How do Mindset Interventions Affect 6th Grade Students' Mindsets

123 Pages·2016·1.77 MB·English

HHaammlliinnee UUnniivveerrssiittyy
DDiiggiittaallCCoommmmoonnss@@HHaammlliinnee
School of Education and Leadership Student
School of Education and Leadership
Capstone Theses and Dissertations
Spring 4-23-2015
HHooww ddoo MMiinnddsseett IInntteerrvveennttiioonnss AAffffeecctt 66tthh GGrraaddee SSttuuddeennttss''
MMiinnddsseettss
Nadine Louise Uremovich
Hamline University, [email protected]
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_all
Part of the Education Commons
RReeccoommmmeennddeedd CCiittaattiioonn
Uremovich, Nadine Louise, "How do Mindset Interventions Affect 6th Grade Students' Mindsets" (2015).
School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 107.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_all/107
This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Education and Leadership at
DigitalCommons@Hamline. It has been accepted for inclusion in School of Education and Leadership Student
Capstone Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Hamline. For more
information, please contact [email protected].
HOW GROWTH MINDSET INTERVENTIONS
AFFECT 6TH GRADE STUDENTS' MINDSETS

by
Nadine Uremovich

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Education

Hamline University
Saint Paul, Minnesota
April 2015

Primary Advisor: Susan Manikowski
Secondary Advisor: Brien Getten
Peer Reviewer: Tisha Coen
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One-Introduction..................................................................................................1
Mindsets..................................................................................................................1
My Personal Mindset Journey.................................................................................1
Mindsets in Education.............................................................................................4
Student Mindsets.........................................................................................4
Mindsets of Parents.....................................................................................4
Mindsets in Schools.....................................................................................5
Research Question...................................................................................................6
Chapter Summary....................................................................................................7
Introduction to Chapter Two...................................................................................7
Chapter Two-Literature Review..........................................................................................8
Introduction.............................................................................................................8
Overview..................................................................................................................9
Intelligence.............................................................................................................11
Intelligence Theorists.................................................................................11
Longitudinal Intelligence Studies..............................................................13
Summary................................................................................................... 14
Adolescent Motivation and Development.............................................................15
Factors that Motivate Adolescents.............................................................15
Social Environment....................................................................................16
Importance of Peer and Adult Relationships to Adolescents.....................16
Enhancing Adolescent Motivation with Cooperative Learning.................17
Reward Sensitivity in Adolescents............................................................18
Appropriate Tasks as they Relate to Positive Self Beliefs.........................18
Summary....................................................................................................19
Mindsets.................................................................................................................19
Definition of Mindsets...............................................................................20
Growth Mindsets........................................................................................20
Fixed Mindsets...........................................................................................21
The Link Between Mindset and Neuroscience..........................................21
Fixed Mindset in Less Advanced Students................................................22
Fixed Mindsets in Advanced Students.......................................................23
Fixed Mindset Messages in Education......................................................23
Fixed Mindset Messages at Home and School..........................................24
Mindsets about Personality........................................................................24
Summary....................................................................................................25
Wise Interventions.................................................................................................26
Establishing Wise Interventions................................................................26
Context of Wise Interventions...................................................................27
Growth Mindset Interventions...................................................................27
Factors to Consider When Creating Mindset Interventions.......................27
Academic Growth Mindset Messages.......................................................28
Explicit Instruction on the Science of Learning........................................29
Critics of Growth Mindset.........................................................................29
Chapter Summary..................................................................................................30
Introduction to Chapter Three................................................................................30
Chapter Three-Methodology..............................................................................................32
Introduction............................................................................................................32
Methodology..........................................................................................................32
Action Research.........................................................................................32
Exploratory Mixed Methods......................................................................32
Surveys.......................................................................................................33
Students' Self-identified Problem-solving Strategies................................33
Anecdotal Notes.........................................................................................33
Student Work Samples...............................................................................33
Surveys as Research Tools.....................................................................................33
Survey Description and Rationale.............................................................33
Setting and Participants..........................................................................................34
School Setting............................................................................................34
Sixth Grade Setting....................................................................................34
Sixth Grade Science Setting.......................................................................35
Human Subjects Review........................................................................................36
Student and Guardian Consent...................................................................36
Potential Risks and Benefits......................................................................36
Research Methods..................................................................................................37
Implementation..........................................................................................37
Pre-assessments and Initial Surveys..........................................................37
Mindset Interventions................................................................................39
Anecdotal Notes.........................................................................................39
Closing Survey...........................................................................................39
Post Assessment.........................................................................................39
Data Collection and Analysis.....................................................................40
Chapter Three Summary........................................................................................40
Introduction to Chapter Four.................................................................................40
Chapter Four-Results.........................................................................................................42
Introduction............................................................................................................42
Qualitative Data from Pre and Post Assessments about Brain Structure...............42
Assessments Overview..............................................................................42
Description of Assessments............................ ..........................................43
Pre-assessment Data...................................................................................43
Post Assessment Data................................................................................43
Comparison of Pre and Post Assessments.................................................44
Analysis of Themes and Patterns...............................................................51
Data from Mindset Surveys and Achievement Goal Surveys...............................52
Overview of Mindset Surveys...................................................................52
Fixed Mindset Orientations........................................................................53
Growth Mindset Orientations....................................................................55
Summary of Mindset Survey Data and Analysis......................................55
Overview of Achievement Goal Surveys..................................................57
Task Mastery Orientation..........................................................................57
Performance Goal Orientation...................................................................59
Summary of Survey Data...........................................................................61
Survey of Students' Self-identified Problem-solving Strategies............................62
Purpose.......................................................................................................62
Effect of Mindset Interventions on Problem-solving Strategies...............64
Mindset Interventions and Evidence from Anecdotal Notes................................65
Narrative of Lessons.................................................................................66
Relationship Between Quantifiable Data and Lesson Reflections...........72
Summary of Findings............................................................................................73
Changes in Mindset Orientation................................................................73
Students Increased Knowledge about Brain Structure and Function.........74
Students Increased Inventory of Problem-solving Strategies....................74
Students' Concern about Peer Perception Lessened..................................75
Conclusion.............................................................................................................75
Introduction to Chapter Five..................................................................................76
Chapter Five-Conclusion...................................................................................................77
Introduction...........................................................................................................77
Major Findings.......................................................................................................77
Changes in Mindset Orientation................................................................78
Students Increased Knowledge about Brain Structure and Function........80
Students Increased Inventory of Problem-solving Strategies....................80
Students' Concern about Peer Perception Lessened..................................83
Limitations and Implications of Research.............................................................84
Surveys.......................................................................................................84
Initial Growth Mindset Orientations..........................................................85
Limited Research about Problem-solving Strategies.................................85
Implications for Educational Policy...........................................................85
Implications for Middle School Teachers..................................................86
Personal Plan for Future Use.....................................................................87
Chapter Summary..................................................................................................88
Appendices.........................................................................................................................89
APPENDIX A Growth Mindset Survey...............................................................89
APPENDIX B Achievement Goal Survey............................................................91
APPENDIX C Mindset Interventions...................................................................93
APPENDIX D Letter to Parents/Guardians........................................................105
APPENDIX E Implementation Timeline............................................................109
References........................................................................................................................111
1
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction

