Title

The Relationship Between Growth Mindset Interventions and Academic Performance in a Texas Community College Corequisite Mathematics Course

Author

Dana M. Curry

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology and Special Education

Date of Award

Spring 2021

Abstract

Many students entering higher education are not academically prepared for college mathematics and English and must enroll in developmental education, especially community college students. Interventions are vital to help these students improve their academic performance and successfully complete credit level courses. Recently implemented corequisite model courses and growth mindset interventions can benefit student academic success. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between growth mindset interventions and academic performance of students enrolled in corequisite model developmental and credit level mathematics courses at a Texas community college. All agreeing participants in this study self-reported their grades and completed a mindset questionnaire in a pre-survey and post-survey. Students assigned to the treatment group (n = 15) completed an online mindset intervention and those assigned to the control group (n = 12) had no intervention. The results of implementing this growth mindset intervention did not show to significantly improve academic achievement with students enrolled in corequisite developmental and credit level math. Contrarily, the implemented mindset intervention did show significant changes in the view of intelligence of the target student population. Minority students reported a significantly greater increase in the growth mindset scale score than that of White students. Thus, the online growth mindset intervention effected a stronger belief in the growth of one’s intelligence, more so with minority students than that of White students enrolled in corequisite model courses.

Advisor

David Frank

Subject Categories

Education | Educational Psychology | Higher Education

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