The impact of teaching growth mindset to biology students at Sentinel high school

Abstract

This classroom research project investigated the impact of teaching growth vs fixed mindset lessons twice a month for four months to nine and tenth grade biology students and eleventh and twelfth grade AP biology students. Mindset has been shown in many studies to have a large impact on student learning and future success. This project was conducted to try and shift a student mindset towards the growth and away from the fixed side on the mindset spectrum. In addition, to try and improve student mindsets, I also wanted to see if there was a correlation to student learning and growth, as well as overall student wellness. I collected data from student mindset survey and a student wellness survey before and then after administering the treatment. The treatment was a series of mini lessons that were taught to the students twice a month for four months. Student interviews were conducted after the treatment as well. The students' overall grades from quarter 1 and quarter 2 were used as a metric to measure academic growth. Results showed growth in student mindsets and various aspects of wellness from pre to post assessments. Out of all students that completed the pre and post mindset assessment nearly 90% of them increased their mindset score. Every class period showed an increase of average mindset score. There was no correlation between student mindsets and academic achievement or academic growth. There were some categories of student wellness that were unchanged, but there were many aspects of student wellness that showed improvement from pre to post assessment. The students verbal and written responses to prompts about mindset and wellness support these findings. In conclusion, students who were exposed to a treatment of mindset lessons showed increases in both their mindset score and overall wellness.