Promoting a Growth Mindset in CS1: Does One Size Fit All? A Pilot Study

This paper describes a pilot intervention conducted in CS1, in theacademic year of 2016-2017. The intervention was based on thework of Dweck, promoting a growth Mindset in an effort to in-crease performance in introductory programming. The study alsoexamined data from a previous year (as a control group) to compareand contrast the results. Multiple factors related to programmingperformance were recorded with the control and treatment group,which were measured at multiple intervals throughout the course,to monitor changes as the pilot intervention was implemented.This study found a significant increase in programming perfor-mance when the intervention was deployed. However, althoughperformance increased for the treatment group, the average Mindsetdid not significantly change towards a growth Mindset (replicatingthe findings of Cutts et al, 2010). To further explore this finding,a preliminary deeper investigation using k-means clustering wascarried out. The investigation found that the intervention promoteda growth Mindset for some student profiles and a fixed Mindset forothers. This finding is important for educators considering interven-tion development or implementation of Mindset, and demonstratesthat a Mindset intervention may not be suitable for all learners

Does Intergenerational Trauma Influence Growth or Fixed Mindset Among Ethnic Minorities?

Intergenerational trauma is a phenomenon commonly experienced by ethnic minorities in the United States. This type of trauma can profoundly affect individuals, families, and communities. Despite the prevalence and importance of intergenerational trauma, little research has investigated the link between intergenerational trauma and individuals’ mindsets. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand the perceptions, experiences, and beliefs of ethnic minorities with intergenerational trauma regarding fixed and growth mindsets. The theory guiding this study was Carol Dweck’s mindset theory. To assess the influence of intergenerational trauma on ethnic minorities’ mindsets, 12 individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds were purposefully recruited through social media. Participants were asked to participate in semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions surrounding their perceptions of intergenerational trauma and fixed and growth mindsets. Specifically, participants’ perceptions regarding their fixed and growth mindsets were explored. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings of the study have important implications for informing mental health professionals regarding the experiences of ethnic minorities regarding intergenerational trauma and fixed and growth mindsets. Such information may be useful in designing appropriate interventions for different minority populations

Character Identification and Mindset: An Experimental Design Using Disney\u27s Finding Nemo

Mindset is defined as an individual’s view of intelligence or ability. Mindset research began in the 1970s at Stanford with Carol S. Dweck, who coined the terms “fixed mindset” and “growth mindset.” A fixed mindset believes intelligence and abilities are limited and static. Each individual has a certain quantity, and no amount of risk-taking, effort, or perseverance will increase the amount of intelligence currently possessed. A growth mindset sees intelligence as something that can grow, transform, and change. Individuals with growth mindsets believe hard work pays off and are eager to learn new ideas, concepts, and theories to move forward in their learning journeys. Grit is defined by Angela Duckworth as passion and perseverance for long-term goals and closely aligns with the concept of a growth mindset. Mindset and grit are highlighted by academic and classroom challenges and can be identified in individuals as early as elementary school. The way students respond to challenges and failure significantly impacts their development. While there are assessments to help determine mindset and grit, creative-arts therapies may also be able to help identify them. Cinematherapy is a target intervention often used in academic and clinical settings to teach complex concepts and theories. This study examined the relationship between mindset/grit and character identification, using Disney’s Finding Nemo. In other words, does a growth mindset relate to the growth minded characters, while a fixed mindset relates to the fixed minded characters? The study also used an independent between-groups experimental design to determine if the order of exposure to video case vignettes, using Disney’s Finding Nemo, made a difference in a participant’s level of identification with mindset/grit. It was hypothesized that exposure to the video case vignettes, prior to taking the mindset/grit assessments would influence responses toward identification with growth mindset characters. The results showed that a significant relationship existed between mindset and grit, but no significant correlations existed with the film characters of Nemo, Dory, Crush, or Marlin. There were significant positive correlations between the growth-minded characters of Dory and Crush, and negative relationships between Marlin and Dory, Marlin and Crush, and Marlin and Nemo. This was consistent with our study’s hypothesis since Marlin was the only character holding a fixed mindset, and the others, a growth mindset. Exposure to the video case vignettes did promote identification with the growth-minded characters of Dory and Crush and decreased identification with the fixed-minded character of Marlin. Implications, applications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed

How Can An Individual’s Growth Mindset Be Improved By Using Self-Assessment Techniques?

Carol Dweck’s idea of fixed versus growth mindset is becoming a more important concept in the educational world because educators are striving to create lifelong learners inside and outside of the the classroom. In order to do this, educators need to promote the growth mindset through clear instruction. The research question highlights a review of current literature on fixed versus growth mindset; Danielson’s Framework for Teaching; total participation techniques, such as cold calling; and student self-assessment that was used to drive the capstone project. The Danielson’s Framework for Teaching assisted in creating an instructional design that would meet the needs of the students in my classroom, while incorporating the necessary total participation techniques that would drive high levels of student engagement. In order for students to be successful, teachers need to equip their students with strategies and tools that will help them maneuver through any obstacle. The importance of moving from the fixed mindset to the growth mindset approach in present day classrooms is becoming more crucial. Students need to understand that being intelligent is not a fixed trait; it is something that is earned through hard work and perseverance

Enabling 'growth mindsets' in engineering students

Student failure is often attributed to a lack of work by students. While this view has some merit, it implies that only students need to change and reduces the incentive for lecturers, curricula, assessment practices to be interrogated. In this thesis, I take a comprehensive look into why students do not work. Firstly, I place social psychology factors in context with other factors that impact student success and show how beliefs about academic ability underpin the academic behaviour that leads to success. By placing a learning theory lens on six characteristics of fixed mindsets (beliefs that ability can only be developed to an individually pre-determined level) and growth mindsets (beliefs that that effective effort will lead to unlimited self-improvement), I develop a theoretical framework that explains how both fixed and growth mindsets can be encouraged by teaching practices. As students with fixed mindsets may be more vulnerable to dropping out of university, lecturers should be aware of the mindset messages they are sending to students through their words, actions and choice of activities and assessment practices. To address the question of how growth mindsets can be developed, I present results from a systematic literature review of growth mindset interventions aimed at engineering students, drawing on databases in education, engineering, and psychology. The findings show that most interventions involved informing students about mindsets and asking students to reflect on or teach others about mindsets, using personal examples. An intervention was devised to develop growth mindsets in engineering students through tutoring groups on the social media platform WhatsApp. Poor group functioning was addressed using a design-based research approach for the establishment of effective groups. Unexpectedly, assessments of engineering students' mindsets through surveys and interviews showed very low numbers of students with fixed mindset views. Reasons for this result are explained by categorizing growth mindset enablers identified from literature and comparing the literature findings with interview data from engineering students. The thesis culminates by contributing a critique on mindset assessment and a framework for creating learning environments conducive to student success

Effects of growth and fixed mindset on leaders\u27 behavior during interpersonal interactions

Growth mindset, the belief that traits are changeable, is a concept that has impacted the field of education and has recently gained a foothold in the world of business. This mixed methods study sought to better understand how high-level leaders’ internal growth or fixed mindsets affect their behavior in interpersonal interactions with others. 12 directors and vice presidents participated in a self-assessment and interviews to ascertain their general mindsets in five domains and their experience of workplace interactions. The study found that leaders’ mindsets affect their interactions with others. The study also found that leaders who scored as having growth mindset may still experience episodes of situational fixed mindset that may detract from their effectiveness

Understanding How to Diversify the Cybersecurity Workforce: A Qualitative Analysis

