Engineering mindsets and learning outcomes in elementary school

Abstract

Background: Students may exhibit growth mindsets, where intelligence is seen as malleable and failures prompt more effort and new approaches, or fixed mindsets, where intelligence is seen as immutable and failures indicate lack of intelligence. One's mindset in general may be different from that for a particular domain such as engineering. Having a growth mindset predicts more positive learning outcomes. Purpose: We described the general and engineering mindsets of students in fifth-grade U.S. classrooms (ages 10 and 11) who received engineering instruction. We explored how general mindsets may predict engineering learning outcomes and how engineering mindsets may be predicted by general mindset and other variables. Design/Method: We collected General Mindset (GM) and Engineering Mindset (EM) surveys from 2,086 fifth graders. We analyzed and correlated their GM and EM scores and survey item responses. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we measured the contribution of GM to models predicting EM and engineering learning outcomes and identified factors that predicted EM. Results: Almost three quarters of students who submitted EM surveys agreed with a growth mindset. Students with higher GM scores had higher engineering postassessment scores. Those who had a higher socioeconomic status did not receive special education services, experienced more whole-class discussion and activity, or had a higher GM score were more likely to have a more growth-minded EM score. Conclusions: Engineering education should help students see that they can grow in their capacities to engineer. Instructional interventions may positively impact mindset, which could be particularly important for some students. Engineering design may encourage an especially growth-minded approach to failure experiences.

The effects of language learning and math mindsets on academic success in an engineering program

“…Their findings revealed that a general growth mindset was a strong predictor of a growth engineering mindset, which they defined as a disposition toward obtaining engineering skills and becoming a successful engineer. Lottero‐Perdue and Lachapelle (2020) emphasized that adopting a growth engineering mindset is crucial to being productive in engineering design.…”

Growth mindset in K-8 STEM education: A review of the literature since 2007

“…Students were more likely to have a more growth-minded engineering mindset score if they had a higher socioeconomic status, did not receive special education services, experienced more wholeclass discussion and activity, or had a higher growth mindset score. Low SES students and special education students had lower engineering mindset scores (Lottero-Perdue & Lachapelle, 2020).…”

“…A less positive finding was that low SES students and special education students had lower engineering mindset scores. It is important that teachers and researchers engage in further work on investigating ways to support all students to engage in productive struggle (Lottero-Perdue & Lachapelle, 2020).…”

“…Integrated STEM education can especially encourage a growth-minded approach to failure experiences. Through open-ended problems students can focus on the process of learning, receive and use feedback, metacognitively monitor their progress, and use all of their resources (Lottero-Perdue & Lachapelle, 2020;Stohlmann et al, 2018;Stohlmann, 2019a). Students can participate in challenging tasks with multiple solutions and use creativity and problem solving.…”

COVID-19 Emergency Remote Teaching Opinions and Academic Performance of Undergraduate Students: Analysis of 4 Students’ Profiles. A Case Study

“…Remote courses provide students with greater flexibility for organizing their time, and by experiencing this first-hand during the ERT, students may have become aware of new learning possibilities. The research is also aimed at identifying possible correlation between students' opinions and their academic performance, an interesting link that has been studied by several researchers when applied to other situations [33]. Additionally, the research defines student profiles based on the opinion and academic performance combinations.…”