of "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" (Random House, 2006). She serves as the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Science and is the recipient of numerous awards for her contributions to education. In this conversation, the Journal staff talked to her about mindsets and how they can help–or hinder–motivation. Dweck explains the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed asset and discusses how teachers can teach a growth mindset. Descriptors: Motivation Techniques, Theory of Mind, Executive Function, Educational Psychology
Dweck, Carol S. (2010). Even Geniuses Work Hard, Educational Leadership. In her well-known research, Carol Dweck has documented how individuals' attitudes about intelligence affect their behavior and achievement. People with a fixed mindset, she writes, believe that intelligence is inborn and unchangeable, whereas those with a growth mindset believe that intelligence can grow through practice and effort. In this article, Dweck discusses how teachers can design and present learning tasks in ways that foster a growth mindset. Such teachers praise the learning process rather than the students' ability, convey to students the joy of tackling challenging learning tasks, and highlight students' progress and effort. Descriptors: Intelligence, World Views, Lifelong Learning, Teaching Methods
Kristjansson, Kristjan (2008). Education and Self-Change, Cambridge Journal of Education. This paper explores three psychological theories of self–Kenneth Gergen's theory of the crystallised self, Carol Dweck's theory of the incremental self and William Swann's theory of the homeostatic self–for their ability to account for personal change in general, and radical self-change in particular. Special attention is paid to their educational implications. The overall conclusion is that whereas all three theories provide important insights into self-change, none of them gives a fully satisfying account. Descriptors: Teacher Student Relationship, Self Concept, Self Esteem, Change Strategies
Ziegler, Albert; Stoeger, Heidrun (2010). Research on a Modified Framework of Implicit Personality Theories, Learning and Individual Differences. There is ample evidence that labeled gifted students exhibit maladaptive behavior patterns. According to Carol Dweck those students who subscribe to a fixed view of their abilities are particularly at risk. In this contribution we extended Dweck's framework and distinguished two aspects of the implicit theory of one's own abilities. We hypothesized that the negative consequences of a fixed view are limited to the belief that one's own deficits are stable. In contrast, we assumed that the belief in the stability of existing abilities as well as the belief in the modifiability of ability deficits is adaptive. In two longitudinal studies with students from grades 7 to 10 we found supportive evidence for the proposed distinction. Descriptors: Behavior Patterns, Student Attitudes, Academically Gifted, At Risk Students
Perkins-Gough, Deborah (2013). The Significance of Grit: A Conversation with Angela Lee Duckworth, Educational Leadership. For the last 11 years, Angela Lee Duckworth of the University of Pennsylvania has been conducting ground breaking studies on "grit"–the quality that enables individuals to work hard and stick to their long-term passions and goals. In this interview with "Educational Leadership," Duckworth describes what her research has shown about the relationship between "grit" and achievement, and she reflects on the importance of helping students develop grit and other noncognitive traits. Duckworth explains "grit" is not just having resilience in the face of failure, but also having deep commitments that you remain loyal to over many years. If a student is trying to maximize their outcomes–they want to do as well as they possibly can–then there's no limit, ceiling, or threshold to their studies–that's "grit." Along with Carol Dweck, Duckworth is developing an intervention to look at making students aware of the value of deliberate practice–the kind of effortful practice that really improves skills. Descriptors: Persistence, Goal Orientation, Achievement, Resilience (Psychology)
Ziegler, Albert; Fidelman, Marina; Reutlinger, Marold; Vialle, Wilma; Stoeger, Heidrun (2010). Implicit Personality Theories on the Modifiability and Stability of the Action Repertoire as a Meaningful Framework for Individual Motivation: A Cross-Cultural Study, High Ability Studies. The attainment of exceptional accomplishments requires extremely long periods of time. It has yet to be explained, though, how individuals find the motivation for such protracted learning. Carol Dweck proposed that an incremental theory of an individual's abilities is an important factor in this process since it would account for the optimism needed to successfully tackle new steps in the learning process and would help an individual to cope with setbacks. This study seeks to refine Dweck's theory. Drawing on the Actiotope Model of Giftedness, we argue that an incremental theory of an individual's abilities should be divided into two theories: a modifiability theory of the mutability of an individual's deficits in the areas of knowledge and capability; and a stability theory of the stability of successful extensions of the action repertoire. A sample of 488 12- to 13-year-old students from Brazil, South Korea, Spain, and the United States participated in the cross-sectional study. Their IQ scores place them among the top 5% of the target population. A series of regression analyses using various indicators of motivational behavior as dependent variables shows that the theorized elaboration of Dweck's approach appears to be very useful. Descriptors: Intelligence, Motivation, Foreign Countries, Personality
Singh, Vandana (2011). Using NASA Science News Articles to Enhance Learning in the Classroom, Physics Teacher. In this author's experience, students of introductory physics and physical science courses are often under-confident of their ability to master physics concepts, many of them believing they simply cannot "get physics," however hard they might work at it. In addition, they have an impression that physics is not only dry and boring but also static (they do, after all, spend much of their time on the discoveries of Galileo and Newton in physics class). Since they are unlikely to read popular science articles in the media, they tend to be unaware of cutting-edge research in the physical sciences that might, for good or ill, transform their lives. This paper describes an innovative use of articles from NASA's Science News website, and similar Internet resources that can potentially address the issue of student confidence while increasing science literacy and interest. The approach is inspired by the work of educational psychologist Carol Dweck and her research on "fixed" versus "growth" mindsets. I believe it is necessary for instructors to understand her work if we are to increase student comprehension, interest, and curiosity in the physical sciences. Descriptors: Physics, Physical Sciences, Web Sites, Public Agencies