A robust cybersecurity workforce is critical for protection against a range of malicious attacks. However, it has been noted that there are many vacancies and a shortage of individuals entering the cybersecurity workforce. This workforce shortage has partly been attributed to the lack of diversity in the cybersecurity field, with women, African Americans, and Hispanics remaining underrepresented in educational and professional settings. Using a qualitative approach, this work sought to investigate what led underrepresented minorities currently involved in cybersecurity to the industry, with the goal of determining methods to attract and diversify the workforce. A thematic analysis was conducted using data collected during interviews with 23 participants including underrepresented minority students, underrepresented minority professionals, college instructors, and a high school administrator. The interview questions aimed to address (a) what attracted minorities to the field, (b) how they overcame educational and professional roadblocks, (c) how they built non-technical knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and (d) how they maintained engagement. Findings revealed 17 themes that were related to characteristics of (a) the learner, (b) the instruction, and (c) the environment. Based on these findings, recommendations are presented to illustrate how these themes can be implemented by instructors with the goal of increasing the participation and involvement of underrepresented minorities and fostering diversity in the cybersecurity field

Lived Experiences of Mental Health Professionals Using Resilience to Resist Burnout

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of mental health professionals (MHPs) in California who have worked in private practice settings. The three research questions that framed this study were: what resilience-promoting mindsets do these mental health professionals rely upon, what resilience-promoting behaviors or practices do they demonstrate, and how do these mindsets and behaviors protect MHPs in private practice from experiencing burnout? The theory guiding this study was the metatheory of resilience and resiliency by Glenn E. Richardson (2002; 2016) as it provided a framework to assess how these professionals utilized resilience mindsets and practices to resist burnout. Data collection consisted of demographic questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 12 mental health professionals. Data analysis strategies consisted of first and second cycle coding procedures, namely, descriptive coding, in vivo coding, and focused coding, as well as bracketing and journal reflections. Data analysis revealed two primary themes of the mental health practitioners’ lived experiences of the phenomenon of resilience and nine supportive sub-themes. The findings indicated that these MHPs experience resilience by operating from their optimal self and flowing with temporal fluidity. Recommendations are provided for educational, spiritual, and clinical settings as well as topics for future research

The Impact of Faculty Growth Mindset on Student Mindset and Learning Engagement

Growth mindset is the belief that general intellectual ability is malleable and can be developed. This thesis describes the presence and cultivation of growth mindset in the academic experiences of six undergraduate students in the social sciences at a medium-sized, liberal arts and sciences college. Individual interviews were analyzed using narrative inquiry to explore the impact of instructor philosophy and pedagogy on student mindset and learning engagement. Research findings highlight that instructor embodiment of growth mindset, including relationality, modeling, and constructive delivery of feedback, as well as assignment design, were instrumental. Participants did not share a common definition of growth mindset, but that concepts of competence, choice, and grit were shared. Additionally, participants recognized that mindset exists on a continuum and articulated one or more ways they experienced a shift in their mindset. Recommendations for further research and pedagogical practice are provided

CS1: how will they do? How can we help? A decade of research and practice

Background and Context: Computer Science attrition rates (in the western world) are very concerning, with a large number of students failing to progress each year. It is well acknowledged that a significant factor of this attrition, is the students’ difficulty to master the introductory programming module, often referred to as CS1. Objective: The objective of this article is to describe the evolution of a prediction model named PreSS (Predict Student Success) over a 13-year period (2005–2018). Method: This article ties together, the PreSS prediction model; pilot studies; a longitudinal, multi-institutional re-validation and replication study; improvements to the model since its inception; and interventions to reduce attrition rates. Findings: The outcome of this body of work is an end-to-end real-time web-based tool (PreSS#), which can predict student success early in an introductory programming module (CS1), with an accuracy of 71%. This tool is enhanced with interventions that were developed in conjunction with PreSS#, which improved student performance in CS1. Implications: This work contributes significantly to the computer science education (CSEd) community and the ITiCSE 2015 working group’s call (in particular the second grand challenge), by re-validating and developing further the original PreSS model, 13 years after it was developed, on a modern, disparate, multi-institutional data set