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Mindsets and the Learning Environment Research Portfolio
Student Experience Research Network launched an interdisciplinary initiative in Fall 2016 to explore how learning environments shape the mindsets students develop about learning and school. The project’s aim is to rapidly generate scientific evidence about how educators at all levels can convey messages to students that they can grow their ability, that they belong and are valued at school, and that what they are doing in school matters.
FUNDERS
A total of nearly one million dollars has been awarded to projects over two rounds of this initiative. Funding was generously provided by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Overdeck Family Foundation, and Raikes Foundation.
INITIAL FINDINGS
Initial findings from thirteen funded projects have been released. In this blog post, Research Director Shanette Porter provides an overview of takeaways from the six projects in the first round of the initiative. Learn more about the findings from the individual projects from the snapshot briefs linked below:
- Relationships between mindsets and academic outcomes in a statewide system of higher education
- Evidence from half a million students on the importance of belonging in schools
- Relationships between mindsets, socioeconomic status, and academic achievement
- A big biodata approach to mindsets, learning environments, and college success
- Developmental neural and psychosocial correlates of mindset among low socioeconomic adolescents from two cultural groups
- Understanding the impact of “psychologically wise” classroom practices on student achievement
- Pairing light-touch learning mindset interventions with a long-term campus initiative
- Social and environmental influences on motivation for learning: The relationship between childhood adversity and motivational beliefs among older children and adolescents
- Learning mindsets, teacher practice, and school organizations: Becoming Effective Learners Survey and 5 Essentials
- Language as thought: Using natural language processing to investigate mindsets, learning environments, and college success
- A neurobiological investigation of the relationship between early adverse experiences and growth mindset among children
- The impact of the African American Male Achievement initiative and implications for advancing equity at a district level
- The relationship among classroom growth mindset climate, trust and respect, and student performance in mathematics
PROJECTS & TEAM MEMBERS
The projects include 17 SERN scholars with over 20 external collaborators. The projects span a wide range of topics, from exploring how teacher practices cultivate learning mindsets and identity safety in K-12 classrooms, to the role of new developmental course models in fostering learning mindsets in post-secondary settings.
A neurobehavioral investigation of the relationship between adverse experiences and learning mindsets in children PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Andrei Cimpian CO-PIs: Nim Tottenham
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS:
Joseph Robinson Cimpian, Kali Trzesniewski
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Psychology, Economics, Education, Neuroscience
DATASET:
Longitudinal dataset of children who have experienced various levels of early adversity (~300 students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- Can a growth mindset serve as a protective factor that allows some children to “bounce back” despite facing considerable hardship?
- What experiences of children faced with early adversity might lead them to adopt a growth mindset?
- What are the neurobiological components that ex- plain the link between children’s experiences and their mindsets?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
Social and environmental influences on motivation for learning: The role of childhood adversity in affecting motivation among older children and adolescents PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Katie McLaughlin CO-PI: Rob Crosnoe
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Sociology, Psychology
DATASET:
Longitudinal dataset of children who have experienced trauma, including abuse, chronic exposure to domestic violence, and other types of interpersonal violence (250 students)
Longitudinal dataset of children selected based on socioeconomic status (250 students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- Does exposure to childhood adversity influence mind- sets about intelligence, sense of belonging at school, and perceived utility value of school and do these associations vary across distinct types of adversity? (threat (i.e., exposure to violence), deprivation (i.e., an absence of cognitive and social stimulation), and socioeconomic disadvantage)?
- Are mindsets about intelligence, belonging, and perceived utility value mechanisms that link diverse forms of childhood adversity to poor academic performance later in childhood and adolescence?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
The effects of the African American Male Achievement (AAMA) program PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Thomas Dee CO-PI: Emily Penner
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Economics, Education
DATASET:
Longitudinal student-level administrative data from Oakland Unified School District
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- What were the effects of AAMA participation on measures of academic engagement such as chronic absenteeism and the probability of being suspended or expelled?
