When Teachers Become Students: Impacts of Neuroscience Learning on Elementary Teachers’ Mindset Beliefs, Approach to Learning, Teaching Efficacy, and Grit

C Anne

doi:10.12973/ejper.3.1.39

Abstract

<p style="text-align:justify">Previous research suggests that learning basic neuroscience constructs, especially about the malleability of the brain, impacts middle school and older students’ academic mindset, response to failure and academic persistence. This research targets teacher beliefs using a similar model. Teachers were taught introductory neuroscience concepts related to how the brain learns. Session topics included: basic neurodevelopment, neuroplasticity, sleep and the brain, stress and the brain, exercise and the brain, growth mindset, growth mindset feedback, self- control and grit. Results of this school level intervention suggest significant impacts on teachers’ mindset, teaching efficacy, teachers’ approach to learning and grit. In particular, teacher mindset beliefs significantly increased after the teachers were taught the concepts. Implications for schools and teacher preparation are discussed.</p>

Highlights

Introduction and Literature ReviewIn school- aged populations, beliefs and behaviors distinct from academic skills but related to school and learning success are often broadly referred to as non-cognitive factors (Farrington et al, 2012; Snipes et al, 2012)
Building off previous research where learning about the malleability of the brain impacts students’ noncognitive beliefs including academic mindset, response to failure and academic persistence (Blackwell et al, 2007), this research targets teacher beliefs by highlighting the malleability of the human brain and how the brain learns in schools as a framework for teacher learning examining the impact on pedagogy and beliefs
After 6 sessions of BrainBuilders, 83% of the teachers rated themselves as having a growth mindset, with only 16% of teachers rating themselves as having a neutral mindset and 1% rated themselves as having a fixed mindset

Summary

Introduction

In school- aged populations, beliefs and behaviors distinct from academic skills but related to school and learning success are often broadly referred to as non-cognitive factors (Farrington et al, 2012; Snipes et al, 2012). These noncognitive factors or “soft skills” are positive contributors to student educational and motivational outcomes and include constructs such as academic mindset beliefs, learning goals, grit, self-control and academic efficacy (Farrington et al, 2012). Research suggests that once the concept of neuroplasticity (that the brain is malleable) is explained and made salient to students they are more likely to view their intelligence as improvable, given their new understandings about the plastic nature of the human brain (Tirri & Kujala, 2016)

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion