Introduction to mindsets (Grit and growth mindsets)

Project Overview

In addition to getting your technical tools set up, there’s another tool that’s critical to your success in this programme: growth mindset. Today, you’ll start to better understand what it is and what it isn’t– and you’ll start to practice using it. First stop is a TED talk by Stanford University professor, Carol Dweck.

Resources

1. Grit: the power of passion and perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth

2. The power of believing that you can improve | Carol Dweck | TED

3. Sesame Street: Janelle Monae - Power of Yet

Learning Objectives

At the end of this project, you are expected to be able to explain to anyone, without the help of Google

General

1. What is grit?

2. What evidence is there that grit is important? (Can you briefly describe one study that Duckworth mentions?) (What groups were examined, what was the treatment they received, and what was the result?)

3. What is growth mindset?

4. What is fixed mindset

5. How do brains behave when they are in fixed vs. growth mindset?

6. What evidence is there that growth mindset is important? You should be able to describe 1 study at a high level: What was the group that was studied? What was the “treatment” (or variable that the different participants received)? What was the result of that study? (again, high level, no need for small details)

Tasks

One great way you can support your peers in this program is by reminding them to practice a growth mindset. It takes time to develop a growth mindset, and this assignment gives you a great opportunity to practice it.

Preparation

For this task, you will find 1 person on your cohort who is available to have 30-minute call. You can find someone in your cohort channel on Slack. You could use an online word processor such as Google Docs.

Step 1

Schedule a time for the 30-minute call for as soon as possible. You can arrange to meet virtually with whatever tool you wish. Video calling is integrated into Slack

Step 2

Once you are on the call, discuss each of the following questions together, making sure you both understand the answers:

1. What is growth mindset? What is fixed mindset?

2. What evidence is there that growth mindset is important? (Describe at least one study: what group was studied, what was the treatment, and what was the result?)

3. What is the most common misunderstanding about growth mindset?

4. Why is the word “yet” so powerful for growth mindset? Each of you should give your own example of how you can use “yet.”

5. Is intelligence fixed? Explain.

6. What is grit?

7. Give an example of grit from your own life.

8. What evidence is there that grit is important? (Describe at least one study: what group was studied, what was the treatment, and what was the result?)

Next, you should take turns EACH answering the following reflection questions

1. What do you understand about mindset now that you did not understand before?

2. What do you think is more important: effort or intelligence? Explain your opinion.

3. How motivated do you personally feel to develop greater growth mindset? Be honest.

4. Describe a time when you failed at something. What feelings did you have at the time? When you look back on that time how do you feel now? What did the failure teach you?

5. Give at least 2 of your own personal “yet” sentences. (For example, “I am not employed as a software engineer yet.”

6. What is one way you can practice growth mindset?

Thank your partner for having this conversation with you!

Step 3

Create a short write-up that includes the following (this is what you will submit to get credit for the assignment):

• A. Your partner’s name

• B. Date and time of the conversation

• C. Were there any areas of confusion or disagreement in your conversation?

• D. What is one thing you learned or better understand as a result of the conversation?

• E. Give your own personal “yet” sentence.

• F. What is one way you personally plan to practice growth mindset?