High School Science Teacher Growth Mind-Set Explains Students' Initial Science Identity and Its Development

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 9
  In Poster Session: Motivation in Education SIG Poster Session: The Role of Parents, Peers, and Teachers

Abstract

Science identity impacts student motivation and achievement in STEM domains. High school is a critical period for science identity development. Teacher motivational beliefs such as teacher growth mindset can have crucial, long-term influences, whereas the influences are under researched. The current study examines high school students’ perceptions of science teachers’ growth mindset and the influences on the mean development trajectory of their science identity over six years (2009-2016), using the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 dataset. Three waves of data from 15,728 students were analyzed through multilevel models. Teacher growth mindset significantly predicted student initial science identity and its development, even after controlling student gender, race, SES, and competence beliefs. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications were discussed.

Authors

• Dongyao Tan, Purdue University

• Yukiko Maeda, Purdue University