What to Expect

The first part of the course is facilitated over two weeks, January 6th-January 17th, and takes approximately 15 hours to complete, containing both synchronous and asynchronous components. The second part of the course will require approximately 2 hours over a one week period, February 24th-February 28th. It will be asynchronous.

The course will start with a live 45-minute kick off event where you will learn about the course and experience a model for guiding students to connect with each other at the beginning of a term.

You will have a chance to engage in virtual, asynchronous discussions with facilitators and your peers at the end of each course section. 

You will learn how to create a course that supports students to develop adaptive beliefs about learning and school, with a focus on supporting students from traditionally marginalized and minoritized backgrounds. In particular, you will learn about three key learning mindsets—Growth Mindset, Purpose & Relevance, and Sense of Belonging—and workshop strategies for leveraging these mindsets in a way that promotes equity while being customized to your own course, teaching methods, and style of communication.  

Key Learning Outcomes:

Knowledge 

• Terminology: learning mindsets, Mindset GPS, Growth Mindset, False Growth Mindset, Purpose & Relevance, and Sense of Belonging.

• Core principles to support learning mindsets: learning mindset messaging and learning mindset instructional practices.

• Learning mindsets as a means of addressing inequity.

Skills 

• Identify both supportive and unsupportive learning mindset messages and adopt supportive learning mindset messages.

• Identify and adopt learning mindset supportive course elements.

• Identify inequities for key student groups and adopt learning mindset supportive messaging and course elements to counteract them.

Key Questions

• How will I motivate students in the upcoming term through my instruction?

• How do I create courses, or course elements, that reinforce and provide opportunities for students to experience productive learning mindsets?

• How do I address student inequities?

Key Understandings

• Transitions are critical times in a student’s academic experience that have downstream consequences for their academic success. Thus, doing something small during a key transition period could have profound and lasting consequences down the line, particularly for students from underrepresented backgrounds.

• The messaging that frames a course and its assignments can significantly impact students’ experiences and performance.

• To promote optimal learning mindsets, a course must also move beyond messaging and provide opportunities for students to experience learning mindset supportive instruction.

The course will support you to choose and create tools to use in their classroom by selecting three of the following projects:

1. An Orientation Video or Script

Create a short welcome video (or script) that introduces students to your course with learning mindset supportive messaging. 

2. Welcome Email for All Students

Send your students an email at the beginning of the semester that contains Learning Mindset supportive messages. 

3. Introducing Purpose & Relevance Connections

Introduce the concept and guide students through a Purpose and Relevance connections activity. 

4. Introducing Growth Mindset to Students

Introduce the Growth Mindset concept and set up a reflection for your students.  

5. Motivationally Planning Your First Day

Plan to support students' Learning Mindsets on the first day of your instruction.  

6. Revised Syllabus Language

Infuse your syllabus with Learning Mindset supportive language. 

7. Growth Email for Struggling Students

Send students who have struggled on a recent assignment a message that encourages them to connect with you and other resources that can help them overcome their struggle and see their difficulty as an opportunity for growth. 

8. Active Learning Routines

Plan to support student Learning Mindsets by integrating different types of active learning routines into your instruction. 

9. Assignment Routines

Consider the assignment routines you already implement in your course and plan changes to make them more Learning Mindset supportive. 

10. Engagement Routines

Consider your current routines to promote interest and engagement and plan changes to make them more Learning Mindset supportive.  

11. Study & Exam Routines

Consider the study and exam routines you already implement in your course and plan changes to make them more Learning Mindset supportive.