A Preliminary Analysis: Changing the Mindset of 9th Grade College Readiness Campers Dr. Bethany Fleck Kelly Wright Dr. Aaron S. Richmond

Mindset Growth Fixed Belief that intelligence can be developed or changed View the brain as a muscle Embrace challenge, persist in the face of setbacks, and see effort as the path to mastery. Belief that intelligence is a stable trait that can’t change. Avoid challenges, give up easily, see effort as fruitless and ignore useful or negative feedback. Underrepresented students (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, & Dweck, 2007; Donohoe, Topping & Hannah, 2014; Dweck, 2006).

Past Research Gains observed in motivation and learning (Blackwell et al., 2007). Significant increases in IQ points (Dweck, 2008, 2006). Higher grades and increased likelihood to take challenging math courses (Romero et al., 2014).

Flex: Train your Brain 60-90 minute classes, 3 days a week for 3 weeks in June Class time divided into 3 sections Large class activity/lecture Brain HQ website solo play Team tracking of game progression

Participants 61 total students Age (M=13.85, SD=.479) Gender 38 in Flex 28 in Control Age (M=13.85, SD=.479) Gender Flex (12 male, 25 female, 1 unknown) Control (4 male, 15, female, 4 unknown)

Measures Pretest/posttest questionnaire: Implicit Theories: growth or fixed mindset (Hong, Chiu, Dweck, Lin & Wan, 1999) Personal Achievement Goal Orientation: internal or external motivation Academic Efficacy: belief in ones abilities Academic Self Handicapping: sabotaging ones success All taken from The Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales (PALS) by Carol Midgley and colleagues (2000) Manual. Flex only: two open-ended questions

Within-Subjects Results: Implicit Theories t(32) = -2.06, p = .048, d = -.359, α = .79 *

Within-Subjects Results: Personal Achievement Goal Orientation Internal External t(32) = -2.17, p = .038, d = -.326, α = .70 t(32) = 1.78, p = .085, d = .267, α = .87 *

Within-Subjects Results: Academic Efficacy t(31) = -3.98, p < .001, d = -.420, α = .82 * * **

Within-Subjects Results: Self Handicapping t(31) = 0.944, p = .352, α = .91

Between-Subjects Results: Academic Efficacy t(59) = 3.35, p = .001, d = .847 * *

Qualitative Results Growth Themes (29 total) Fixed Theme (10 total) Q1: Please share your beliefs about intelligence and or what you were taught about intelligence. What is it? Can it change, and if it can change, how do you make it change? Growth Themes (29 total) Work/ Practice (9), Change/ Grow/ Learn (25), Trying/ Effort (7) Fixed Theme (10 total) Knowledge, How smart you are, how much you know “I believe intelligence is earned. If you work hard to understand something, you will understand it. You can expand your knowledge and brain.” “Intelligence is being smart.”

Qualitative Results Growth Theme (25 total) Fixed Theme (13 total) Q2: How do you feel when you mess up? What do you do after? What does messing up in school mean to you? Growth Theme (25 total) Fixed Theme (13 total) “It doesn't matter if you mess up, we all do, we just got to keep trying and never give up. I feel like I am doing better when I mess up because its just one step closer to my goal. After I mess up I just keep trying even when I don’t want to. Messing up in school to me is not trying in any work and getting a bad grade.” “How I feel when mess up is I get frustrated and mad because I have to do it again. I throw my paper away, What messing up means to me it making the wrong decisions and making bad choices.”

Discussion Flex campers increased in growth mindset, internal goal orientation, and self-efficacy! Between Flex & control only self-efficacy was different however they were all trending in the right direction. All campers were high in growth Supported by qualitative data however fixed themes were present (23-29% of responses) This is in contrast to previous research…why? Selection bias (self or teachers into camp) Priming due to camp topics & goals Quick intervention (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, & Dweck, 2007; Donohoe, Topping & Hannah, 2014; Dweck, 2006).

Questions, Concerns, Comments, Recommendations Next steps Data collection from the Flex class will continue in Summer 2015 with a new sample of students New control group Questions, Concerns, Comments, Recommendations

References Blackwell , L. S., Trzesniewsk, K. H., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Implicit theories of intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention. Child Development, 78(1), 246-263. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.00995.x Midgley, C., Maehr, M. L., Hruda, L., Anderman, E. M., Freeman, K. E., Gheen, M., ... Urdan, T. (2000). Manual for the patterns of adaptive learning scales (PALS). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan. Donohoe, C., Topping, K., & Hannah, E. (2012). The impact of an online intervention (Brainology) on the mindset and resiliency of secondary school pupils: A preliminary mixed methods study. Educational Psychology, 32(5), 641-655. doi:10.1080/01443410.2012.675646 Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset the new psychology of success. New York: Random House. Hong, Y., Chui, C., Dweck, C. S., Lin, D. M. -., & Wan, W. (1999). Implicit theories, attributions, and coping: A meaning system approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(3), 588-599. Doi:10.1037/0022-3514.77.3.588