Concordia University St. Paul DigitalCommons@CSP Concordia University Portland Graduate CUP Ed. Dissertations Research 3-1-2020 Effect of Classroom Interactions and Instructional Practices on Mindset Development and Students’ Attitude Toward Challenges Cherie Kinnersley Concordia University - Portland, ckinnersley@mail2.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.edu/cup_commons_grad_edd Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Kinnersley, C. Effect of Classroom Interactions and Instructional Practices on Mindset Development and Students’ Attitude Toward Challenges (Thesis, Concordia University, St.
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Concordia University - Portland CU Commons Ed. Dissertations Graduate Theses & Dissertations 3-2020 Effect of Classroom Interactions and Instructional Practices on Mindset Development and Students’ Attitude Toward Challenges Cherie Kinnersley Concordia University - Portland Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.edu/edudissertations Part of the Education Commons CU Commons Citation Kinnersley, Cherie, "Effect of Classroom Interactions and Instructional Practices on Mindset Development and Students’ Attitude Toward Challenges" (2020).edu/edudissertations/446 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Theses & Dissertations at CU Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ed. Dissertations by an authorized administrator of CU Commons.
For more information, please contact libraryadmin@cu-portland. Concordia University–Portland College of Education Doctorate of Education Program WE, THE UNDERSIGNED MEMBERS OF THE DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CERTIFY THAT WE HAVE READ AND APPROVE THE DISSERTATION OF Cherie Ann Kinnersley CANDIDATE FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION Belle Booker-Zorigian, Ph., Faculty Chair Dissertation Committee Michael Hixon, Ed., Content Specialist Jeffrey White, Ph., Methods Specialist Effect of Classroom Interactions and Instructional Practices on Mindset Development and Students’ Attitude Toward Challenges Cherie Kinnersley Concordia University–Portland College of Education Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the College of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Administrative Leadership Belle Booker-Zorigian, Ph., Faculty Chair Dissertation Committee. Michael Hixon, Ed., Content Specialist Jeffrey White, Ph., Methods Specialist Concordia University–Portland 2020 Abstract This mixed-methods study explored the relationship between growth and failure mindset with a student’s attitude toward challenge and the ecological factors in the classroom that lead to mindset development. The study included both a survey and individual student interviews.
For the study, one school was with a low percentage of students with free or reduced lunch (10%– 30%), one with a high percentage of free or reduced lunch (60%–95%), and one with an average percentage of students with free or reduced lunch (31%–59 %). A principal component analysis (PCA) was run to examine and analyze the survey items. The quantitative study set out to determine the impact of growth and failure mindset on a student’s attitude to challenge and examine how feedback within that context would influence that mindset development. For both, correlations the null hypothesis was not rejected.
A qualitative portion gathered student insight on the instruction, interactions, and feedback that occur in classrooms that allow them to see failure as a positive step in the learning process. The study included 15 interviews that showed middle school students understand that mistakes and setbacks are a part of learning. It also highlighted that very few students had experiences in the classroom that helped them learn from those mistakes to become stronger learners. Common themes included: classroom instruction that embraces exploration and failure, quality of feedback; evaluation and grading practices; and time.
Keywords: growth mindset, failure mindset, ecological factors, growth mindset pedagogy, middle school ii Dedication To my former students in Savarekareka—you were there as I began my journey in education and taught me all the important lessons I know. iii Acknowledgements The journey through this program has been a transformative experience. I am thankful for each of the professors that I met along the way. Each, and every, one of them helped me grow and stretch myself beyond my expectations.
I am beyond grateful for committee chair Dr. Booker for standing by my side every step of this journey. The patience, critical feedback, insights, and support provided at each stage of this journey was invaluable. I am also thankful to the educators that opened their classrooms and the students and families that volunteered to be involved in this study.
Your openness, honesty, and insights into teaching and learning inspire me. iv Table of Contents Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………….iv List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………………….x List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………………….xi Chapter 1: Introduction .Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined. Nature of the Study .Error! Bookmark not defined. Research Questions and Hypotheses .Error! Bookmark not defined.
Purpose of Study ………………………………………………………………………….Error! Bookmark not defined. 7 Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations. 11 Chapter 2: Literature Review .Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined. Growth Mindset and Fixed Mindset .Error! Bookmark not defined.3 Links between Mindset and Student Internal Factors .Error! Bookmark not defined.5 Links between Mindset and Student External Factors .Error! Bookmark not defined.8 Links between Mindset and School Environment Fit .Error! Bookmark not defined.1 Developing Growth Mindset: Intervention Research and Results.
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60 Research Questions and Hypotheses .Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.5 Population and Sample Size .Error! Bookmark not defined.7 vi Power Analysis .Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.8 Data Analysis Procedures .Error! Bookmark not defined.5 Delimitations and Limitations. 90 Internal and External Validity. 97 Ethical Issues in the Study………………………………………………………….103 Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Results .Error! Bookmark not defined.6 Research Questions and Hypotheses .Error! Bookmark not defined.7 Description of the Sample .Error! Bookmark not defined.8 Research Methodology and Analysis .Error! Bookmark not defined.10 Quantitative Data: Summary and Analysis of Results .Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.15 Qualitative Data: Summary and Analysis of Results .Error! Bookmark not defined.20 Summary of Results .Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.32 Summary of Results .Error! Bookmark not defined.32 vii Review of Literature.Error! Bookmark not defined.34 Review of Results.Error! Bookmark not defined.8 Discussion of Results .Error! Bookmark not defined.40 Discussion of Results in Relation to the Literature .Error! Bookmark not defined.43 Delimitations and Limitations .Error! Bookmark not defined.7 Implications of the Results for Practice, Policy, and Theory. Error! Bookmark not defined.50 Recommendations for Future Research .Error! Bookmark not defined.Error! Bookmark not defined.
