Welcome to College Strategies Module Eight

Learning Objectives

  • Module Focus: Learning from setbacks to move forward.
  • Key Activities:
    • Identify your mindset using the Growth Mindset Test.
    • Explore concepts: fixed mindset, growth mindset, resilience, persistence, and success.
    • Apply principles to real-life situations.
    • Examine common student holds at OSU IT and the steps to resolve them.

Note Taking Requirements

  • Choose a note-taking method, e.g., Cornell Notes.
  • Identify your method used.
  • Submit Module Eight notes for grading.
  • This task continues the bi-weekly activity from Module Four.
  • Establishing productive academic habits is crucial for success.

Course Expectations

  • Engagement: Participate actively in learning.
  • Respect: Everyone's voice is valuable.
  • Standards: Uphold high standards in your academic work.
  • Honesty: Be truthful in your assignments.
  • Collaboration: Share ideas and thoughts; everyone matters.
  • Mistakes: Acknowledge that mistakes are part of the learning process.

Growth Mindset Activity

  • Metacognition: Understanding how you think about thinking.
  • Growth Mindset Quiz:
    • Contains 20 questions.
    • Findings categorize mindset into fixed, growth, or mixed.
    • Aim to be honest in responses.
    • Results should be recorded in Module Eight notes.

Understanding Mindsets

  • Carol Dweck's Research (Stanford University):
    • Studied attitudes toward failure for over 30 years.
    • Noted different recovery responses to failure in students.
    • Defined two mindsets: fixed and growth.
Fixed Mindset
  • Perceives intelligence, ability, and talent as innate qualities that cannot change.
  • Example thoughts: "I'm not smart enough."
  • Associated behavior: Withdrawing from challenges due to the fear of failure.
Growth Mindset
  • Believes intelligence can be developed through effort and strategies.
  • Associated thoughts: "I can do better if I try harder."
  • Key behaviors:
    • Seeking help from others.
    • Willingness to put in effort for improvement.
    • Managing setbacks effectively.

Success Principles

  • Key to Achieving Goals: Not only effort or persistence, but the growth mindset underpins these attributes.
  • Example of Josh Waitzkin:
    • International chess master turned martial artist.
    • Achieved success in two different domains through relentless effort and learning from losses.
    • Important realization: Losing a championship taught him valuable lessons about hard work and growth responsibilities.

Research Insights on Mindset

  • Dweck's studies showed:
    • Students with a growth mindset improved their grades over time.
    • Mindset directly influences behaviors and outcomes.
    • Examples of successful people (Darwin, Proust) who overcame negative perceptions of their potential.

Physiological Manifestations of Mindset

  • Brain activity varies based on mindset:
    • Fixed mindset: Activity spikes with performance feedback (grades, scores).
    • Growth mindset: Peaks when considering how to improve for the future.
Consequences of Mindset

  • Fixed Mindset Behavior:

    • Sees effort as a negative (a sign of low ability).
    • Concludes inability in the face of setbacks, leading to withdrawal.

  • Growth Mindset Behavior:

    • Views failures as opportunities to learn and grow.
    • Persistently seeks solutions despite challenges.
Importance of Praising Mindsets

  • Fixed Mindset Praise:

    • E.g., "You're so smart!"
    • Leads to avoidance of challenges and diminished confidence.

  • Growth Mindset Praise:

    • E.g., "You worked really hard!"
    • Encourages taking on challenges and promotes motivation.

Changing Mindsets

  • Workshops can be effective in shifting mindsets:
    • Example: Dweck and Blackwell's workshop increased interest and performance among seventh graders.
    • Growth mindset interventions help students view their abilities as malleable.

Mindset in Various Contexts

  • Mindset affects not just students but also workplaces and social dynamics.
  • Fixed mindset leaders may resist feedback and mentoring, while growth-minded employees excel.

Instilling a Growth Mindset

  1. Acknowledge the scientific foundation of the growth mindset.
  2. Educate yourself and help others understand effective effort and deliberate practice.
  3. Recognize and challenge your fixed mindset beliefs.

Applying Growth Mindset Principles

  • Value of Community: Feeling a part of your learning community enhances persistence.
  • Purposeful Learning: Recognizing the relevance of education fosters motivation.
  • Academic Mindset Elements:
    1. Belonging to a community.
    2. Belief in personal success ability.
    3. Understanding that effort changes abilities.
    4. Seeing work as meaningful.

Social Media Gap and Realism

  • Common portrayal of success on social media often excludes struggles.
  • Reminder that growth requires effort and experiences.

Common Student Holds at OSU IT

  • Definition: Holds are blocks preventing certain actions such as class registration.
    • Types of Holds:
    • Bursar Hold: Past due balance on the account.
    • Financial Aid Hold: Incomplete loan or scholarship processes.
    • Cowboy Up: Uncompleted orientation.
    • One is Too Many: Uncompleted training.
    • Academic Hold: Failure to meet academic standards.
  • Checking Holds: Log into personal account at MyOKState to see holds listed.

Student Rights and Appeal Process

  • Rights include the ability to appeal for grades and academic suspensions due to extenuating circumstances.
  • Appeals require supporting documentation and adherence to procedural guidelines found in the OSU IT Academic Catalog.

Conclusion

  • Reiterate the importance of working hard to overcome obstacles in personal and academic life.
  • Engage support systems, value your self-worth beyond grades, and strive for personal growth while navigating college challenges.