MindsetsDr Sherria Hoskins, University of Portsmouth

•What is Growing Learners

•Background to Theories of intelligence (Mindsets)

•Exploring the existing evidence

•More info on one of our RCTs• Two tips for everyday practice

• What have we learned

•What we do now

Overview

• Evidence based educational consultancy based at the University of Portsmouth:– Dr Sherria Hoskins– Dr Victoria Devonshire– Dr Emily Mason-Apps– Dr Frances Warren– Miss Mathilde Chanvin

• What we have done so far...

What is Growing Learners

–Worked with PCC to explore why we have lower than average attainment in the city.

–Worked with over 100 schools• EEF – Randomised control trial.• Part of the ‘Closing the Gap’ scheme

(funded by National College for Teaching & Leadership)

• Direct work with schools that request our support.

“I don’t divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and the

failures... (or the high and low ability) I divide the world into the learners and non

learners.” Benjamin Barber

Theories of Intelligence

Growth Mindset• Belief that intelligence is malleable and can

develop.• Success takes effort and persistence, learning

from mistakes and challenges.

Fixed Mindset• Belief that intelligence is something you are born

with.• Can’t change it much.

What are Mindsets?

Fixed Mindset Growth MindsetIntelligence is a fixed trait & can’t change much

Intelligence can be increased through practice

Focus on performance Focus on learning

Failure and/or effort perceived as being sign of low ability

Not threatened by hard work or failure

Choose activities to maximise performance (easy ones to feel clever)

Seek new challenges for a sense of achievement

Don’t recover well from setbacks Mistakes are perceived as a good thing as they help the learning processes

Decrease efforts, withdraw or consider cheating (self-protection)

View effort and persistence as a necessary part of success

Helplessness orientation Mastery orientation

Approaches to Learning:

Exploring the Evidence

PlasticityNeurones in the brain transmit information through connections (synapses). The more we keep our brains active through learning new information, the more connections the brain makes.

Evidence from Neuroscience

• UCL - London taxi drivers.• Brain scans = larger hippocampus than others• Grew as they spent more time in the job.• Suggests brain adapts to help them learn ‘The

Knowledge’ and store mental maps.

• Outstanding performance in violinists from the Music Academy of West Berlin in Germany.• Students were divided into three groups:

1. The outstanding group (expected to become international solists). These were the children normally described as “super talented” and “naturally” gifted.

2. The extremely good group (expected to end up playing in the world’s top orchestras, but not as star soloists)

3. The least able group (studying to become music teachers- a course with far less stringent entry requirements)

Ericsson, Krampe, & Tesch-Romer (2007)

Remarkably similar – e.g. • age started playing, • age they decided to become musicians, • number of teachers who had taught them.

Dramatic difference between the groups: Number of hours spent practising by age 20outstanding group = average of 10,000 extremely good group = 8,000 least able group = 2,000

No exceptions to this pattern.

Blackwell, Trzesniewski & Dweck (2007)

Study 1: Children’s theory of intelligence predicted maths grades when making transition to high school.

• Pupils with growth mindsets progressed faster and outperformed pupils with fixed mindsets.

Study 2: Intervention training (Brainology)• 8 week intervention with school children.• study skills and mindset workshop, vs only study skills.• mindset training promoted positive change in motivation and

grades, in comparison to study skills only group.

Good, Aronson & Inzlicht (2003)

• Pupils randomly assigned student mentors • growth mindset mentoring vs anti drug mentoring.• Mindset mentees increased in maths and reading test

scores compared to a control group.• Further, girls particularly benefitted in maths scores and

narrowed the gender gap.• Performance suppressed by stereotype?• Boys already positive and performing well in maths.

US ResearchMay not be relevant

Small numbersOne or two schools

No teacher interventionSometimes no controlNo long term follow up

What about the UK?

Scottish study

The EEF Project...

Pupil Intervention

Teacher Intervention

Mindset Study Skills

INSET WAITING CONTROL

What our results show. . .??

Tips on Everyday practiceHigh expectations

Focus: resilience, self-sufficiency & good learningSpecific plans for growth and development

Celebrating mistakesUse of role modelsLanguage/praise

Modelling

How to promote a Growth Mindset

• The fear of making mistakes and associated shame and embarrassment can stop pupils from trying.

• Don’t let pupils blame others for failure and mistakes.• Make the most of their mistakes, celebrate mistakes!• Promote challenge, effort and mistakes as part of

everyone’s learning process.• When examples of attainment explore the process,

effort and mistakes.• Give time each week to discuss learning via mistakes

(Mistakes Board).

Celebrating mistakes

 …Temporary high self-esteem if performed well but longer term implications:

• When challenged or fail, pupils don’t know how to put it right, and instead re-evaluate ability

• Creates low self-esteem/feel bad about themselves• Avoidance of task in future• Drop in attainment over timehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGTk6yeh9qE

Person/ability focused feedback causes...

Mueller & Dweck (1998)

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

Trial 1 Trial 3

Effort PraiseControl PraiseIntelligence Praise

Num

ber o

f Pro

blem

s so

lved

Carol Dweck talking about praise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTXrV0_3UjY

Give ‘process praise’• Effort• Strategy• Interpret setbacks as lack of effort, persistence

or result of inappropriate strategies

Use also ‘task praise’ • What is better/worse than the last attempt• What is/is not good, realistic, neat, correct etc.

about the product

Growth feedback

• A tool to identifying pupils’ learning orientations.• Intervention Manuals, Lesson Plans and

Materials (6 weeks * 1.5 hrs or flexible) • Additional ideas for lessons• Early Years, Primary, Secondary, 16+.• Bespoke services.• Working on a second RCT (120 UK schools –

train the trainer).• Project with Steve at Portsmouth College.

What we now offer.

Any questions?Phone us on 023 9284 6315growinglearners@port.ac.uk

Visit http://www.port.ac.uk/department-of-psychology/community-collaboration/

growing-learners/

Thank you!