A MINDSET INTERVENTION IN A HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY CLASS by Crystal Brooke Funk A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY Ogden, Utah August 23, 2021 Approved ________________________________ Penée W. Stewart, Ph.D. ________________________________ Yimin Wang, Ph.D. ________________________________ Adam T Johnston, Ph.D. 2 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Acknowledgements I’d like to thank the faculty and staff at Weber State University. The guidance and support extended by these amazing educators throughout my higher education has been something I could not have found at a different institution. I’d especially like to thank Dr. Johnston. In some of my hardest times as a teacher, I’ve looked to you as my example. Dr. Moulding, your mentorship has been invaluable throughout my education and career. “Doctor” Porter, you helped me grow a lot during this time, too. Dr. Wang, I needed to meet you during this journey. Thank you for getting me excited about the research that scared me so much. I hope you all know how much your kind words, laughter, and smiles mean to your students. Dr. Stewart, I absolutely would not have had the courage to do this without your help. Thank you for being there for me and helping me make this project into something I am deeply proud of. Also, thank you for the time and support from my husband and my kids. Thank you, guys, for letting me take this journey. Brandy, thank you for being someone I could always call. My Granger Family, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. 3 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Table of Contents ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………………….....7 NATURE OF THE PROBLEM………………………………………………………...…………8 Literature Review………………………………………………………...………………10 Fixed Mindsets………………………………………...…………………………10 Growth Mindsets…………………………………………………………………11 How Children Develop Growth or Fixed Mindsets…..………………………….12 How People with Different Mindsets Approach Challenges…….………………13 Mindset Interventions……………………………………………………………14 PURPOSE……………………………………………………………..…………………………18 METHOD…………………………………………………………….………………………….19 Participants……………………………………………….………………………………19 Instruments…………………………………………………………………………….…21 Survey Instrument…………………………….………………………………….21 Interview Questions……………………………………...………………………21 Development of Questions for the First Interview……....………………21 Development of Questions for the Second Interview……………....……22 Mindset Intervention……………………………………………..………………23 Procedure………………………...…………………………………………………....…24 Data Analysis………………………………………………………………………….…26 RESULTS……………………………………………...…………………………………………2 7 Impact of the Mindset Intervention on the Mindset of Students…………………...……27 Impact of the Mindset Intervention on the Classroom Culture………..……....…………30 DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………..…………………..32 4 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Use of the Mindset Intervention………………...……………………………………….32 Effect of The Intervention on the Teacher……………………………………………….33 Impact on Classroom Culture……………………………………………………………35 REFERENCES………………………………………………………………….……………….37 APPENDICES…………………...………………………………………………………………40 Appendix A: Mindset Intervention……………...………………….……………………40 Appendix B: Interview Protocol and Questions…………..……………..………………42 Appendix C: Mindset Survey Data………………………………………………………46 Appendix D: Interview Transcripts………………………………………………………50 Appendix E: Permissions………………………...……………………………………....82 5 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY List of Figures Figure 1. Mean Scores of Students on Pre and Post Mindset Intervention Surveys……......……27 Figure 2. Mean Difference in Mindset Scores of Students in Different Mindset Categories....….29 6 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY List of Tables Table 1. Pre and Post Mindset Intervention Survey Data…………………………...…………………46 7 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY ABSTRACT Students present with different learning mindsets while they are learning. When it comes to their attitudes towards their own learning abilities, students can be placed along a continuum between learning mindsets that are more growth-oriented and those that are more fixed. A growth mindset is exhibited when students believe that their intelligence is something they have a degree of control over and is something that they can change. Students with a more fixed mindset believe that their academic abilities are static and that their efforts will not do much to change their intelligence. Students exhibiting these different mindsets react differently in challenging academic situations. This paper describes a mindset intervention created and used by a high school biology teacher in an effort to shift the mindsets of her students to become more growth-oriented. Through the use of the mindset intervention, the mean mindset scores of the students increased and showed a significant shift towards a more growth-oriented mindset. This project also served as a learning opportunity for the teacher about how emotions and a positive classroom culture affect student learning. 8 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY NATURE OF THE PROBLEM Students approach education and the challenges they meet with different mindsets. Dweck (2006), a premier researcher on mindsets, places students on a continuum of mindsets based on where the students believe their abilities arise. A student with a more fixed mindset believes that their intelligence and abilities are relatively unchanging (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, & Dweck, 2007; Cavanagh et al., 2018; Cutts, Cutts, Draper, O'Donnell, & Saffrey, 2010; Dweck, 2014; Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017; Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015; Rattan, Savani, Chugh, & Dweck, 2015; Schmidt, Shumow, & Kackar-Cam, 2015; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Schmidt et al. (2015) labelled students with a fixed mindset a performance goal orientation in which their academic focus is in demonstrating their own capabilities and comparing their ability to those of others. On the other hand, students with a growth mindset see intelligence as something malleable that they have the ability to change (Blackwell et al., 2007; Cavanagh et al., 2018; Cutts et al., 2010; Dweck, 2014; Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017; Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015; Rattan et al., 2015; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Schmidt et al. (2015) assigned these students a mastery goal orientation. Students with a growth mindset tend to approach academic challenges with the idea that they can overcome the challenge by learning something new and developing new skills that aid them in improving their understanding (Cutts et al., 2010, Schmidt et al., 