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Creating and Sustaining
Mindset Change
in Developmental Mathematics
David Yeager
Collaborators: Greg Walton, Carol Dweck, Dave Paunesku, Carissa Romero, Angela Duckworth, Sidney D’Mello, Geoff Cohen, Donald Kamentz, Laura Keane
Pathways team: Jane Muhich, Iris Lopez, Rachel Beattie, Lawrence Morales, Kristin Spiegelberg, Michelle Brock, Gwen Sweeney, Maryann Firpo, Heather Hough
Collaborators:
Geoff Cohen Valerie Purdie-Vaughns
Carol Dweck Greg Walton
Angela Duckworth
Think Back on Your Own Education...
1. What is a time when you were blown away by a novel theory or perspective on something? Where did you learn it? From whom? – Theory of relativity
– Something about the body and how it works
– Theory of human thinking or learning
– A spiritual or philosophical experience
– Etc.
2. AFTER you learned the new theory or perspective, was there ever a time when you doubted whether it was really true?
Students Have Theories About Their Success in School
What’s the point?
Maybe I’m not a math
person
Maybe I don’t
belong here
Productive Persistence
Mindsets about social belonging
Mindsets about academic potential
Emotion-regulation
Skills
Mindsets Mindsets about the value of schoolwork
Learning strategies
Chris Hulleman
Claude Steele, Geoff Cohen Greg Walton
Carol Dweck
Sian Beilock Jeremy Jamieson
9
“Being a 'math person' or not is something about you that you really can't change. Some people are good at
math and other people aren't."
Survey data from Fall 2011 Carnegie Foundation Statway, N ~ 1,100
68%
32%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Agree Disagree
“I am embarrassed by how stupid I am and suddenly feeling very discouraged … I can't even tell which fraction is bigger than another, or where they should fall on the number line. I feel like crying.”
• Fixed mindset (intelligence is fixed)
– “If I have to try hard, I’m clearly not smart.”
– No point in trying if one is not a “natural”
• Growth mindset (intelligence is malleable)
– “Trying harder makes you smarter.”
– Obstacles can be overcome through effort, help
from others, and use of improved strategy
– Note: It’s NOT just about “trying harder.”
Mindsets about academic potential
“Holy crap yes it can!!! What a relief!”
“Normal science” Being a “math person” can’t change
Observe data
Negative data “I tried really hard and still failed”
Everyday phrases “My teacher said we’re growing when we struggle”
Fixed mindset
Growth mindset
Booster “Other students say this is a normal part of the learning process”
Crisis: “This new module will be impossible”
Theory-Change Process
1. Compelling initial theory change – New idea becomes a “hypothesis” that people either
do or do not find support for
– Growth mindset article
2. Confirming evidence from observing the world – Data and social support for the novel theory
– Everyday practices that support a growth mindset
3. Resolving controversies with theory reminders – Poignant data or experiences that question the very
core of the theory
– Mindset boosters during crises of confidence
Professor Brock, I am so happy I decided to take your class I actually enjoy math again! I was able to encourage my god-son just two days ago about his future in math. I shared with him my struggles in math and how I just succeed in a math class after many years of dodging math classes. He was crying to me that he couldn't do math and that he didn't feel smart and that he was so ashamed. I remember feeling that way before I took your class and from the beginning of your class during the orientation when we had to take the Statway survey I became determined to do well in your class. Thanks for all the pep talks, the literature on the brain being a muscle, and all the encouragement!!!!!
1. Compelling initial theory change
Student Mindsets: Co-development and Piloting
• Co-development – Researcher + Practitioner – Adapted to developmental math
student construals – Not just “effort,” also strategy
and help from others – Article + letter to future student
• Piloting – Double-blind randomized trial – Summer school Algebra 1 course
19
Roberta Carew,
Valencia College
“Most people don’t know that when they practice and learn new things, parts of their brain change and get larger, a lot like the muscles do. This is true even for adults. So it’s not true that some people are stuck being “not smart” or “not math people.” You can improve your abilities a lot, as long as you practice and use good strategies.”
Mindsets about academic potential
Course Dropout Students Who Withdrew From Developmental Math
20%
9%
0%
10%
20%
Brain Facts Growth Mindset
N = 288, Z = 2.87, p = .004
Mindsets about academic potential
Yeager et al. (in prep)
22
“I feel very confident … because i dedicate my time to learn the concepts thoroughly. I feel that if one person put in the work to really understand the concepts they can pass. I was never a "math person" but coming into [this course] has completely made a 360 degree turn [sic] about how i feel about math. It is great!”
