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Growth mindset study finds no impact on student performance (n=5018)

16 points by bschne 7y ago

iicc 7y ago
https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/changing-mindset-2015 https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-eva... Evaluation Report - https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Projects/Evaluation_Reports/Changing_Mindsets.pdf https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Pro...
TrinaryWorksToo 7y ago
The pervasiveness of growth mindset theory is one potential explanation for the absence of a measurable impact of the intervention: for example, over a third of teachers in comparison schools had previously attended training days based on growth mindset interventions. However, while many staff members were aware of similar approaches prior to their involvement in the project, few said they had used these within their own teaching practices. Due to the ubiquitous nature of growth mindset, it may be hard to find schools for future research where awareness of the concept is low.
sanxiyn 7y ago
Note that this does not contradict previous studies, because they did different things. In other words, this is not a replication failure. To quote: "We have never (or at least not yet) conducted a mindset research programme aimed at teachers" and "All of our studies to date have been directly aimed at students". That is, teaching students growth mindset works. Teaching teachers to teach students growth mindset didn't work. Also "we have a large study with a nationally representative sample of 9th grade students coming out in Nature next month". Large studies are good, so I eagerly wait for this larger study of direct-to-students programme.
jgamman 7y ago
more meta-analysis literature, open, N=350,000: To What Extent and Under Which Circumstances Are Growth Mind-Sets Important to Academic Achievement? Two Meta-Analyses Victoria F. Sisk1, Alexander P. Burgoyne2, Jingze Sun1, Jennifer L. Butler1, and Brooke N. Macnamara1
- bschne 7y ago
  Ref: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0956797617739704 https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0956797617739704
FullyFunctional 7y ago
My poor son suffered through this pointless garbage. The only real lesson here was how to give the BS answers that the teachers required and move on with life.
- bschne 7y ago
  Caveat: I don't know the technicalities of the original method/research and am merely familiar with it through the media and business world hype. I wonder why a lot of things like this have to be marketed as "going to change everything" silver bullets. I'm all for teaching people the value of practice and persistent work at improving instead of putting it all down to talent or just innately being smart or not, but turning it into "you can achieve anything you set your mind to if you just want it enough and work hard enough" looks like a flat-out denial of any sort of differences in underlying abilities which is not going to do anyone any favors.
fallingfrog 7y ago
I’m pretty sure the biggest thing that will help students is not having to work full time to pay rent while they’re trying to pass courses..

16 points by bschne 7y ago

iicc 7y ago

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/changing-mindset-2015 https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-eva... Evaluation Report - https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Projects/Evaluation_Reports/Changing_Mindsets.pdf https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Pro...

TrinaryWorksToo 7y ago

The pervasiveness of growth mindset theory is one potential explanation for the absence of a measurable impact of the intervention: for example, over a third of teachers in comparison schools had previously attended training days based on growth mindset interventions. However, while many staff members were aware of similar approaches prior to their involvement in the project, few said they had used these within their own teaching practices. Due to the ubiquitous nature of growth mindset, it may be hard to find schools for future research where awareness of the concept is low.

sanxiyn 7y ago

Note that this does not contradict previous studies, because they did different things. In other words, this is not a replication failure. To quote: "We have never (or at least not yet) conducted a mindset research programme aimed at teachers" and "All of our studies to date have been directly aimed at students". That is, teaching students growth mindset works. Teaching teachers to teach students growth mindset didn't work. Also "we have a large study with a nationally representative sample of 9th grade students coming out in Nature next month". Large studies are good, so I eagerly wait for this larger study of direct-to-students programme.

jgamman 7y ago

more meta-analysis literature, open, N=350,000: To What Extent and Under Which Circumstances Are Growth Mind-Sets Important to Academic Achievement? Two Meta-Analyses Victoria F. Sisk1, Alexander P. Burgoyne2, Jingze Sun1, Jennifer L. Butler1, and Brooke N. Macnamara1

bschne 7y ago
Ref: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0956797617739704 https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0956797617739704

FullyFunctional 7y ago

My poor son suffered through this pointless garbage. The only real lesson here was how to give the BS answers that the teachers required and move on with life.

bschne 7y ago
Caveat: I don't know the technicalities of the original method/research and am merely familiar with it through the media and business world hype. I wonder why a lot of things like this have to be marketed as "going to change everything" silver bullets. I'm all for teaching people the value of practice and persistent work at improving instead of putting it all down to talent or just innately being smart or not, but turning it into "you can achieve anything you set your mind to if you just want it enough and work hard enough" looks like a flat-out denial of any sort of differences in underlying abilities which is not going to do anyone any favors.

fallingfrog 7y ago

I’m pretty sure the biggest thing that will help students is not having to work full time to pay rent while they’re trying to pass courses..