2015, Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Students with a growth mindset are able to see struggle as a part of the learning process and in many cases, they will overcome those challenges. On the other hand, students with a fixed mindset see themselves as not capable of overcoming the struggle and often give up (Alfassi, 2003; Cutts et al., 2010; Rattan et al., 2015). Students with a fixed mindset may be highly competent individuals, and they may do just fine until they encounter a roadblock (Dweck, 9 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 2014). When fixed mindset students get stuck, they are at a disadvantage compared to students with growth mindsets (Alfassi, 2003; Blackwell et al., 2007; Cutts et al., 2010; Dweck, 2014; Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017; Rattan et al., 2015). Students with a growth mindset view the challenges as something they can overcome if they keep working and using different cognitive strategies to solve a problem (Alfassi, 2003; Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015; Rattan et al., 2015). A student with a fixed mindset views a challenge as insurmountable because they believe that the effort that they put into a problem means they are not smart enough to solve it (Alfassi, 2003; Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015; Rattan et al., 2015). When students with a fixed mindset experience a setback or receive negative feedback, they shut down and display helpless behaviors (Cutts et al., 2010; Dweck, 2014; Rattan et al., 2015). Teaching students about growth mindset by delivering a mindset intervention can change a student’s mindset and will help them realize that they are capable of academic growth (Alfassi, 2003; Blackwell et al., 2007; Cutts et al., 2010; Dweck, 2014; Schmidt et al., 2015; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Students can learn that they can eventually succeed in challenging classes (Cutts et al., 2010). Research shows a mindset intervention can change students’ mindsets and help those with a fixed mindset orientation develop a growth mindset orientation (Alfassi, 2003; Blackwell et al., 2007; Cutts et al., 2010; Dweck, 2014; Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017; Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015; Schmidt et al., 2015, Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Much of the existing literature addresses mindset interventions done in middle school math and science classes as well as challenging classes at the postsecondary level (Blackwell et al., 2007; Cavanagh et al., 2018; Cutts et al., 2010; Dweck, 2014; Schmidt et al., 2015). More research needs to focus on challenging classes at the high school level. 10 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Literature Review Students approach education and the challenges they meet at school with different mindsets. A student’s mindset about learning includes how they perceive their own ability to think, and whether or not they are able to increase their intellectual ability. Carol Dweck (2014) places students on a continuum of mindsets based on their own perceptions about their control over their learning. Dweck assigns a fixed mindset on one end of that continuum and a growth mindset on the other. Mindsets change throughout a person’s life based on their environments (Murphy & Dweck, 2010). A child’s mindset is largely affected by the reactions to the child’s learning, successes, and failures by their parents, teachers, and other important people around them (Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Fixed Mindsets People with a fixed mindset view their abilities as relatively unchanged by practice or experience (Cavanagh et al., 2018). People with a fixed mindset view their overall intelligence as something they cannot change very much with effort or practice (Murphy & Dweck, 2010). This can shape an individual’s attitude, motivation, and behavior in important ways (Cavanagh et al., 2018; Cutts et al., 2010; Hochanadel, & Finamore 2015; Murphy & Dweck, 2010; Rattan et al., 2015). Students with a fixed mindset can hold any level of intelligence. According to Dweck (2014), students with a fixed mindset are not always doing badly in school. What is not necessarily great about a student having a fixed mindset is how they react when they get stuck. When everything is easy for a student with a fixed mindset, they believe they are smart enough to be capable of the task and they move through the task without a problem. A student with a fixed mindset views effort exerted during a challenging task as a sign that they do not have what 11 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY it takes and that they are not capable of the task (Cutts et al., 2010; Dweck, 2014; Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015; Rattan et al., 2015). Research suggests that when students with a fixed mindset have to put in effort to accomplish a task, or even fail at accomplishing that task, the students question their ability, exert less effort in subsequent attempts, and may even become defensive about why they were unable to complete the task (Blackwell et al., 2007). Yeager and Dweck (2012) described the world of a person with a fixed mindset as a world that is about measuring their ability. It is a world where challenges are threats against one’s intelligence. A person either has to succeed at a given task, or that task should be avoided so the person does not seem incapable. A student who is avoiding tasks may give excuses to escape challenges, refuse to attempt the work all together, claim helplessness, or get defensive about their abilities (Rattan et al. (2015). Murphy and Dweck (2010) propose that having a fixed mindset may not only affect a person’s own attitudes and actions towards their own learning, but a person’s theory of intelligence can affect their judgement and behaviors towards others as well. A peer who has not yet mastered content may be seen as unintelligent or slow when really, they have just not yet overcome a given challenge. Growth Mindsets On the other end of the spectrum are people who have growth mindsets. A person with a growth mindset believes that their intelligence is malleable and that they are able to have an effect on their own academic abilities (Dweck, 2014). Students with a growth mindset view their struggles and mistakes as necessary to the process of learning (Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Students with a growth mindset know that if they learn from their failures and adjust accordingly, they will eventually be successful (Cavanagh et al., 2018) 12 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY The world of a person with a growth mindset is one that promotes resilience in learning, as effort and challenges are seen as helpful in the learning process (Yeager & Dweck, 2012). The growth-oriented student is the student that is