1. Mindset: Boosting Motivation and Achievement to Close the Gaps Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 2007 Governing Board Conference Houston, Texas October 30, 2007 Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. Stanford University

2. Mindsets Fixed Mindset: Intelligence is a fixed trait Growth Mindset: Intelligence is a malleable quality; a potential that can be developed

3. Mindsets Which mindset is correct? Which mindset is most popular? Do students hold the same mindsets across domains? Are the mindsets related to students’ ability? Are the mindsets themselves fixed or can they be changed?

4. What Do Mindsets Do? The Junior High Transition

5. What Do Mindsets Do? Goals Learning is Most Important: “It’s much more important for me to learn things in my classes than it is to get the best grades.” Looking Smart is Most Important: “The main thing I want when I do my school work is to show how good I am at it.”

6. What Mindsets Do Effort Beliefs Effort is positive: “The harder you work at something, the better you’ll be at it.” Effort is negative: “To tell the truth, when I work hard at my school work, it makes me feel like I’m not very smart.”

7. What Mindsets Do Strategies Resilient: “I would work harder in this class from now on.” “I would spend more time studying for the tests.” Helpless: “I would spend less time on this subject from now on.” “I would try not to take this subject ever again.” “I would try to cheat on the next test.”

8. Math Achievement in Junior High School growth fixed

9. Question “Who was the Union general at the battle of Gettysburg?” * Subject types response and confidence 1.5 s 2 s * Correct answer 1.5 s Ability-Relevant Feedback Learning-Relevant Feedback 1 s Paying Attention to Learning or

10. How are Mindsets Communicated? Messages We Send

12. How Are Mindsets Communicated? Intelligence Praise: “Wow, that’s a really good score. You must be smart at this.” Effort Praise: “Wow, that’s a really good score. You must have tried really hard.” [Control Group: “Wow, that’s a really good score.”]

13. Effects of Intelligence vs. Effort Praise Mindset: Fixed vs. Growth Goals: Looking Smart vs. Learning After Difficult Trial: Motivation: Low vs. High Performance: Decreased vs. Increased

14. Number of problems solved on Trial 1 (before failure) and Trial 3 (after failure) Number of Problems Solved

15. Lying Students who misrepresented their scores Type of Praise Given

16. Changing Mindsets Brainology I

20. Change in Math Grades Blackwell, Dweck, & Trzesniewski

21. Percent Identified as Increasing in Motivation

22. Teacher Reports: Changes in Motivation to Learn “Your workshop has already had an effect. L, who never puts in any extra effort and often doesn’t turn in homework on time, actually stayed up late working for hours to finish an assignment early so I could review it and give him a chance to revise it. He earned a B+ on the assignment (he had been getting C’s and lower).”

23. Replicated by other researchers : Motivation, Grades, Achievement Test Scores Reduced achievement gaps

24. Effects of Intervention on Math Standardized Test Score (Good & Aronson)

26. Brainology II 6 Computer Modules Teachers’ Guide

27. Navigating Brainology

28. Brain Orb as Guide

29. Visit to Brain Lab

30. Mad Scientist

31. Brain Experiments

32. The Learning Brain

34. Have you changed your mind about anything? My favorite thing from Brainology is the neurons part where when u learn something there are connections and they keep growing. I always picture them when I’m in school (khadija) Yes … I imagine neurons making connections in my brain and I feel like I am learning something. (biggie)

35. Teacher: Have you noticed changes? [In my class they] use the memory terminology every chance they get, “I’ll have to put that into my long-term memory,” “Sorry, that stuff is not in my long-term memory,” “I guess I was only using my working memory” …They offer to practice, study, take notes, or pay attention to ensure that connections will be made.

39. Fixed Mindset Instructions “The test you are about to take, the verbal portion of the MCAT, is a measure of your verbal intelligence and verbal reasoning ability…”

40. Growth Mindset Instructions “The test you are about to take…is not a measure of verbal ability; rather it is a measure of your current level of reading comprehension, retention, and speed. All of these can improve considerably with practice.”

41. Mindset Instructions on MCAT Problems 25.9% increase

42. Conclusions Mindsets play a key role in motivation and performance. Mindsets can be changed.

44. The End Thank you!

46. Pre-Med Chemistry Grades Grant & Dweck