Leveraging Growth Mindset to Achieve Academic Success in All Students Dr. Princy Quadros Mennella Director, Neuroscience Program, Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Thomas Mennella Director, Applied Laboratory Science and Operations Program, Associate Professor of Biology

Mindset It is the mental lens of how we view the world It determines how we interpret and respond to situations

Strategies for Encouraging a Growth Mindset in Students 1. Share these concepts with your students.

Effects of Growth Mindset Awareness on Student Success

Strategies for Encouraging a Growth Mindset in Students 1. Share these concepts with your students. 2. Consider offering a pre-assessment in each course to gauge each student's "starting point.“ 3. Consider the type of praise and feedback you offer. 4. Provide low-impact opportunities to fail and learn. Scaffold assignments that contain multiple drafts, then award quantitative scores only on the final product. From: How to Encourage Academic Grit and a Growth Mindset in Your Students Academic Impressions - July 31, 2017 by Princy Quadros Mennella, PhD and Thomas Mennella, PhD

Impact of Feedback on Student Success Wow. You must be really smart. Wow. You must have worked really hard on this.

Can You Spot the Growth vs. Fixed Feedback? Your practice is really paying off. Your writing has improved significantly over the semester. You blazed right through those problems! You are a real math whiz. Wow. This is beautiful. You are such a good artist! It’s okay. Not everyone is a natural at this. We’ll move on to something you’re better at. I know you’re frustrated. Everyone learns differently. We’ll keep at it and find the best way for you to master this.

Strategies for Changing Feedback from Fixed to Growth TURNING ABILITY PRAISE… …INTO PROCESS PRAISE Great job! You must be smart at this. Great job! You must have worked really hard. See, you are good at English. You got an A on your last test. You really studied for your English test and your improvement shows it. You are such a good student! I love the way you stayed at your desk, you kept your concentration, and you kept on working. That’s great!

Can You Spot the Growth vs. Fixed Feedback? If this major is too tough for you, we should probably find an easier one for you to join. Your practice is really paying off. Your writing has improved significantly over the semester. You blazed right through those problems! You are a real math whiz. Wow. This is beautiful. You are such a good artist! It’s okay. Not everyone is a natural at this. We’ll move on to something you’re better at. I know you’re frustrated. Everyone learns differently. We’ll keep at it and find the best way for you to master this.

Strategies for Encouraging a Growth Mindset in Students 1. Share these concepts with your students. 2. Consider offering a pre-assessment in each course to gauge each student's "starting point.“ 3. Consider the type of praise and feedback you offer. 4. Provide low-impact opportunities to fail and learn. Scaffold assignments that contain multiple drafts, then award quantitative scores only on the final product. From: How to Encourage Academic Grit and a Growth Mindset in Your Students Academic Impressions - July 31, 2017 by Princy Quadros Mennella, PhD and Thomas Mennella, PhD

Resources on Growth Mindset

Thank You! Dr. Princy Quadros Mennella quadrosmennella@baypath.edu other interests: applications of neuroscience developmental advising Dr. Thomas Mennella tmennella@baypath.edu flipped learning alternative assessments of learning