unafraid to ask questions and make mistakes as they deepen their understanding (Cutts et al., 2010). Importantly, having a growth mindset alone is not enough to help students achieve academically. It should be recognized that students need to have, at their disposal, a toolkit of cognitive skills to help themselves work through mental roadblocks (Yeager & Dweck, 2012). These cognitive tools usually can be taught to students and practiced regularly in classrooms (Alfassi, 2003; Cutts et al., 2010; Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Provided with the right strategies, students with a growth mindset see value in using these strategies and struggling through challenges (Dweck, 2014). How Children Develop Growth or Fixed Mindsets It is interesting to note that people can be aware of their mindsets and of their effect on their learning. Individuals find both the fixed and the growth mindsets possible and can even be affected with different mindsets during different activities but tend to be influenced habitually by one mindset over another (Murphy & Dweck, 2015). It is possible to influence the mindsets of others by our responses to their approach to the challenges of learning (Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Researchers are currently discovering that some of our more traditional ways of rewarding students, such as praising good grades and offering extrinsic rewards for completion of tasks (Chao, Visaria, Mukhopadhyay, & Dehejia, 2017), can lead students to the adoption of a more fixed mindset, which is most often the opposite of the intended purpose of such commonly used methods and thinking in schools. Instead, current research (Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017; Hochanadel & Finamore 2015; Schmidt et al., 2015; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). suggests that 13 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY praising the process of learning over the “smartness” of an individual has a more positive influence on developing a growth mindset in that individual. Children are naturally socialized into different mindsets, especially by their parents and teachers. The reactions of a student’s parents and teachers to the student’s success, such as praising how smart they are instead of their effort, can encourage the student to develop a more fixed mindset (Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017). Whereas praising a student for their struggle and effort can encourage them to develop a growth-oriented mindset (Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017). Praise should be used liberally but carefully by adults. The feedback given to a student has an effect on what kind of mindset they develop (Cutts et al., 2010; Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017; Hochanadel & Finamore 2015; Schmidt et al., 2015; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Research may show that praise should be used liberally, but the amount of praise and type of praise used should be limited, as extrinsic rewards, such as praise, were shown by Chao et al. (2017) to have little effect on the development of a growth mindset. The language of both parents and teachers used during the learning process affects how students come to think of their own abilities, but it also shapes how they react to a roadblock in their learning (Cutts et al., 2010; Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017; Hochanadel & Finamore 2015; Schmidt et al., 2015; Yeager & Dweck, 2012) How People with Different Mindsets Approach Challenges Students with different mindsets approach challenges differently. When a student with a fixed mindset faces a challenge, they are more concerned with demonstrating their competence than from learning new things from the experience (Schmidt et al., 2015). When given formative feedback on their performance, students with a fixed mindset tend to disregard that feedback because they believe that their ability is fixed and that they will not be able to improve whether they apply the feedback or not (Blackwell et al., 2007; Cutts et al., 2010; Rattan et al., 2015). If 14 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY the feedback is negative feedback, then students with a fixed mindset may give up, display a hopeless response, or avoid future challenges (Blackwell et al., 2007; Cutts et al., 2010; Rattan et al., 2015). The fixed-mindset student often will avoid challenges because they do not want to try anything that they could fail at because it may lower a parent or teacher’s regard for them (Hochanadel & Finamore 2015; Rattan et al. 2015). Students with a growth mindset will approach challenges differently. Growth-oriented students are more likely to set learning goals (Cutts et al., 2010) and they realize that they may need to learn different skills to accomplish different tasks and practice doing things the right way (Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Growth mindset students incorporate feedback on challenging tasks because they believe that failure and feedback provide opportunities to grow (Cutts et al., 2010; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Students with a growth mindset believe that they are capable of overcoming challenges with enough strategies and effort; these are the students that tend to undertake more challenging tasks and assignments (Alfassi, 2003). Mindset Interventions Importantly, mindsets can be taught (Yeager & Dweck, 2012). Mindset interventions have been used by researchers to teach students about how their own mindsets affect their learning over time (Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017). Blackwell et al. (2007), applied a mindset intervention to a group of 373 grade 7 mathematics students and studied their mindsets and mathematics achievement over the next two years of school. They found that the students that had received the mindset intervention were more likely to see the value of hard work and effort in their learning compared with the students in their control group. Those students were also less likely to make helpless attribution statements about their abilities. Cutts et al. (2010) found that a combination of using tutors to teach college programing students about mindset and formative 15 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY feedback that included a growth mindset message resulted in a significant change in the mindset of their students. Learning environments can play a role in the mindset of adults as well. Murphey and Dweck (2010) found that participants in their study on mindsets in workplaces took on the mindset attributes presented by a faux job interview process. Participants took on the mindsets that were emulated by the “organization representatives” by which they were being interviewed. The researchers found that applicants were able to adapt their mindsets to match the mindsets and