Growth vs. Fixed Mindsets

In this video podcast, Carol Dweck explains the difference in the mindset of two different set of students. The title of the podcast was “Growth vs. Fixed Mindset”. Students with the fixed mindset think that their intelligence is based on a fix trade and they are concern with how they have before they start a task. Every activity they do is based on how much of their intelligence will be shown. Students with growth fixed mindsets believes that intelligence is something you can develop through education and a passion for studying. There was a statement printed on the video podcast that says in New York, fix mindset students nose dive and growth mindset students soar.

Professor Carol Dweck explains to us that they conducted a study for eight weeks. In this study they divide the students into two groups. Some students had study skills and the other had study skills with growth mindset lesson practices. The students with just the study skills had no motivation but they had good study skills. Also, their grades went down. The study proved that students with growth fixed mindsets do extremely well. Those students were taught that the brain is a muscle and it gets stronger with you and these students had a significant improvement in their grades. Even in the business world, people with growth fixed minds make mistakes, but it’s how they view that mistake that make them so successful.

This will help me as I continue on my educational journey in a lot of ways. First, I learned that to be a mentor I must admit my mistakes and learn from them. How can anyone motivate a person to excel if they never admit their own failures. Secondly, I feel that I have something to help me identify how childern mindsets may be. Once I identify this, perhaps I will be able to mold their thinkng towards a growth mindset. One of the things that Randy Pausch left with us was becoming a teacher or professor is a great position to have to help other reach their goals. So, this information will difintely be a valuable tool for me now and in the future.