Mindsets about academic potential
Yeager et al. (in prep)
Full-Scale Intervention
• All incoming students (N=7,342)
• Students at risk for non-completion: African-American, Latino, or First-Gen White students (N = 2,463)
• Link on orientation website
• Directed to online survey
Mindsets about academic potential
Orientation Website Mindsets about
academic potential
Orientation Website Mindsets about
academic potential
Maintaining Full-Time Enrollment First Semester (12+ Credits)
(N=2,463 African Americans, Latinos, First-Gen. White and Asian students)
Logistic regression, Z=2.62, p=.008
83% 82% 87% 75%
77%
79%
81%
83%
85%
87%
89%
91%
93%
95%
2010 & 2011 Control Mindset
2012 Intervention Condition
Asian and Continuing-Gen White Students: 89% (93% in 2010/2011)
51% gap reduction {
Yeager, Walton, & Dweck (in prep)
Entire Pathways
Changes in Self-Reported Mindsets (All Pathways, 2012 and 2013)
• Survey on Day 1 vs. Week 4
– Change of 0.8 standard deviations (p < .001) !!!!
– Was this change meaningful?
67% 78% 86% 92% 95% 50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0 1 2 3 4
Positive change in self-reported mindset from Day 1 to Week 4
% Who Passed the Pathways (among those who didn’t drop)
But Do Students Keep Their Mindsets Throughout?
Seattle Central Improvement Community
Percent Fixed Mindset (Winter 2014)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Start of Term Follow Up End of Term (EOT)
Pe
rce
nt
wh
o a
re "
Gre
en
" o
n It
em
2A
2B
5A
6A
6B
8A
9A
AIM
“Holy crap yes it can!!! What a relief!”
“Normal science” Being a “math person” can’t change
Observe data
Negative data “I tried really hard and still failed”
Everyday phrases “My teacher said we’re growing when we struggle”
Fixed mindset
Growth mindset
2. Confirming evidence from observing the world
What Can You Say to Promote a Growth Mindset
in Your Class?
Utilizing MOOCs To Test Feedback Practices
• Khan Academy online learning
• N = 265,082 to date
• Intervention delivered in units on fractions
Conditions
No Statements at top of page (Khan Academy default)
General Encouragement Some of these problems are hard. Just do your best.
If at first you don't succeed, try again.
Growth Mindset Remember, the more you practice the smarter you become!
When you learn a new kind of math problem, you grow your
math brain!
Control Statements
No Headers
Intervention
A mini-intervention
13
Khan Academy
Placebo: If at first you don’t succeed, try again. Growth mindset: When you learn a new kind of math problem, you grow your math brain!
N ~ 265,000
Growth Mindset led to 4-5% increase in learning rates even after mindset phrases were removed.
Sohl-Dickstein, Paunesku, Haley, & Williams (in prep).
Everyday Phrases (Jim Smart, Rachel Mudge)
Productive Persistence – Starter Kit
3
Praise after Success
Promotes the objective. [TRY TO SAY MORE]
Undermines the objective. [TRY NOT TO SAY]
“You’re doing so much better…you’re really improving and growing.
“Good job, you’re smart at that.”
“Wow, you’re really getting better at this.” “See, I to
l
d you you’re smart.”
“Great, you’re really using so me good strategies.” “Oh, you got that right aw ay, you mu st be good at that.”
Great, you’ve le arn ed so much! “See, I th ink you’re secretly a math pe r son.”
All right, you are really using the right strategies.[try to name and describe the specific strategy[ies] so they know]
“You’re such a great writer…so great at science, etc…”
See, you do have the skills, now we are going to strengthen them.
“I’m glad this is so easy for you.”
(for students who have some strong skills coming in to a topic) You’re s
t
art ing ou t knowing a lot, now let’s grow what you know.
Your phrase:
Your phrase:
Your phrase:
Your phrase:
Your phrase:
Your phrase:
Your phrase:
Your phrase:
Occasion • Praise after success • Encouragement after
failure • Critical feedback
Setting • In class • Office hours • Email
PDSA Activity 2013/2014
Looking beyond the writing activity...
“Holy crap yes it can!!! What a relief!”
“Normal science” Being a “math person” can’t change
Observe data
Negative data “I tried really hard and still failed”
Everyday phrases “My teacher said we’re growing when we struggle”
Fixed mindset
Growth mindset
Booster “Other students say this is a normal part of the learning process”
Crisis: “This new module will be impossible”
3. Resolving controversies with theory reminders (“Boosters”)
A Message From a Former Student
Instructions: Every student has a different experience in their class. At the same time, students
have a lot in common. For instance, most students say they feel really confused sometimes, but,
eventually, most students learn a lot and they understand math better than they did before.
We need your help explaining why this may be true for students in your class. First, read a
message from a past student who took this class. Second, write your own brief message to help
future students understand this idea.