traits that were seen as part of the organization’s culture. The mindset of the teacher will also have an effect on the mindsets of the students in their classroom. Schmidt et al. (2015) considered how the mindset held by the teacher affects their own mindset messages to students. It was discovered that a mindset intervention could be rendered more or less effective by the mindset held by the administering teacher. A teacher with a growth mindset will use growth-oriented language in their daily interactions with students, whereas a teacher with a fixed mindset will not. Trust in a teacher, or a teacher’s perceived level of understanding, acceptance, and care, was also found by Cavanagh et al. (2018) to be a predictor of student mindset and student engagement in their college science course. Teaching students about growth mindset by delivering a mindset intervention can change a student’s mindset and help them realize that they are capable of academic growth. In their foundational mindset intervention research, Blackwell et al. (2007) provided a mindset intervention to 7th grade students with a low achieving performance in their 6th-grade math classes. Students in their experimental group read a scientific article and were instructed about brain plasticity. The 7th graders were taught that their intelligence was malleable and that they 16 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY had control over developing their intellect. Students in the experimental group experienced a change in learning mindset and showed a stronger motivation to learn in their mathematics class. Paunesku et al. (2015) were able to take the research and interventions of Blackwell et al. (2007) and create a scaled-up intervention suitable for a large number of diverse students at a time. Paunesku et al. (2015) found that their intervention was most effective for lower-performing students. In their research, Cutts et al. (2010) found that a mindset intervention could influence students facing a particularly challenging programming course. Their study found that a mixture of in-class mindset messages and a mindset message included with feedback on student work resulted in a significant change in student mindset. Importantly, Schmidt et al. (2015) found that just receiving mindset intervention materials does not guarantee a change in students’ mindsets. They found that the teacher’s own mindset beliefs and use of mindset messages can influence the effectiveness of a mindset intervention. Their study found that the instructor is an important factor in sustaining the positive outcomes of a mindset intervention by continually reinforcing the mindset intervention with positive mindset messages. Other scientists have come to the conclusion that the classroom environment can affect a student’s mindset. In their programming course intervention, Cutts et al. (2010) attributed part of the success of their intervention to frequent, high-quality feedback combined with a positive growth mindset message. Haimovitz and Dweck (2017) proposed in their research that the origins of a student’s mindset come from a mixture of whether a child’s teacher and parents focus on praising the product over the process of learning and whether the adults in a child’s life are praising the intelligence of a child or the effort the child puts into a learning activity. Yeager and Dweck 17 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY (2012) confirmed in their research that parents and teachers are an important factor in teaching students to react resiliently when facing a setback or a challenge. These researchers found that it may actually be harmful to praise students for their intellect to try and boost their self-esteem, as students will see intelligence as something they possess and not as something they can grow. Finally, Murphy and Dweck (2010) found that a sense of belonging was important to the mindset adopted by members of an organization. Murphy and Dweck (2010) also found that the mindset of an organization could change the mindset of the members of that organization as they work to adopt the culture of that organization. The above researchers’ work establishes evidence that a combination of a mindset intervention plus a growth-mindset centered classroom culture can shift the mindsets of the students in a classroom. Students can learn to become resilient and that they can eventually succeed in challenging classes. 18 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY PURPOSE The Proposed Intervention Much of the existing literature addresses mindset interventions done in middle school math and science classes as well as challenging classes at the postsecondary level (Blackwell et al., 2007; Cavanagh et al., 2018; Cutts et al., 2010; Dweck, 2014; Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017; Schmidt et al., 2015). More research is needed in challenging classes at the high school level. The mindset intervention project would address those gaps by testing the effect of the mindset intervention on the mindsets and classroom culture in a biology classroom of 9th grade students just starting out in high school. Ultimately, it is important to do more research on whether mindset interventions done in high school can alter students’ mindsets because their success in high school can affect their ability to graduate, their choices should they wish to continue their education after high school, and the opportunities available to them once they have finished with their formal education. If we can influence the mindset of students at the beginning of high school and positively prepare students for the challenges that they will face during the high school experience, we might be able to keep a few from dropping out or not following through on their goals. The research questions that this study aims to answer are: ● Was the mindset intervention successful in positively changing the mindsets of students and the culture of the classroom? ● How did the mindset intervention affect the mindset of my students and the culture of my classroom? 