- What are the effects of AAMA participation on diverse academic outcomes such as grades in core academic subjects, test performance, school dropout, and college matriculation?
- Do social-psychological mechanisms mediate the effects of AAMA?
Is there any evidence that the presence of an AAMA program had “spillover” effects for non-participating students in the school?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS:
Developing Spartan Persistence: Connecting students to resources in a public university PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Barbara Schneider CO-PIs: John T. Yun, Soobin Kim
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Sociology, Education, Economics
DATASET:
MSU administration data (~8,000 students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- Is there value add to assigning students to both a light-touch mindset intervention at orientation and a follow-up mentoring program offered by the university that provides support throughout the first year of college?
- Do any of these effects differ by key subgroups (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender, first generation in college status)?
- Do outcomes differ depending on characteristics of the mentor who works with the student during the first year of college?
What causal mechanisms might explain how the interventions achieved their effects?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
Learning mindsets, teacher practice, and school organizations: Becoming Effective Learners Survey and 5Essentials PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Camille Farrington CO-PI: Shanette Porter
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS:
Christopher Young, Sangyoon Park, Faye Kroshinsky
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Education, Psychology, Psychometrics
DATASET:
Becoming Effective Learners Teacher Survey 2015-16 data (547 teachers) Becoming Effective Learners Student Survey 2015-16 data (4,041 students)
5Essentials 2016 data (19,032 students; 2,952 teachers in 4 districts/networks)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- How is school organization (e.g., effective leaders, collaborative teachers, involved families, supportive environments, ambitious instruction) related to students’ learning mindsets and performance?
- How are teachers’ mindsets, beliefs about students, and teaching-related beliefs/practices related to students’ learning mindsets, learning strategies, and course performance?
- What role do schools and teachers play in disparities in student learning mindsets across students’ back- ground characteristics?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
Language as thought: Using natural language processing to investigate mindsets, learning environments, and college success PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Sidney D’Mello CO-PI: Angela Duckworth
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS:
Stephen Hutt, Margo Gardner, Donald Kamentz, Abigail Quirk, Laura Allen
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Computer Science, Psychology, Education
DATASET:
Common App & National Student Clearinghouse, (~800K students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- How do mindsets and motivation, as coded from students’ open-ended descriptions of extracurricular activities and work experiences, predict college success and mediate the relationship between extracurricular activities / work experiences and college success?
- Can natural language processing and machine learning techniques be used to automatically measure mindsets and other motivation-related constructs from writing samples at scale?
- How do aspects of students’ high school learning environments moderate the relationship between extracurricular activities or work experiences, mindsets, and college success?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS:
The effect of school climate on students’ social-emotional competencies PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Matthew Kraft CO-PIs: Chris Hulleman, Katie Buckley
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Economics, Psychology, Education
DATASET:
California CORE Districts (~500K students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- How does school climate affect students’ social-emotional competencies?
- What dimensions of school climate are most important for promoting a growth mindset and social-emotional development?
- To what degree are students holding a fixed mindset and low social-emotional competencies concentrated in the same schools?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
A big biodata approach to mindsets, learning environments, and college success PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Sidney D’Mello CO-PI: Angela Duckworth
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS:
Stephen Hutt, Margo Gardner, Parker Goyer, Donald Kamentz Chad Spurgeon, Lauri Bonacorsi
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Computer Science, Psychology, Human Development, Education
DATASET:
Common App & National Student Clearinghouse, (~800K students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- Which mindset-related factors gleaned from student biographical data (e.g., extracurriculars, work experience) best predict college success?
- How do students’ learning environments in high school influence the mindset-related factors that predict college success?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS:
The nature and reproducibility of mindset effects across diverse contexts PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Mesmin Destin CO-PIs: Elizabeth Tipton , Stephanie Fryberg , David Yeager
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS:
Robert Crosnoe , Chandra Muller , Paul Hanselman
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Psychology, Statistics, American Indian Studies, Sociology
DATASET:
National Study of Learning Mindsets (~16K students), Houston ISD sub-sample from National Study of Learning Mindsets, (1,500 students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- What supports are necessary for learning mindsets to lead to positive outcomes for students in disadvantaged environments?
