Minding the Mind : Why Math Instructors Should Care About Students - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Minding the Mind : Why Math Instructors Should Care About Students’ Learning Mindsets Chris Hulleman, Ph.D. University of Virginia Innovative Practices in Developmental Mathematics April 15, 2016

Minding the Mind : Why Math Instructors Should Care About Students’ Learning Mindsets Chris Hulleman, Ph.D. University of Virginia Innovative Practices in Developmental Mathematics April 15, 2016

Community College Remedial Math 14 12 89%!!! 10 8 6 4 2 0 In Total Remedial Math Graduated in 8 Millions Enrollment years

Longitudinal Study from 1 st – 12 th grade (Jacobs, Lanza, Osgood, Eccles, & Wigfield, 2002)

Gender Performance Gap 0.2 (College Psychology) 0.1 Standardized Exam Scores Females 0 -0.1 -0.2 Males -0.3 -0.4 -0.5 1 2 3 4 Exam Hulleman et al. (under review). J. Ed. Psych .

www.ratemyprofessor.com “Definitely take this class. I never went to class or bought the book, and I got a B.” “The easiest teacher! Always lets class out early and cancels class on Fridays a lot. TAKE HIM!” “Hey Prof, i didnt come 2 class last week. did i miss anything imp? any of it gonna b on the test? also, is lab runnin the whole time 2day, or we gettin out early?”

Motivation Noun, from moevere (Latin): to move But more broadly entails how behavior is: • Energized, Directed, Sustained, and Stopped • Quantity vs. Quality Behavior = f (P , S) Person Situation (Less Control) (More Control)

How do we help motivate students to learn?

Two National Networks • Mindset Scholars Network – Scholars (e.g., Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth) – Develop theory and interventions – Disseminate to educators and policy-makers • Student Agency Improvement Community – Researcher-Practitioner Collaborations – Translate research into practice – Focused on problems of practice

Learning Mindsets: What Are They and Why Are They Relevant to Teaching Math?

A Psychological Assumption: Subjective Perceptions are Objectively Important Learning Mindsets: - Attitudes and beliefs about learning - Includes perceptions about - Ourselves - Others - Context

motivation curiosity non-cognitive skills grit self skills personality Mindsets character passion mindset conscientiousness social and emotional learning skills perseverance psychological assets

Relevance & Academic Belonging Purpose Potential Why should Maybe I Maybe I I learn this don’t have don’t stuff? what it belong takes? here?

Mindsets about academic potential

Mindsets about academic potential • Fixed mindset (intelligence is fixed) – “ If I have to try hard, I’m clearly not smart. ” – No point in trying if one is not a “ natural ” • Growth mindset (intelligence is malleable) – “ Trying harder makes you smarter. ” – Obstacles can be overcome through effort, help from others, and use of improved strategy – Note : It’s NOT just about “trying harder.”

Mindsets about academic potential

Mindsets about academic potential Control Growth Mindset 30% 25% 51% decrease % of 20% ~40 minutes Students Withdrawing $0 15% From 10% Remedial 5% Math Class 0% Female Male Yeager, Walton, Paunesku, Dweck, & Romero, in prep.

Mindsets about social belongingness

Social Belonging Change Concept: • Students feel they belong in the learning context. More specifically: • Trust in faculty and other mentors • Connections with peers • Feelings of fit (academic and social) • Free from worries about belonging

Mindsets about social belonging

Mindsets about social belonging “Wise feedback:” I’m giving you these comments because I have high standards and I know that you can meet them.

Mindsets about Percentage Resubmitting social belonging Essay in 7 th grade Criticism + Placebo Criticism + High Standards + Assurance 100% Percent Revising Essay 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 62% 87% 17% 72% 0% White Students African American Students Yeager, Purdie-Vaughns, et al. (in press) JEP: General

Mindsets about the value of learning

Mindsets about value and Value relevance Change Concept: • The learning context has value to students More specifically: • Utility value • Purpose • Interest in the topic • Identity

Mindsets about Relevance Intervention value and relevance (Week 2 and Week 4) Part 1: Control: • Presentation of information on Write a usefulness of math, including quotes summary of from other students the math • Reflection and rating of these quotes topics they are currently Part 2: learning. • Writing a short essay on the usefulness of math for one‘s own life

Mindsets about Math in the Workplace value and relevance Math in Your Hobbies and Interests Kosovich, Hulleman, Lee, & Phelps (2016)

Mindsets about value and Developmental Math relevance (N = 180 community college students) Control Utility Value 50 % Failing -12%, p <.05 +3%, n.s. 40 29% decrease 30 ~20 minutes 20 $0 10 0 Women Men Kosovich, Hulleman, Phelps, & Lee (2016)

These are Demonstrations, Not Guarantees They’re Not Magic

Here’s a few Mindset fish….. Academic The power of “, Yet.” Potential Social High Belonging standards + Assurance Value and Making their own Relevance connections

Mindsets about value and Math near Disneyworld relevance " My major is computer arts animation so it requires a considerable amount of mathematics. We have to calculate pixels, create equations to make sure the character moves fluidly, and we also need math to determine where we would place things in the background .” ( Dylan , 22, Computer Arts Animation Major) Kosovich, Hulleman, Phelps, & Lee (2016)

Mindsets about value and Biology in California relevance “Here in California we’ve been in a drought for a long time, and it affects all of us. What we learned in biology class is how waste from cars and factories affects our air and water quality, and destroys the ozone layer. We learned that coal and oil aren’t the only ways to get energy, and that wind-power and solar-power are much better for the environment. This is good to know so that we can make better choices when we buy cars and how we use energy. It also helped me get interested in getting a job someday that will help keep our environment clean and safe.” (Ramone, 17) Hulleman & Dicke, unpublished data

Mindsets about value and Results relevance (N = 94 10 th graders) Pre-to-Post Intervention Test Score Change 0.6 0.4 +0.22 d = .42 0.2 p = .06 0 -0.2 -0.4 -0.19 -0.6 Control Utility Hulleman & Dicke, unpublished data

What about faculty Mindsets? Maybe I don’t belong here? Why should I do this? Maybe I don’t have what it takes?

But your mindsets do matter! • Teachers who are perceived to be enthusiastic about teaching (and not just the subject area) are rated as more effective teachers by independent observers • Students perceive these instructors as caring about whether they learn the material

Thank You!

Contact Information: Chris Hulleman, Ph.D. Research Associate Professor Curry School of Education and Center for the Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning University of Virginia Ruffner Hall, Room 254 PO Box 400877 Charlottesville, VA 22903 (608) 469-2812 Email: chris.hulleman@virginia.edu http://curry.virginia.edu/academics/directory/christopher-s- hulleman http://mri.cisat.jmu.edu/index.html