16060 Appendix A: Letter of Consent. 17272 Appendix B: Letter of Assent .Error! Bookmark not defined.84 Appendix C: Interview Protocol .Error! Bookmark not defined.85 Appendix D: Scree Plot .Error! Bookmark not defined.86 Appendix E: Scatter plots and Box plots .Error! Bookmark not defined.7 Appendix F: Statement of Original Work .Error! Bookmark not defined.90 viii ix List of Tables Table 1. United States Census Data for City and State …………………………………………68 Table 2. Teacher Feedback Presented in Survey Tool ……………………………………….
Survey Items for Growth Mindset …………………………………………………. Survey Items for Failure Mindset ……………………………………………………. Survey Items for Attitude Toward Challenge ………………………………………. Survey Items for Focus on Learning ………………………………………………….
Sample Population ……………………………………………………………………109 Table 10. Components with Observed Variables ……………………………………………. Tests of Normality ……………………………………………………………….119 x List of Figures Figure 1. Embedded mixed methods research design …………………………………….
Distribution of growth mindset……………………………………………………. The code and Subcode hierarchy …….122 xi Chapter 1: Introduction Introduction The transition from elementary to middle school has been shown to be a critical period in the development of early adolescent learners (Blackwell, Trzensniewski, & Dweck, 2007). The differences between the two unique educational settings indicate the presence of ecological factors that impact a student’s self-concept and perception of themselves as learners, including larger school size, higher grading standards, less time to develop strong relationships with teachers, increase in ability grouping and comparisons, and less autonomy (Eccles et al., 1993; Gniewosz, Eccles, & Noack, 2012). The relationship between these environmental factors and the developmental needs of early adolescents is explained through the stage–environment fit theory (Eccles & Midgley, 1991).
The transition from elementary school to middle school is a difficult one as students move from a single classroom to a learning environment that seems increasingly impersonal and competitive and developmentally unresponsive (Ellerbrock & Kiefer, 2013). The result is often a decrease in engagement, motivation, and achievement that can be a predictor for future academic development (Roeser & Eccles, 1998). The culture of the classroom and school has a significant impact on student engagement and academic success (Quin, Heerde, & Toumbourou, 2018). During middle school, students experience change, challenges, and setbacks, and their psychology or mindsets play a critical role in their development and success as learners (Rattan, Savani, Chugh, & Dweck, 2015).
This study sought to examine the ecological factors that influence a student’s willingness to embrace challenges and whether they view failure as an enhancing or debilitating experience. Furthermore, in the context of the classroom, this research examined how educator feedback and 1 instructional practices promote a focus on learning. This mixed methods study has expanded the current understanding of the impact of teacher feedback and instructional practices on student mindset. Mindset and the culture of the learning community form the link that increases the fit between the developmental stage of the student and their environmental factors (Booth & Gerard, 2014).
Problem Statement Creating a school environment that meets the students’ developmental needs is key to increasing the students’ cognitive and noncognitive attributes (Pyne, Rozek, & Borman, 2018). These attributes lead to high self-perception and self-efficacy and an increase in achievement (Gniewosz et al. However, the problem arises in relation to the way in which this is executed in schools (Booth & Gerard, 2014). Decline in engagement and achievement persist despite interventions and the current understanding of early adolescent development (Blackwell et al.
Often excluded here is the crucial relationship between the teacher and the student and the context of the classroom, which is established through feedback and instructional practices (Barnes & Fives, 2016; Schmidt, Shumow, & Kacker-Cam, 2015). This study aimed to explore the ecological factors of the classroom that impact student growth, failure mindset, and the students’ attitude toward challenges. Multiple studies, which will be discussed in Chapter 2, demonstrate the buffering effects of the growth mindset on aspects of early adolescent development that may result from a lack of a stage–environment fit (Burnette, O’Boyle, VanEpps, Pollack, & Finkel, 2013; Rattan et al. This study examined how instructional practices and feedback facilitate the development of a mindset that embraces challenges and sees failure as an enhancing experience.
Understanding that the feedback students 2 receive from teachers and parents plays a significant role in the development of their mindset, the secondary goal was to identify the instructional practices and messages students receive from teachers that cultivate a “failure-is-enhancing” mindset and enable the students’ ability to work through failure. Nature of the Study A student’s academic mindset has been shown to improve their academic emotions and achievement (Rattan et al. An increase in positive academic emotions translates to a decrease in anxiety and an increase in self-esteem and resilience (Eccles, 2004; Schleider & Weisz, 2018). These noncognitive factors have been shown to represent a student’s well-being, their comfort in school, and their concept of themselves as a learner (Pyne et al.
Students with a growth mindset view the transitional challenges as an opportunity to grow (Romero et al. Their resilience allows them to view changes in school environments as a unique opportunity to learn and build new skills by trying out new strategies and receiving feedback regarding the same. The belief that intelligence is malleable helps students see the school environment as safe and supportive. The results of this study were examined through the conceptual framework stage– environment fit theory (Eccles et al.