19 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY METHOD The purpose of this project was to test the effect of the mindset intervention on the mindsets and classroom culture in a biology classroom of 9th grade students just starting out in high school. It was important to collect data on a mindset intervention performed in a challenging high school class because much of the previous mindset intervention research focuses on middle school students and students enrolled in post secondary education. Participants The students were in their second semester of the 2020-2021 high school year. Most of the students were in their 9th grade year, however, there were students from grades 10-12 mixed into my honors biology course. This high school had 3,289 students enrolled during the study, but the enrollment fluctuated often as students at this school often move from place to place and change schools. The school had a 21.50% Caucasian/White population, with the majority students being LatinX at 59.59% of the school. There were 44 different primary languages spoken at the high school at the time the study was conducted. The number of students enrolled in my 9th grade biology and honors biology courses was 118, with 24 of those students registered as online-only due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, students whose parents did not complete the consent form were excluded from the data analysis process. The number of students whose data could be used in my classroom intervention included the 56 biology students enrolled in my core and honors biology classes. This included 2 students who were enrolled as online-only students and 54 students who were enrolled as in-person students. The in-person students switched back and forth between in-person and distance learning as the COVID-19 numbers in our school mandated a school dismissal whenever we had more than 15 positive COVID-19 cases. During the Spring semester of 2020-2021 year, the 20 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY school district changed the dismissal threshold to just over 1%, and switched to the Test to Stay protocol. Under this new protocol, once our school reached the 1% COVID-19 infection rate, students who received a negative COVID-19 test result could remain in-person. Students who refused to test or tested positive for COVID-19 moved to online learning for a period of 2 weeks or until they had recovered from the infection. With the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance was hard to measure throughout the school year and any attendance data reported for this year cannot be considered valid. First term academic grades were at an all-time low, with 56.78% of all classes at this high school failed during quarter one. Our school did not have a schoolwide plan in place to encourage or motivate students during this unprecedentedly difficult time. My own numbers of failing students were a little better than the school average. I gave failing grades to 28.16% of my students during that rough first term. All of my students took part in the intervention as a part of attending my class. However, an informed consent letter was sent to parents by the students in the form of a text message link to a google form. If a parent did not fill out the consent form or did not consent to me using their child in my research their data was not included for analysis. I was also a participant in this study, as I was learning to change my mindset along with the students. I was teaching biology to primarily 9th grade students in my 9th grade biology courses, honors biology class, and Advanced Placement biology courses. I had been teaching for 8 years and I was the Biology Department Head at my school for 6 out of those 8 years. I was a teacher in the Freshman Academy at my school and part of my responsibilities included trying to help our faculty get our freshmen to reach their full potential. 21 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Instruments Survey Instrument The survey instrument used in this study was created, used, and validated over multiple studies (Dweck & Leggett, 1988 Dweck, Chiu, & Hong, 1995; Erdley & Dweck, 1993; Levy, Stroessner, & Dweck, 1998) and is a commonly used instrument to gauge a subject’s mindset. This survey was used as a pre-intervention and post-intervention mindset survey. Interview Questions Interview sessions with a sample of students were conducted twice during the intervention. A sample of 3-5 students from my 9th grade biology courses and my honors biology class was taken. In an attempt to get a broad view of how the class responded to the intervention, I selected participants to interview by picking one willing student representative from each possible letter grade to interview from each class. I only asked those students with consistent in-person or online attendance and participation. I attempted to recruit a representative amount of online and in-person students to interview, however due to the prevailing attendance problems, I was unable to recruit more than 2 online-only students to interview. 11 students were able to attend the Pre-Mindset Intervention and Post Mindset Intervention interviews with 9 of those students being in-person and 2 of those students being online-only. Development of Questions for the First Interview: Question 1 was designed to start the subject thinking about how they feel about their own abilities as a learner. Information from this question could give an observer an idea of whether or not the subject had a more fixed oriented or a more growth oriented learning mindset. Question 2 was designed to confirm which type of mindset the learner applies when confronted with a challenge. It also inquired about the strategies the student uses to overcome obstacles to their 22 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY understanding. Question 3 is designed to figure out what the learner thought about their ability to learn new things. Question 4 aimed to get an idea about how the student felt about the culture and mindset in my classroom overall. Question 5, on the other hand, asked about how the students felt as an individual learner in my classroom and whether or not my classroom was a safe place for students to take risks in their learning. Question 6 asked the student to identify what they do, if anything, when they are stuck in my classroom and Question 7 specifically asked if there is anything I could do as a teacher to help them when they are struggling. Question 8 asked the student to think about how the pandemic impacted their learning and their success. Question 9 touched on their performance in my classroom and asked whether or not they thought their grade was influenced by the pandemic or whether they thought their actions had a larger influence on their performance. I asked question 10 because I wanted to know if there was anything else that they thought I could do as their teacher to assist them. See Appendix B for a copy of the first interview questions. Development of Questions for the Second Interview: The first 4 questions closely mirrored questions from the first interview. Questions 1 and 2 were designed to see if the student’s learning mindset has changed after the implementation of the intervention. Question 3 and 4 were designed to elicit whether the student thinks the culture of my students has changed over the course of the intervention. Questions 5 and 6 aimed to see whether the students think my actions and mindset have changed over the course of the intervention. I was interested in finding out whether they have perceived any sort of change in how I viewed them when they struggled. Question 7 touched on their performance in my classroom and whether that changed since the implementation of the 23 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY intervention. Finally, question 9 asked the student if there is anything else I could do for them. See Appendix B for a copy of the second interview questions. Mindset Intervention The mindset intervention used in this study closely followed the design of the intervention done by Blackwell et al. (2007). This intervention was designed to help students recognize that their mindset affects their learning and to encourage them to have a growth-oriented mindset while doing schoolwork, thus creating a more growth oriented classroom culture. Like the mindset intervention done by Blackwell et al. (2007), the intervention was broken into different sessions. This study, however, did not feature a control group because I wished to improve the mindsets of all of my students. The intervention consisted of six sessions. These sessions are described in more detail in the appendix of this document (Appendix A). The first session was focused on brain anatomy where students learned about neurons and their interconnectivity. In subsequent sessions, the students read an article about how the brain changes while learning. Cutts et al. (2010) supplied what they called a crib sheet that listed certain strategies that students can use to get unstuck on challenging programming problems. I provided a list of learning and study strategies that most students in my school are already familiar with. Paunesku et al. (2015) had the students in their mindset intervention write a letter to a fictional student that is experiencing challenges in school. The letter was to include what they had learned in the mindset intervention. This helped cement the intervention into the minds of those students. The mindset intervention in my classroom also included the writing of a letter, but the letter was to be to a struggling family member or friend. 24 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY The language and attitudes displayed by myself as a teacher were growth oriented. I provided growth mindset-oriented messages in my feedback to and during my interactions with my students (Cutts et al., 2010), and I focused on praising the process of learning over the “smartness” of my students as that has shown to have a positive influence on developing a growth mindset in individuals (Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017; Hochanadel & Finamore 2015; Schmidt et al., 2015; Yeager & Dweck, 2012). My feedback to my students during class and on their assignments included phrases such as, “[Y]ou worked hard and because of that you were able to figure it out,” “You’ve made a few mistakes here, but that’s ok because now you’ve learned one strategy that doesn’t work here.” “You're not there, yet, but you will be if you keep working hard and trying new strategies.” “I’m so proud of how you worked through that challenge.” Since I tend to give most of my feedback as I am walking around and observing my students, these messages were also used while I worked with students during group work and individual work. Throughout the school day and during all of my student interactions, I avoided the use of phrases such as, “You finished, you’re so smart,” “You got it, look how smart you are!” “You are such a good student,” since these phrases praise students' ability over the learning process. Procedure Implementation of the mindset curriculum happened during the 2nd semester of the 2020- 2021 school year. The mindset intervention was implemented in my in-person classes, but I made the materials available for my online students as well. This made it possible for my students to go back and forth between online and in-person, which was important, since many students found themselves having to switch from one learning modality to the other this year 25 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY during the pandemic. The intervention and subsequent data collection lasted the entire 9-week period of the 3rd term of the 2020-2021 school year. The Pre-Mindset Intervention Survey instrument was administered to the students at the beginning of the class period prior to the first session of the mindset intervention. The intervention itself consisted of six short lessons that were no longer than about 20 minutes each. Throughout the intervention sessions, students watched videos, read articles, and played games about brain connections and different types of mindsets. Students created mindset posters and wrote letters to “struggling students” about how having a growth mindset affects their learning. The intervention also included study tips, learning strategies, and ideas for managing stress. Students completed one intervention session a week. The intervention sessions were scheduled for the first class of each week at the beginning of the class period. The online materials were posted at the beginning of each weekly online module for the students participating online. A detailed overview of the intervention can be found in the appendices of this document (Appendix A). Interview participants were interviewed twice during the intervention period. The first interview was scheduled within the first two weeks of the intervention and the second interview was scheduled the week after the last intervention session. The interviews were semi-structured, 30-minute sessions. Interviews were either conducted in person in our classroom or over Google Meets. More specific information about the interview structure and interview questions can be found in the appendices of this document (Appendix B). The Post-Mindset Intervention Survey instrument was administered during the first class period in the last week of the third term of the school year. 26 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Data Analysis The Pre-Mindset Intervention and Post-Mindset Intervention Surveys data were compared to see whether my intervention was successful in fostering a growth mindset in my students. Data was analyzed using paired t-tests to determine whether the mindset intervention had a significant effect on changing the mindset of my students. The interview data was transcribed from digital recordings. The data was then coded and analyzed for recurring themes. Interview data was used to evaluate whether the mindset intervention was successful in positively influencing the mindset of my students, whether the intervention made my classroom culture more growth oriented, and whether the intervention had a positive influence on helping my students overcome any obstacles related to navigating school during the COVID-19 pandemic. 