"Growth" vs. "Fixed" Mindsets

I had the pleasure of watching the video podcast, "Growth" vs. "Fixed" Mindsets in Learning by Standford University. The video was very interesting and introduced a concept that I had never heard of before, "Growth" vs. "Fixed" mindsets. These are two different mindsets that can effect students while they are learning. The growth mindset is where students believe that their intelligence is meant to be developed throughout their life. This development occurs through going to school and a passion for studying. In contrast the fixed mindset is where students think that intelligence is fixed and they are stuck with what they have. When these students do a task they think about if it will make them seem smart to their peers.

In the video, they talked about an interesting study that shows how important the growth mindset is to learning. In the study they separated students into to groups. One group they taught study skills and the growth mindset, and the other group they just taught study skills. The results for each group were drastically different. For the first group, learning about the growth mindset made a huge difference. Their grades improved and they were more excited about the learning process. Conversely, for the second group their grades continued to drop, they had no motivation to use the study skills they were taught.

This video podcast is very important to me as a teacher. This is great new information that I will definitely be able to apply in my class. Teachers need to teach the growth mindset. Although some students will realize it naturally, others may fall into the fixed mindset if we do not help them. If teachers stress the growth mindset students will be more interested in their education. Also they will be more intrinsically motivated when it comes to their schoolwork, they will not just do it for the grade. Students will be more motivated to exercise their brains outside of the classroom as well. The growth mindset is definitely very important and I am glad I learned about it.