Mindsets and Math/Science Achievement

Mindsets Students (and their teachers) can have different beliefs about intellectual abilities. Some believe that intellectual abilities are basically fixed – that people have different levels of ability and nothing can change that. In contrast, others believe that intellectual abilities can be cultivated and developed through application and instruction. They do not deny that people may differ in their current skill levels but they believe that everyone can improve their underlying ability (Dweck, 1999). Students’ mindsets are measured by asking them to agree or disagree on a 6 point scale with statements such as: