The purpose of this study was to identify the strategies that school administrators indicate they use to develop and sustain the growth mindset in classroom teachers. The researcher interviewed three administrators from a small, rural county in Virginia to gain understanding of established practices (see Appendix D). Two research questions frame this study: What strategies do Virginia public elementary school administrators use to support and sustain the growth mindset of classroom teachers and how do Virginia public elementary school administrators perceive the importance of developing a growth mindset of classroom teachers? This study seeks to contribute to the body of work completed by Dweck (2006) on fixed and growth mindsets. Additionally, this study will further contribute to the research of Abboud (2019), which explored evidenced-based strategies utilized by building principals in California high schools that supported high-yielding student achievement. An analysis of data revealed important steps that help in the development and sustainability of a growth mindset, as well as suggestions for future research. School divisions and administrators could provide teachers opportunities for growth mindset professional development in support of learning strategies for best practices in teaching. School divisions and administrators benefit when teachers are trained in growth mindset development. In addition, the study found, administrators should form PLCs in schools to provide opportunities for sharing and collaboration amongst peers related to growth mindset. School divisions should encourage administrators in providing timely feedback to teachers and follow up related to developing a growth mindset. / Doctor of Education / The purpose of this study was to identify the strategies that school administrators indicate they use to develop and sustain a growth mindset in classroom teachers. An analysis of this relationship revealed important steps that help in the development and sustainability of a growth mindset. The researcher interviewed three administrators from a small, rural county in Virginia to gain understanding of established practices (see Appendix D). Two research questions frame this study: What strategies do Virginia public elementary school administrators use to support and sustain the growth mindset of classroom teachers and how do Virginia public elementary school administrators perceive the importance of developing a growth mindset of classroom teachers? Data were collected and analyzed to determine themes. Major findings of this research reveal four steps administrators used to support teachers in developing, supporting, and sustaining a growth mindset in classroom teachers, as well as suggestions for future research. School divisions and administrators could ensure teachers are provided opportunities for growth mindset professional development in support of learning strategies for best practices in teaching. School divisions and administrators benefit when teachers are trained in growth mindset development. In addition, the study found, administrators should form PLCs in schools to provide opportunities for sharing and collaboration amongst peers to support a growth mindset. School divisions should encourage administrators in providing timely feedback to teachers and follow up related to developing a growth mindset.

The problem studied was the poor academic achievement of middle school students in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Research indicates that a growth mindset positively affects a student's academic achievement and motivation to learn. However, despite the importance of mindset in fostering student success and enhancing learning, mindset remains underexplored in the CNMI. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to fill this gap in knowledge by investigating teachers' knowledge, perceptions, and practices concerning mindset in the CNMI. Three research questions examined teachers' knowledge and perceptions of mindset in the CNMI and how teachers described and demonstrated the use of mindset in their practices. Dweck's seminal work on mindset served as the conceptual framework. Social constructivism guided the study process. Qualitative data were collected from 15 purposively sampled teachers at a local CNMI middle school. Data were analyzed through categorization and codification, from which emerging themes were used to answer research questions. Results indicated that teachers in the local middle school have limited knowledge and inaccurate perceptions regarding the mindset concept. Accordingly, the analysis recommended the need for and served as the basis for the design of a professional development workshop about mindset for teachers throughout the CNMI to enhance teacher instruction and improve student learning, thus promoting positive social change.

The purpose of this study was to examine general education teachers' knowledge and experiences regarding a growth versus a fixed mindset while teaching students with disabilities in Grades K-2. The conceptual framework that was used to guide this study was Dweck's implicit theories of mindsets. Research questions were developed to explore teachers' knowledge and experiences about teaching with a growth mindset versus fixed mindset and how they assessed themselves in terms of teaching with a fixed or growth mindset. The research design was a basic qualitative study that included semi structured interviews and a teacher assessment using a Mindset Quiz. A convenience sampling method was used to recruit 10 general education teachers at a northeastern U.S. elementary school. Data were analyzed through open coding and thematic analysis. The following themes were identified: all participants received no training on how to teach with a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset, all participants were interested in attending professional development on this topic, there was some knowledge of the terms growth versus fixed mindset, and all participants use some type of strategy to help improve student mindsets. The results of this study contribute to positive social change by making educators and administrators more aware of fixed versus growth mindset strategies used in classrooms. This study may bring attention to the concept of mindsets and make educators aware of the need to promote growth mindsets. Additionally, results support the need for professional development for teaching with a growth mindset for students with disabilities. Increased teacher understanding of teaching with growth mindsets can lead to better learning experiences for students in the classroom.

Institutions of higher education continue to try and find new ways to help students persist in college (Kinzie & Kuh, 2017). One compelling tool to help students succeed comes from Dweck’s (1999) Mindset model. The model depicts intelligence as either fixed or growth; meaning intelligence can be viewed as unchangeable or malleable. Students with a growth mindset recover from failure quicker, overcome challenges faster, and see difficulty as a positive challenge instead of questioning their intelligence. With the many challenges domestic students face persisting in college, international students studying abroad face additional factors inhibiting their motivation and ability to succeed. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether Dweck’s (1999) 8-item Mindset sub-scale could be valid with international students studying within the United States. A multiple-sample confirmatory factor analysis using maximum likelihood estimation was used to assess measurement invariance with domestic (n = 1809) and international (n = 275) students at a large-midwestern university. The secondary purpose was to determine whether GPA, gender, year-in-school, English language proficiency, and first-generation status impacted international student mindset scores. A seemingly unrelated regression was used to determine if there were any differences in the sub-group population of international students (n = 268). Results indicated Dweck’s (1999) Mindset Scale is valid for use with international students studying within the U.S. and significant differences were found in the mindset scores within gender, academic rank, age, and first-generation status. The results of this study inform the literature and institutions of higher education on how Dweck’s (1999) mindset model can be used as another tool to help international students succeed in college. Future research implications were shared and discussed.

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With an emphasis on STEM education in schools, young girls begin to have an idea that math and science skills are based on one’s natural ability. A fixed mindset is the belief that one possesses an ability that comes naturally. Many girls, starting at the elementary level tend to interpret a lack of skill for being dumb, and therefore, give up on difficult subjects like math and science. On the other hand, a fluid theory of intelligence, or growth mindset is when a student values effort and understands that these “abilities” come from hard work and taking on new challenges. Students in a growth mindset see intelligence as something that can be developed overtime, while every learning opportunity, challenge, and failure is seen as an important step to becoming more knowledgeable. As a teacher, promoting a growth mindset in the classroom is key for student success; praising and encouraging students through the process of learning is more valuable then giving a grade for the final product. This thesis not only researched the differences between a growth versus fixed mindset, but also the value of fluid theories of intelligence, and the effects on elementary aged girls. This thesis includes a children’s book that promotes the idea of a growth mindset with a protagonist who learns to see the importance of persevering, working hard, and attaining success. With the picturebook intended for elementary aged students, its hope is to bring awareness to students and teachers that having a growth mindset mentality is important.

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Much research supports that student mindset influences how well students do in school and that teacher actions influence student mindset. Research has also shown that just because a teacher has a growth mindset, it does not imply that their students will also have a growth mindset. This research looks closer as to why a teacher's mindset does not correlate with their students' mindset by further examining teacher mindset and the connection between teacher mindset and teacher actions. In summary, teachers' mindsets do not directly influence student mindset for a few reasons: secondary mathematics teachers have different mindsets towards honors and regular students, while they have heard about mindset, they do not understand mindset deeply, and mathematics teachers do not know how to help their students develop a growth mindset.