Becker, John Darrell (2012). AVID Students' Perceptions of Intelligence: A Mixed Methods Study, ProQuest LLC. Students' perceptions of intelligence have been shown to have an effect on learning. Students who see intelligence as something that can be developed, those with a growth mindset, often experience academic success, while those who perceive intelligence to be a fixed entity are typically less likely to take on challenging learning experiences and tend to respond negatively to setbacks in learning. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a college preparatory intervention known as Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), through its system of academic and social supports for students, has an effect on participating students' perceptions of intelligence. Participants in the sequential, embedded, mixed methods study were 54 students participating in the AVID program, and 43 demographically similar non-AVID students at a Central Texas high school. Participating students' perceptions of intelligence was measured in an online environment using Carol Dweck's three-item survey, which comprised the quantitative data. Qualitative data collection involved participating students answering open-ended questions related to the curriculum and instruction in the AVID classroom that influence students' perceptions of intelligence. AVID students whose score indicated a growth mindset were selected for qualitative data analysis. Quantitative results showed no statistical difference between AVID and non-AVID students' perceptions of intelligence, including students with two or more year's exposure to the AVID program. However, the qualitative data revealed that AVID students are hearing messages and participating in activities consistent with the growth mindset, and they report that AVID has affected their perceptions of what it means to be "smart." [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta… Descriptors: Secondary School Students, Intelligence, Student Attitudes, Mixed Methods Research
Nisbett, Richard E. (2010). Think Big, Bigger … and Smaller, Educational Leadership. One important principle of social psychology, writes Nisbett, is that some big-seeming interventions have little or no effect. This article discusses a number of cases from the field of education that confirm this principle. For example, Head Start seems like a big intervention, but research has indicated that its effects on academic achievement gaps are slight because it is not always implemented well. Fortunately, research has also found that some even bigger preschool interventions, such as the Perry Preschool Project and the Abecedarian Project, do produce large effects. On the school level, Nisbett asserts that charter schools in general do not necessarily produce positive effects, but that certain intensive types of charter schools–for example, KIPP schools–do. Nisbett also discusses a second principle of social psychology–that small interventions sometimes produce large effects. He gives several examples, such as Carol Dweck's work, which teaches students that they can increase their intelligence through their own efforts. The author concludes that to close achievement gaps, we need to be far-sighted enough to invest in very big interventions that are effective–and creative enough to consider small interventions as well. Descriptors: Social Psychology, Achievement Gap, Intervention, Preschool Education
Fegley, Alan D. (2010). Cultivating a Growth Mindset in Students at a High-Achieving High School, ProQuest LLC. The purpose of this EPP is to develop a plan for changing the mindset of a large number of Haddonfield Memorial High School (HMHS) students from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. HMHS is by most conventional measures a high performing school. Typically 100% of the students graduate with 96% of the students attending two or four year colleges and universities. Despite the apparent academic success of HMHS students, many students at HMHS may not be performing to the learning levels they are capable of due to the student belief that greater or different effort will not result in improved learning success. Chapter 1 further establishes that this student conviction may be due to HMHS students believing and accepting that academic achievement is due to their innate ability and not their learning effort. Professor Carol Dweck describes this situation as one where students tend to have a fixed mindset instead of a growth mindset. Chapter 1 also shows that the HMHS faculty is committed to the belief that all students at HMHS can do well and that greater student effort will enhance student learning. Chapter 2 proposes a plan to help a large number of students at HMHS develop a growth mindset. The proposed plan works within the ethos of the school to help minimize anticipated resistance to the plan by faculty, students, administration, and parents. Chapter 3 systematically describes the leadership strategies and skills required to have the plan in Chapter 2 become part of the everyday operation of the school. With full implementation of the plan it is anticipated that more students at HMHS will possess a growth mindset allowing them to achieve to their fullest potential. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta… Descriptors: Academic Achievement, School Culture, High School Students, Locus of Control
