"Growth" vs. "Fixed" Mindset in Learning

In the iTunes U portion of iTunes, Stanford has quite a selection of informational videos and podcasts. In the "Growth" vs. "Fixed" Mindset in learning video, they conduct an experiment using students to explain this title. Through out this video, they run about 8 sessions with the students split into two groups. Half of the groups are learning about a growth mindset and study skills, while the other half is only receiving study skills. The group that received both a growth mindset and study skills preformed much better than the group only receiving study skills.

In a world that is constantly changing and growing in so many areas, it is imperative that understand what it means to have a growth mindset. If we simply teach students information to past the test, they have gained nothing. To be able to function in the world we are living in, we must instill in our minds a desire to learn and push pass the basic level of our education.

I believe this mindset starts with teachers. Getting to a place of desiring to continue to learn is where all teachers should be. Once we have set the standard in that manner, we can begin to teach our students the mindset of digging in a maintaining a growing mindset. There are many ways to make education enjoyable and exciting, and if we can funnel that into our students, their lives will be changed. We will not be producing students who should not even being moving to the next grade, but we will produce students of excellence!