Fixed Mindset versus Growth Mindset

What is a mindset?

Many students find Statistics challenging, and it has the reputation of being a "Hard class".  You may need to struggle and work hard in order to succeed in this course. How well you perform and learn the material is related to you applying effort and taking the time to do the work necessary to succeed, and how you view yourself in this context can directly affect your outcome in this class.

Author Carol Dweck describes two ways that people choose to view themselves and their abilities.  These two common viewpoints are called a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. Understanding and considering her research may be useful for some of you to help you to not get discouraged, and to improve your performance and results in this class.

Assignment:

This discussion concerns the topic of fixed versus growth mindset.

1. Please watch the two videos below, and answer the questions posed below. 
2. Then please respond with encouragement and demonstrating a growth mindset to at least one other student's post. (Hint: This means it is important not to just praise another classmate, but support, encourage, or admire their effort and work.)

Videos on Mindsets:

Questions for Discussion:

1.  Everyone has some portions of our lives where we tend to perform using a growth mindset, and other portions of our lives where the fixed mindset surfaces more frequently and we still have to work to overcome the fixed mindset.  (For example, some students may frequently view themselves using a growth mindset when they play sports, and then choose a fixed mindset when they need to complete a research paper.)   Give an example of a part of your life where you view yourself (at least primarily) with a growth mindset.
2. Explain why you chose your answer to the first question, and how you think that having a growth mindset in this part of your life affects your feelings and/or abilities and/or related achievements or actions.
3. Now give an example of a part of your life where you view yourself (at least primarily) with a fixed mindset. 
4. Explain why you chose your answer to the third question and how you think that having a fixed mindset in this part of your life affects your feelings and/or abilities and/or related achievements or actions.  How do you think that changing you mindset could help you in this part or your life, and what actions can you see yourself taking when you are able to replace your fixed mindset with a growth mindset?

Please don't forget to respond, using a growth mindset, to at least one other student's post.