Mindsets
Self-beliefs of students are a critical factor of student success. We all hold self-
beliefs related to our intelligence and social belonging. These self-beliefs are called
mindsets. I recently completed a class about math education and the power of mindset,
and I identified with the power of mindsets. I reflected on how my mindset has impacted
my life, and I wanted to help my students obtain a mindset that helps them reach their full
potential. Through research I would like to know: How do growth mindset interventions
affect 6th grade students' mindsets?
In forming my research question, I thought that it was critical to explore my own
mindset and how it has developed and changed over the years. My mindset has both held
me back and helped me achieve. I have experienced different mindsets based on many
factors: expectations, praise, competition, and emotions are just a few of the many factors
that have affected my mindset. More importantly, I have learned that it is desirable to
have a growth mindset because it allows me to stretch my abilities, see my weaknesses as
opportunities, and work through challenges.
My Personal Mindset Journey
It was May 7th, 2009, my youngest daughter’s 11th birthday. I had just spent the
last three years in an education program, and this was graduation. I was thirty-seven years
2
old and had finally reached college graduation. My daughter, who had already given up
so much, now had to give up her birthday for Mom’s school. I don’t think that she
minded, but there was a twinge of guilt on my part. I had been sitting at the computer for
the last several years while she and my oldest daughter would ask for me. My usual
response was, “Just give me five more minutes…I am almost done.” Five more minutes
always turned into fifty more minutes, and I was never almost done. The nice thing about
this day was that I was done. I had made it to the end of the program. Not only had I
graduated college, but my kids had their mom back, and I was finally done!
Graduating college was a major milestone in my life. It was something that I
should have done long before I had started a family. In fact, it was something everyone
expected me to do—including myself. In high school, I was smart. I scored high on the
Iowa Basics, I took all of the advanced classes, and I was a top athlete. In general, things
came easily for me. I rarely had homework, and I gleaned enough from listening that I
never had to study. I earned a three year college scholarship. I even had a local college
ask my gymnastics coach if I was interested in pursuing college athletics. I felt good
about myself, and I was confident because I had experienced a lot of success.
My first attempt at college was in the fall of 1990. College was different than high
school. I couldn’t keep up with the work load. I thought I understood math until I got my
tests back, and I had done everything wrong. I thought that I all I had to do was listen to
the lectures—the instructors told us everything, right? Why should I read? I never read
my textbooks in high school and I still got A’s. I failed all my classes the first quarter and