- What makes a mindset program effective for students attending the poorest schools? How can these programs be designed to improve outcomes for students who face high levels of socioeconomic disadvantage and adversity?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS:
The role of psychologically wise teaching in student achievement PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Geoffrey Cohen CO-PI: Tanner LeBaron Wallace
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS:
Ronald Ferguson
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Psychology, Education, Economics
DATASET:
Measuring Effective Teacher Study (2,500 teachers)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- How are teachers creating cultures of growth, belonging, purpose, and affirmation through their daily instructional practices?
- What “psychologically wise” instructional practices distinguish between low and high academic growth classrooms?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
Learning mindset development in co-requisite courses across learning contexts PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Chris Hulleman CO-PI: Stephanie Wormington
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS:
Elizabeth Tipton, Ron Ferguson , Tim Wilson
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Psychology, Education, Statistics, Economics
DATASET:
Tennessee Board of Regents Longitudinal Study (~19K students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- How do learning mindsets develop during co-requisite courses (courses in which postsecondary students take a one-credit support course alongside foundational math, English, and writing courses—rather than a non-credit developmental course)?
- What factors affect learning mindset development in co-requisite courses?
- Are changes in learning mindsets associated with academic, career preparation, and employment outcomes, and are these benefits explained by learning mindsets?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
How do teachers’ behaviors and classroom environments promote identity safety, growth mindset, and performance for underserved students PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Stephanie Fryberg CO-PIs: Zoe Higheagle Strong, Mesmin Destin
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS:
Laura Brady, Bruce Austin, Amy Roth McDuffie, Chandra Muller
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
American Indian Studies, Psychology, Education, Sociology
DATASET:
National Study of Learning Mindsets (~16K students), Houston ISD sub-sample from National Study of Learning Mindsets (1,500 students), National Indian Education Survey, (~10K Native American students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- Which environmental factors (e.g., teachers’ mindsets about intelligence and growth mindset practices) cue identity safety for underserved students?
- How do these identity safety environmental factors facilitate or hinder the effectiveness of growth mindset interventions, particularly for underserved students?
- Are growth mindset interventions more effective in classrooms where environmental factors cue identity safety?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
Teachers’ mindsets about mathematical ability as a feature of the learning environment PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Andrei Cimpian OTHER TEAM MEMBERS: Joseph Robinson Cimpian, Matthew Kraft
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Psychology, Economics, Educational Policy
DATASET:
National Study of Learning Mindsets (~16K students), Houston ISD sub-sample from National Study of Learning Mindsets (~1,500 students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- Are teachers’ mindsets about mathematical ability related to their classroom practices?
- Are teachers’ mindsets about mathematical ability directly related to students’ learning?
- Are classroom practices related to students’ perception that their teacher endorses a growth mindset? If so, which practices are most strongly related to these perceptions?
- Are there differences between stigmatized and non-stigmatized students in terms of how they perceive their teachers’ mindsets? Are stigmatized students less likely to perceive that their teachers endorse a growth mindset (e.g., think that anyone can become good at math)?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
Developmental, neural and psychosocial correlates of mindset among low-socioeconomic adolescents from two cultural groups PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Mary Helen Immordino-Yang CO-PI: Camille Farrington
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS:
Xiaofei Yang, Christina Krone
TEAM DISCIPLINES:
Neuroscience, Education
DATASET:
Longitudinal study of adolescents’ social brain development (53 students)
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
- Is it possible to extend mindset programs to target broader psychosocial and neurobiological health outcomes among adolescents?
- How do cultural influences on social brain development explain how exposures to cultural norms and values shape styles of social-emotional and self-processing?
- Are there practices and policies that could more effectively support the development of learning mindsets by strategically leveraging opportunities for downtime and reflection with opportunities for concrete productivity?
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT:
- This research snapshot shares key findings, information on the interdisciplinary research team, and insights and future directions for the project
