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GOALS
The primary goal of the National Study of Learning Mindsets was to use a nationally representative probability sample of regular public U.S. high schools to understand which kinds of students, in which kinds of classrooms, and in which kinds of schools would benefit most from an online program designed to foster a growth mindset during the transition to high school.
MOTIVATION FOR THE NSLM
The NSLM was designed to understand for whom and under what conditions a growth mindset program was effective for 9th grade students.
The study was also designed to create a rich, longitudinal data set that would enable research by experts from multiple scientific disciplines on a broad array of research questions in education for years to come.
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GROWTH MINDSET PROGRAM
- Can the growth mindset program improve the grades of lower-achieving students in U.S. public high schools?
- Can the growth mindset program motivate students to enroll in challenging math and science courses?
- Can the growth mindset program reduce group-based inequalities in academic performance in U.S. public schools?
- Do the effects of the growth mindset program depend on schools’ formal resources (e.g., the curriculum and instruction)?
- Are the effects of the growth mindset program larger in schools or classrooms that are supportive of growth mindset beliefs?
HEAR FROM THE RESEARCHERS
Four leaders of the NSLM research team – David Yeager, Barbara Schneider, Chandra Muller, and Robert Crosnoe – provide an overview of the objectives and interdisciplinary approach of the study.
