An Intervention to Increase Growth Mind-Set Among Preservice Teachers

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  In Poster Session: Instructional and Learner Factors That Affect Student Outcomes

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate whether a short writing intervention could increase the growth mindset of teacher education students. 66 undergraduate students from one pre-service teachers’ preparation course participated. All students read an article that argued that a growth mindset (belief that ability is changeable) is superior to a fixed mindset (belief that ability is not changeable). Students were randomly assigned to three groups that wrote essays. Results showed that students in the persuading essay group significantly increased in their growth mindsets, students in the explaining essay group had a marginally significant increase in growth mindset, and students in the control group showed no change. Influence of individual differences in dialectical thinking is also discussed.

Authors

• David A. Bergin, University of Missouri

• Yaoran Li, ACT, Inc.

• John Taylor

• Mary Elizabeth Maher, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Xintong Li, University of Missouri - Columbia