LME 535-Blog 3: Student Engagement

Learning is an interesting concept. Many scholars have studied a variety of theories about how a student learns and what motivates that student to learn. Are we, as people, really born to learn? Once we are grown, is it possible that our brains will continue to flourish or are we born with all the intelligences we will ever have? Carol Dweck (2015), researcher and professor at Stanford University, believes that people, young and old, develop mindsets. According to Dweck (2015), there are two mindsets: fixed mindset and growth mindset. She believes that students with a fixed mindset think their intelligence is fixed. They have a fear of learning and will not work or try something that may show they are not “smart”. This type of mindset turns students off to learning. On the other hand, someone with a growth mindset believes that intelligence can be developed over time. Students with this mindset are usually motivated to challenge themselves. They see failure as a learning experience. They do not quit easily and are up for further challenges.

I believe the authors and speakers reviewed for this assignment would agree with Dweck’s (2015) beliefs about growth mindset. Having a growth mindset helps to prepare a person for a successful future. A fixed mindset may cause more distraught in life because those in this mindset feel the need for perfection and have difficulties when there are setbacks or failures.

In an article presented by Edutopia, Resources for Teaching Growth Mindset (2015), the author refers to Dweck’s two mindsets frequently. The author discusses how Dweck (2015) completed a study of seventh grade students to see how they performed in math over a two-year period. Dweck (2015) discovered that after two years, the students began to pull apart in math. Then she looked at their mindsets. The students who had a fixed mindset wanted to hide their mistakes and believed that setbacks measured who they were overall. Students who had a growth mindset were able to flourish even when they faced challenges. They were not afraid of failure. They believed that mistakes were a natural part of learning.

I also believe that Taylor Mali’s educational beliefs would correlate with Dweck’s beliefs as well. In Taylor Mali’s video, What Teachers Make, Mali discusses how teachers make a difference by encouraging students to work harder than they thought they could. In other words, by challenging students even when they think the content is too hard, students’ mindsets can grow and change.

In Sugata Mitra’s video, The Child-Driven Education (2010), Mitra speaks of children wanting to learn if they are curious about what is presented to them. In one of Mitra’s (2010) experiments, The Hold in the Wall, research showed that groups of children could learn to use and navigate the internet regardless of who they were, where they lived, the level of education, or language in which the material was presented. Students in Mitra’s (2010) study had never before used a computer. When left alone with the computer, they were able to teach themselves how to use it and began teaching others how to navigate the internet and learn a new language. This relates to Dweck’s (2015) mindsets study because it demonstrates the desire students have to learn even though they face challenges. These students demonstrate a growth mindset.

One statement that really captured my attention was from Sir Ken Robinson’s Changing Education (2010) video. Robinson (2010) states that one problem in education is that we are doing what we did in the past. He believes that education was modeled on the interests of industrialization. Education needs a different path. A path that creates divergent thinkers today. This shows a growth mindset because divergent thinkers have a passion for learning and enjoy finding multiple solutions to a problem or task even when failure occurs.

Angel Wilson’s video, Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering for Real Learning (2014), teaches that there are certain roles that students and teachers need to take on in education. Wilson (2014) believes that students should be the researchers, technology users and experts, thinkers and sense makers, and self-teachers. They need to know and understand the differences between real and relevant information. The teacher should be a coach and guide, a goal setter and questioner, a designer of learning, and context provider. The teacher should create controlled activities so that students can take control of their own learning. Wilson (2014) believes there should be student-teacher dialogues about the current learning and discussions about what students want to learn. This allows teachers to get to know their students better and create activities and projects that are more meaningful to their students. Wilson (2014) called this way of teaching “partnering”. In doing so, I believe this engages students with a growth mindset and creates further challenges that are meaningful and can make a difference.

In Chapter 3 of the book written by Maxwell, Stobaugh, and Tassell, Real-World Learning Framework (2015), the authors discuss the importance of student engagement. According to the authors, student engagement happens when students take the lead in their own learning by collaborating with the teacher, other peers, or experts in a field to help guide that learning. In the Create Excellence Framework’s five levels of student engagement component, students learn to collaborate with others and take ownership of their own learning. This engagement results in a higher level of understanding and deeper learning for a longer period of time. This independence for learning connects to Dweck’s (2015) growth mindset. If students are engaged and interested in the task, they will work harder to complete that task or develop a product regardless of the difficulty level of the activity or disappointments in the results. They will continue to seek solutions to a problem or task.

In an article by Mindset Works, Inc., The Science (2008), growth mindset is explained in detail. One addition to what I have read thus far about growth mindset is that researchers have found that when students are taught about growth mindset, an increase in motivation and achievement scores are inevitable. According to the article, researchers have noticed achievement scores narrowing between boys and girls in math and it helps to close the racial achievement gap.

One more bit of interesting information on developing mindsets was found in an article by Alex Vermeer, 15 Benefits of the Growth Mindset (2012). Vermeer (2012) reviews several benefits of the growth mindset, but I found one benefit quite intriguing. Vermeer (2012) states that the growth mindset can strengthen your confidence. The understanding behind this benefit is that those with a fixed mindset do not have less confidence than those with a growth mindset. The problem is that people with a fixed mindset have more difficulties continuing a task when failure occurs. Vermeer (2012) explains that their confidence is more fragile.

One way I can incorporate a growth mindset in my instruction is by allowing my students to create small goals that encourage independent progress. This can help to increase confidence as students reach their individual goals. Goals should be small and attainable to start off and can increase as their growth mindset develops.

Another way I can incorporate a growth mindset in my instruction is by creating activities that involve cooperative work. Students are more successful when working in groups. They feel the need to focus on their work more deeply in order to help the group, and they want to demonstrate a sense of responsibility.

Overall, I believe the authors and speakers reviewed connect through the belief that if students have a desire to learn and the learning is meaningful and interesting, then those students have the ability to develop a growth mindset. Teachers can encourage growth mindset through teaching methods, projects, and activities. It is extremely important today to make sure that teachers are maximizing student learning and ensure that students are thinking at higher levels. It is up to the educators to encourage students and create a safe environment where mistakes become part of the learning process for all students involved so we can develop a growth mindset that will benefit all for today and future generations.

REFERENCES

Dweck, C. (2015, November 3). Teaching growth mindset. [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isHM1rEd3GE

Edutopia. (2016). Resources for teaching growth mindset. Retrieved from

http://www.edutopia.org/article/growth-mindset-resources

Mali, T. (n.d.). Taylor Mali: What teachers make. [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teachers-make

Maxwell, M., Stobaugh, R., & Tassell, J. H. (2015). Chapter 3: Student engagement. In Real-

world learning for secondary schools: Digital tools and practical strategies for successful implementation. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree. ISBN: 9781935249443.

Mitra, S. (2010, July). The child-driven education. [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education#t-10241

Robinson, Sir K. (2010, October 14). Changing education paradigms. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch v=zDZFcDGpL4U&index=9&list=PL39BF9545

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Vermeer, A. (2012). 15 benefits of the growth mindset. Retrieved from

https://alexvermeer.com/15-benefits-growth-mindset/

Wilson, A. (2014, April 22). Teaching digital natives: Partnering for real learning (Prensky

Partnering Model). [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=D8ONsqfoyCQ&list=PLcUmE1FdOHUuZY5FXhcDD3oYOhnIxl_Lm&index=10

Works, M. (2008). The science: The growth mindset – mindset Works: Student motivation

through a growth mindset, by Carol Dweck, Ph.D.

Retrieved from https://www.mindsetworks.com/webnav/whatismindset.aspx