Growth Mindset Reflection

Image from Professor Gibb's Blog, originally from Cheezburger

This post is a reflection on the "growth mindset" idea presented by Carol Dweck. A growth mindset is essentially a way of thinking wherein you focus on the improvements that you can make in an area, rather than on the things you feel as though you've failed to grasp or master yet. According to Dweck, one of the problems our society/education system faces is its failure to create a growth mindset for students. Dweck proposes that this failure causes students to celebrate when things are easy and become frustrated when things are challenging, rather than valuing a challenge when it comes along as an opportunity to grow and learn.

Though there are aspects of Dweck's presentation that I don't totally agree with, I do agree that people today seem to be always looking for an easy way out (I have found myself guilty of this on occasion as well, and I am working on redirecting my own way of thinking on this matter), and shying away from challenges which could be beneficial for them. One example that I see a lot of in my peers (and this is where I tend to find this flaw in myself, as well) is the desire for easy classes with easy professors who will give them easy A's. In fact, in the last year or two, I have felt a growing frustration with some of the programs here at OU, because it seems that the majority of my classes require very little effort on my part to receive a good grade, and at the end of the semester I end up having learned very little. Granted, some of that is on me. Just because a class doesn't require me to put in much effort or extra time doesn't mean I can't do it anyway, and take my learning more into my own hands. I am trying to work on self-motivating to actively learn and improve on my own time. That said, I would have an easier time of this is my courses were more challenging in general. However, I have had a difficult time finding many classes here that offer that kind of challenge to me, so in my opinion, the issue is partly on me, and partly on the courses/school system.

That said, I can still work on improving my side of things, even if I can't do much to effect change in academia. So, I'm taking steps this semester to require extra work from myself, regardless of what is required of me to make A's.