27 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY RESULTS The objectives of this study were to see whether a mindset intervention could positively influence both the mindset of 9th grade biology students and the culture of my classroom. Impact of the Mindset Intervention on the Mindset of Students Results from the Pre-Mindset Intervention Survey and the Post-Mindset Intervention Survey were compared to determine whether the mindset intervention shifted the mindsets of my students to one that was more growth-oriented than fixed (Table 1 in Appendix C). The mean score on the Pre-Mindset Intervention Survey was 21.89 points and the mean score of the Post- Mindset Intervention Survey was 23.82 points (see Figure 1). The mean difference between scores of the same students was 1.92 points. The standard deviation of those differences was 4.26. Note. The difference between the mean scores was significant with a calculated t-value of calculated to be 3.36 and a critical t-value of 1.67. Error bars represent standard error of the mean. A paired one-tailed t-test was performed to determine whether the students scored significantly differently on the Pre-Mindset Intervention Survey and the Post-Mindset Intervention Survey. Our t-value was calculated to be 3.36. With a critical t-value of 1.67, we 28 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY can reject the null hypothesis and accept that the scores for the Mindset Post-Mindset Intervention Survey were significantly different from the Pre-Mindset Intervention Survey scores in a more growth-oriented direction. Students were placed into mindset categories based upon their starting mindset as measured by the Pre-Mindset Intervention Survey score as determined by the survey instrument. Students with a Pre-Mindset Intervention Survey score of 22-30 were placed into a ‘Strong Growth Mindset’ category. Scores of 17-21 were placed into a ‘Growth-with Some Fixed Ideas’ category and those between 11-16 were placed into a ‘Fixed- with Some Growth Ideas. No students scored below an 11, so a ‘Strong Fixed Mindset’ category was unnecessary. The mean differences between the Pre and Post Mindset Intervention Survey scores within those groups were tested for significance using one-tailed t-tests (see Figure 2). The largest mean change in mindset occurred in the ‘Fixed- with Some Growth Ideas’ category. The mean difference in mindset scores for students in this category was 8.60. The paired, one-tailed t-test gave a calculated t-value of 3.21. With a critical t-value of 2.13, we can conclude that the difference between the Pre and Post Mindset Intervention Scores of this specific group was significant. 29 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Note. Students were placed into mindset categories based on their Pre-Intervention Survey Score. Error bars represent standard error of the mean. The same analysis was applied to the ‘Growth- with Some Fixed Ideas’ and the ‘Strong Growth Mindset Category’. The mean difference of the ’Growth- with Some Fixed Ideas’ category (2.26) was significant with a t=2.99 and a critical t-value of 1.73. The mean difference of the ‘Strong Growth Mindset’ category (.69) was the only difference that was not significant (t= 1.10, critical t-value=1.70). Looking at the data taken during the interviews with students alone would not have been enough to suggest that a significant shift in mindset happened during the duration of this project. Most students did not provide full enough answers in the one on one interview setting without a good amount of coaxing and secondary questioning. However, once the survey data acknowledged that there was indeed a shift in mindsets, the interview data could be closely examined and can be used to add more depth to the analysis of the survey data. 30 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY The interview data were less enlightening about the effect of the mindset intervention and touched much more on the overall culture of the classroom. However, a few important ideas arose concerning student mindsets within the interview data. Question 3 brought to light that students often mistake science ability with being able to supply a correct answer. This may be connected to the idea that learning ability is about the amount of knowledge acquired within a given amount of time. However multiple students made comments during their second interviews that indicated that they had redefined what learning ability meant to them. One student specifically stated, “[I am] understanding better, I think before I would kind of just try to get the answer right instead of actually comprehending what I’m putting in there.” Students' answers for Question 3 during the second interview also included students who felt they were more likely to apply their newly acquired knowledge to living things around them. This student, during their second interview, supplies a simple statement that shows that kind of thinking taking place, “I know more about like look[ing] at a plant [and, I can say] like, ‘Oh, they don’t [reproduce] asexually or sexually.’” Impact of the Mindset Intervention on the Classroom Culture Questions 4 and 5 from the interview specifically questioned students about the classroom culture and how they felt about taking risks in the classroom. Answers to question 4 suggest that the culture of my classroom did not change throughout the duration of the intervention. The culture of the classroom appeared to be one that was already comfortable and supportive. Therefore, according to the pre and post interview answers, there was not an obvious shift in classroom culture. Certain answers to question 5 suggest that many students already felt more comfortable taking risks in this classroom environment than taking academic risks in other situations. Examples of those responses include: “Yeah, you make it very clear that, like, we can 31 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY answer questions wrong, and it won't be like there's [anything] wrong with answering it wrong,” and, “Sometimes it's hard because I’m scared [that] I might get it wrong, [but if I] get it wrong there's always a chance that somebody could help me correct it. So it's always nice to ask questions and be able to learn and [explain it, and expand] your knowledge, even if you're incorrect.” 