VanDeWeghe, Rick, Ed. (2003). Research Matters: Students' Views of "Intelligence", Teachers' Praise, and Achievement, English Journal. According to Columbia University social psychologist Carol Dweck, teachers may find some answers to students' ways of thinking if they consider students' views of "intelligence." In "Messages That Motivate: How Praise Molds Students' Beliefs, Motivation, and Performance (in Surprising Ways)," Dweck maintains that academic motivation and achievement greatly depend on how students view their own intelligence–that is, do they conceive of intelligence as "fixed" (unchanging) or "malleable" (capable of developing)? If students believe intelligence is fixed, they might believe that ability is more important than effort and that appearing to be smart is more important than learning–even if the learning involves some failure. In contrast, if students think that intelligence is malleable, they are inclined to believe that hard work pays off in the end and that grades don't necessarily measure brain power. Depending on their view of intelligence, students will attach different meanings to "failure." Those with fixed views consider failure on an individual performance–a research paper, for example–an assessment of their ability, an accurate measure of their intellectual level. But in the malleable view, failure means they put forth insufficient effort or their strategies didn't work so well. Failure, or difficulty, means that mistakes are likely and signals that something needs changing–try a new strategy, visit the writing center, edit differently, and so on. To promote the malleable view of intelligence, teachers need to rethink their teaching practices along the lines proposed in this study. Descriptors: Personality Traits, Intelligence, Positive Reinforcement, Teaching Methods
Dweck, Carol S. (2012). Mindsets and Human Nature: Promoting Change in the Middle East, the Schoolyard, the Racial Divide, and Willpower, American Psychologist. Debates about human nature often revolve around what is built in. However, the hallmark of human nature is how much of a person's identity is not built in; rather, it is humans' great capacity to adapt, change, and grow. This nature versus nurture debate matters–not only to students of human nature–but to everyone. It matters whether people believe that their core qualities are fixed by nature (an entity theory, or fixed mindset) or whether they believe that their qualities can be developed (an incremental theory, or growth mindset). In this article, I show that an emphasis on growth not only increases intellectual achievement but can also advance conflict resolution between long-standing adversaries, decrease even chronic aggression, foster cross-race relations, and enhance willpower. I close by returning to human nature and considering how it is best conceptualized and studied. Descriptors: Intelligence, Racial Relations, Race, Foreign Countries
Dweck, Carol (2009). Who Will the 21st-Century Learners Be?, Knowledge Quest. In the "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner," the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) describes the skills, dispositions, responsibilities, and self-assessment strategies that are necessary for a 21st-century learner. However, as wonderful as AASL's 21st-century goals sound, they will fall on deaf ears because students who have a fixed mindset are more interested in whether they look smart or dumb than they are in acquiring the knowledge they need to succeed in the future. What can educators and librarians do about this? The author's research shows that students with a "growth mindset"–those who believe that their intelligence can be developed–are eager learners and seek to cultivate the very things the AASL so passionately recommends. What's more, librarians can help them develop a growth mindset. In this article, the author discusses how to cultivate and foster a growth mindset in students. Descriptors: Librarians, Academic Achievement, Positive Reinforcement, Intelligence
Dweck, Carol S. (2010). Mind-Sets and Equitable Education, Principal Leadership. Much talk about equity in education is about bricks and mortar–about having equal facilities and equal resources. Those factors, although extremely important, are relatively easy to quantify. What may be harder to capture are the beliefs that administrators, teachers, and students hold–beliefs that can have a striking impact on students' achievement. In this paper, the author explains the importance of setting the minds of students and teachers that intelligence can be developed by citing two set of beliefs she identified in her research. In the author's research, she has identified that people may have a fixed mind-set, in which they believe that intelligence is a static trait: some students are smart and some are not, and that's that. Or they may have a growth mind-set, in which they believe that intelligence can be developed by various means–for example, through effort and instruction. Recent research has shown that students' mind-sets have a direct influence on their grades and that teaching students to have a growth mind-set raises their grades and achievement test scores significantly. Rheinberg, a researcher in Germany, found that when teachers had a fixed mind-set, the students who had entered their class as low achievers left as low achievers at the end of the year. When teachers had a growth mind-set, however, many of the students who had started the year as low achievers moved up and became moderate or even high achievers. Descriptors: Intelligence, Equal Education, Low Achievement, Achievement Tests
Dweck, Carol S. (2009). Can We Make Our Students Smarter?, Education Canada. The debate over whether intelligence is largely fixed or malleable is not over. What is most exciting, however, is the research from social psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience that is highlighting just how malleable intelligence is. Differences in achievement among racial, ethnic, or gender groups have often been seen as evidence that intelligence is largely hereditary and fixed. However, there is now very strong evidence that when testing conditions are altered, the racial, ethnic, and gender gaps in achievement tests are greatly reduced. A recent study with college students testifies to the continuing plasticity of intellectual ability. Researchers are rapidly learning more and more about the foundations of intellectual ability, and as they do, they are learning more and more about how to foster it. In the past, giftedness tended to be portrayed as a global and stable attribute. As a result, experts in the field sought more to measure giftedness than to develop it. The emerging view, in stark contrast, recognizes that giftedness or talent is often very specific, that it can wax and wane over time, and that one of the most exciting questions facing educators today is how to encourage and sustain it. If intelligence can in fact be fostered in students, how do teachers go about it? This article offers some suggestions. Descriptors: Intelligence, Academic Achievement, Achievement Tests, Social Psychology