Browsing by Author "Tuominen, Moona"

The framework for this study comes from Carol Dweck's (2000, 2006) findings of two different mindsets: growth mindset and fixed mindset. A person with a growth mindset believes human qualities are malleable and a person with a fixed mindset believes skills and intelligence are set. Although there have been lots of studies about mindsets, most of them are quantitative. The aim of this study is to examine how mindsets are presented in teacher's pedagogical thinking and which mindsets actualize in teaching practices in a first grade classroom. This qualitative case study examined a first grade teacher's, Anne's, mindsets in Helsinki University Viikki Normal School. The teacher was selected based on a mindset survey. The data of this study included a preliminary interview, observation, and videotaping and stimulated recall interviews. The analysis was done using a deductive content analysis. The results suggest that Anne's mindset related to learning in her pedagogical thinking was towards a growth mindset but had features of a fixed mindset. In her pedagogical thinking, a growth mindset appeared as seeing contextual factors as main predictors in students learning and recognizing and supporting students as individuals. A fixed mindset appeared in Anne's pedagogical thinking as seeing students' temperament as one predictor in students' learning. Anne's teaching practices emphasized a growth mindset, but had also features of a fixed and a neutral mindset. A growth mindset became apparent in mastery-oriented atmosphere, fostering learning goals and praising processes. A fixed mindset was present in teaching by avoiding failures and highlighting success. A neutral mindset was identified as non-verbal praising in Anne's teaching practices. As the results propose, Anne's mindset varied between situations. This implicates the need of more precise studies of mindsets and their actualization in authentic environments. Only qualitative research will provide the opportunity to deeply understand how mindsets vary between situations and what is the impact on teaching, studying and learning in the classroom.