One Quote From a Past Student
When this class started, I was nervous but also excited. I felt like finally I was going to get
through the math that had been keeping me behind for so long. And early in the term I got
confident because I was able to do some of the basic material, and my teacher had us read
something that told us we could improve the math parts of our brains if we took the right steps.
Pretty soon, though I started to get lost. We started a new unit / module and I thought to myself
“I could do the last one, but this one looks impossible!” I was lost and I was back to my old way
of thinking. But as I kept going, I remembered what we learned—that people’s brains learn the
most when they’re challenged. Learning is all about the transition from not knowing something
(being confused) through that confusion into knowing something new. Being confused is an
inherent aspect of learning. If it all made sense already there wouldn't be anything to learn.
Now that I know this it’s not like school is easy for me, but I do realize that it’s all about finding
the right tactic. I've had to try out different methods and am still experiment with what works.
For some parts of what I've learned, just reading the textbook is enough, for other concepts I've
needed to talk with someone who already understands and then practice, practice, practice. That
seems to be what my brain needs at the moment but I'll keep exploring what works for all of the
things I try to learn. In the end, I think I’ll have a smarter, stronger math brain.
Now It’s Your Turn
Not all students know that it’s common to be confused from time to time in your class but that it
usually gets better as they keep trying and asking questions. We need your help explaining this
idea to next year’s students.
Please write a brief note that explains:
1) Why it’s normal to get confused sometimes when you are learning statistics / math
concepts,
2) Why it’s normal to eventually understand something better if you ask for help from
people, use good strategies, and keep trying.
Please illustrate your answer using examples from your own experiences in the class. For
instance, explain how it might have been confusing when you moved from one topic to another
that you didn't understand as well. Also remind students what you know about the brain—that
the brain is like a muscle that can grow and develop when you challenge it.
When this class started, I was nervous but also excited. I felt like finally I was going to get through the math that had been keeping me behind for so long. And early in the term I got confident because I was able to do some of the basic material, and my teacher had us read something that told us we could improve the math parts of our brains if we took the right steps. Pretty soon, though I started to get lost. We started a new unit / module and I thought to myself “I could do the last one, but this one looks impossible!” I was lost and I was back to my old way of thinking. But as I kept going, I remembered what we learned—that people’s brains learn the most when they’re challenged. Learning is all about the transition from not knowing something (being confused) through that confusion into knowing something new.
○ Currently six mindset boosters
■ MB1: Battling the Mid-Course Break ■ MB2: Starting a New Module with Confidence ■ MB3: Challenge-Seeking ■ MB4: Bouncing Back After a Setback ■ MB5: Loss of Confidence ■ MB6: Studying with Others
Timing Mindset Boosters to Crises of Confidence
Michelle Brock PDSA Cycles The students are eager to please. They feel connected to each other and the class and this appears to make them receptive to participate in anything I introduce to them. I had more students approach me after this assignment to ask questions. There were students who hold negative beliefs about their progress i.e. thinking they were failing miserably when in fact they were very close to proving themselves successful. Students are becoming more open to feedback and asking more questions when they get their feedback on their work.
Effect of “Booster” in 2013 (Michelle Brock)
9%
8% 8%
7%
8% 8%
10%
3.5% 3.5%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
Module 7 Module 8 Module 9
Percent of homework assignments missing
2011
2012
2013
“Booster”
Pathways Curriculum + Productive Persistence +
Pathways Teachers
Can Make a Difference
I still remember the lump that sat in my throat as I made my way into my first math class taught by Ms. Sweeney. The painful memory of failing past math courses overwhelmed my mind, leaving no space for hope to exist. I sat down in my assigned seat and waited for the terror to begin, but to my sincere surprise, it never did. Gwen was the first teacher that opened my eyes to see I am capable of understanding and doing well in math. I finally realize after many year in school that I am not hopeless. While I have failed a number of math classes before attending college, that does not mean I will not succeed in this one. I had an awful habit of putting down my pencil and shoving the paper away the instant I found myself confused by a concept. I thought if I never got it before, why would I now? But it was when Ms. Sweeney pointed out the importance, and normality of confusion when learning that I realized it was only an obstacle, not a road block. Today I still struggle, but the difference today as opposed to the math classes before, is that I know if I work at it, I will be able to master it.
Takeaways
1. Initial mindset intervention
– Early in the term
– Follow with a challenging activity
2. Create a culture in support of a mindset
– Formal practices (grading, credit for revision)
– Informal practices (praise, criticism, encouragement)
3. When confidence plummets, use a “booster”
Productive Persistence
Mindsets about social belonging
Mindsets about academic potential
Emotion-regulation
Skills
Mindsets Mindsets about the value of schoolwork
Learning strategies
Chris Hulleman
Claude Steele, Geoff Cohen Greg Walton
Carol Dweck
Sian Beilock Jeremy Jamieson
We’re Just Getting Started!!