Studien syftar till att besvara frågeställningarna: Hur och varför används läxor i matematikundervisningen på det sätt som det görs idag? Hur uppfattar svenska lärare internationell forskning kring läxor i matematikämnet? Detta görs genom en kvalitativ forskningsmetod där verksamma matematiklärare i årskurserna 4-6 intervjuats gällande deras uppfattningar och erfarenheter kring läxor i matematik och internationell forskning. Resultatet är tolkat utifrån den fenomenologiska tolkningsprocessen och analyserat med hjälp av en tematisk analysmetod. Resultatet av studien visar att väldigt få läxor används i svenska skolan, där mängdträning är det som står i fokus. Detta för att det anses att läxor ska användas för att befästa befintlig kunskap och inte skapa ny kunskap. Lärarna visade delade åsikter gällande den internationella forskning som presenterades under intervjuerna. Den internationella forskningen som presenterades tog upp problematiken gällande läxläsning i olika länder och en forskning skapade en lösning på problematiken. Majoriteten av de svenska lärarna tyckte att lösningen som forskning föreslog lät bra i teorin men fann flera problematiska punkter för att det skulle kunna appliceras i praktiken. De punkter de svenska lärarna tar upp blir en fråga för skolorganisationen och blir därför grunden i den forskning som behöver göras inom forskningsområdet.

Föreliggande studie undersöker hur aspekter av mindset, återkoppling och matematiska resonemang påverkar elevers lärande i matematik. Syftet med studien är att bidra till en ökad medvetenhet och en fördjupad förståelse kring hur elevers lärande i matematik kan föras framåt.  I studien förenas två olika teorier för lärande: en socialkonstruktivistisk teori och en metakognitiv teori. Ur denna synvinkel, kan kunskap inte förmedlas, utan är något som utvecklas i möten mellan lärare och elever och elever sinsemellan. Eleven är sin egen resurs i lärandet och läraren skapar förutsättningar för elevens lärande. Metakognitiv teori, i vilken även kognitiv teori ingår, handlar om de tankeprocesser eleverna använder när de hanterar information.  Som metod valdes enkäter med likertskalor samt styrd observation.  Vid observationerna fick eleverna arbeta i par där de var ungefär jämnpresterande i matematik och fick resonera högt när de arbetade med en problemlösningsuppgift. Forskaren deltog aktivt genom att ge eleverna återkoppling antingen på uppgiftsnivå eller på processnivå. Resultatet från de fem elevpar som fick feedback på processnivå visade att denna återkoppling gav bränsle till de kreativa resonemangen som fortsatte. Gemensamt för de fem elevpar som fick feedback på uppgiftsnivå var att de kreativa resonemangen avstannade när feedback gavs, till förmån för algoritmiska resonemang där resonemanget inte var väl förankrat i en matematisk grund. För elever i matematiksvårigheter kunde en svårighet i sig vara att ta steget från det konkreta till det generella och abstrakta, oavsett vilken återkoppling de fick. Vid analysen kategoriserades hälften av eleverna att ha ett growth mindset, vilket innebär att de ser på sin förmåga i matematik som något de kan påverka och utveckla. Den andra hälften kategoriserades att ha ett fixed mindset, vilket innebär att de ser sin förmåga i matematik som en medfödd egenskap som inte går att påverka särskilt mycket. Den grupp elever som inte använde den återkoppling de fick på ett strategiskt sätt för att föra resonemangen framåt, dominerades av att ha ett fixed mindset. Dessa elever gav lättare upp eller använde undvikande strategier då de mötte svårigheter jämfört med övriga elever. Resultatet kan tillämpas i skolan genom att undervisning i matematik bör fokusera på processen där kreativa resonemang och growth mindset gynnas. Det är viktigt att lärare inte ”skalar av” de delar av matematiken som bidrar till den begreppsliga förståelsen, t ex genom att ha starkt fokus på metoder och procedurer, i sin strävan att förenkla och underlätta för elever i matematiksvårigheter.