32 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY DISCUSSION Use of the Mindset Intervention Based on the significant results of the mindset survey, we can conclude that the mindset intervention done in my classes was effective in shifting the mindsets in my classroom to be more growth oriented. This is important for these 9th grade students, especially during their Freshman years and especially during this especially challenging pandemic school year. Having a growth mindset will help them cope with the challenges they are facing throughout their high school years. More of my students will be better prepared to continue to try and not give up when they meet tough academic situations in the future. Not only that, but everyone in education, students, teachers, and everyone else involved in the industry, are facing some interesting challenges as we try to recover some of the academic growth that was lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. This intervention can be a curriculum I use in the future with my students as we face challenges, academic or not, together. This experience as a whole revealed that my students can benefit from short lessons about how their learning mindset affects their learning experience. The mindset intervention created during this study was effective, did not require any expensive materials, and took away only a small amount of time from learning the academic curriculum. It is interesting to note that the intervention had a significant effect in altering the mindsets of students who started with a more fixed mindset and did not have a significant effect on positively altering the mindsets of students that already had a strong growth mindset. A teacher with a classroom full of students that already have a growth mindset may want to choose a different academic or social/emotional skill to work on with their students. However, teachers that are working with students who seem afraid to take risks, do not accept feedback on their 33 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY work well, or who seem more concerned with their current abilities rather than their growing abilities may find it helpful to do a mindset intervention, like this one, with their students. One of my biggest concerns as a classroom teacher is not having enough time to teach my academic curriculum to my students. Taking the time to teach this mindset curriculum to my students was difficult because it did lead to less time for academic instruction. However, actually hearing my students tell me that it was okay to be wrong in my classroom, and that they knew their classmates and teacher would support them while they struggled was more than I ever could have hoped for. In a 9th grade setting, where a large part of my job is to not only teach biology, but to teach my students how to be effective students. This mindset intervention is a curriculum I now have at my disposal to use in that endeavor. The time taken for this intervention with my students was worth it because I got to watch them grow as learners. This mindset intervention is one that could be used in the future by teachers who are focused on teaching academic content, but notice that the learning mindsets of their students are creating a barrier to learning. This mindset intervention is modifiable for use in a variety of classroom settings and over varying periods of time. It does not require expensive materials and the materials can be modified to suit different grade levels. The mindset intervention could be used as a strategy to shift the mindsets of a variety of students to become more growth oriented. Effect of The Intervention on the Teacher This intervention not only instigated changes in the mindsets of my students, but it also forced a change in my mindset, as the classroom teacher. The intervention itself was simple and did not require a lot of preparatory work from day to day. However, I found myself learning a lot along with the students. The mindset curriculum itself is short, insightful, and full of important connections about learning, mindsets, and emotions. We found that, especially the days we had 34 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY the intervention, students would use topics from the intervention to frame their thinking while they were learning. The students bring their own experiences with them with these kinds of topics. Learning can be an emotionally charged topic and it was important for me to hear how those emotions were affecting their learning. Students thought that the culture of the classroom had a large impact on the learning mindset they were able to adopt in that setting. Something I learned to value a lot more during this experience was the positive culture of my classroom. One of the harder things, as a busy teacher, was remembering to use growth mindset messages on my written feedback to students. In the past, I have used lazy ways of communicating my satisfaction for any attempt at individual work. “Good job,” “Nice work,” “Awesome,” are examples of my vague, positive feedback from the past. I wanted to change that and not only make my feedback more academically meaningful, but, more importantly in my mind, make that feedback a tool in shifting the learning mindsets of my students. I found that I had to print a list of “Mindset Messages” and tape them to my desk. These messages were still relatively simple, but were framed in such a way to encourage reactions that were growth-oriented. They included phrases like: “You’re not there, yet, but maybe try….” “You put a great amount of effort into your learning today.” “This way doesn’t seem to be working, let’s try a different way.” I would look for a message that would match the message I wanted to give my students, and use that to frame my thinking as I wrote my feedback. I needed a physical reminder to reframe my thinking in the absence of my students. Towards the end of the mindset intervention, I found myself using those phrases on my list more on my own. I will definitely tape that list on my desk next year. 35 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY In class, the intervention itself was enough to set the stage and remind me to use mindset messages with my students. Students responded positively when they heard me reinforcing the messages from the intervention. They used that as a form of cuing and used the same messages with their peers. Impact on Classroom Culture The culture of a classroom is important to learning. Students need to feel safe in taking risks in order to develop a growth mindset. In this study, the culture of the classroom was already one conducive to asking questions, taking risks, and being wrong from time to time. It is safe to say, especially based on the interview data, that without this culture built into the classroom, the mindset intervention would not have been as effective. Since the culture of the classroom was already one that supports a growth mindset, this study cannot be used to conclude whether or not the mindset intervention was successful in changing the culture of my classroom. It would be interesting to try this intervention in a classroom where the culture and learning environment are not quite as comfortable to students because then it could be tested whether or not this mindset intervention is able to successfully shift the culture of a classroom. Several improvements could be made to this study that would provide a richer source of data to examine. The interview format could be restructured in a way that students felt more comfortable giving feedback. Perhaps someone besides the teacher could be conducting the interviews or the interviews could be done in a panel setting, which would simulate more of a classroom setting and perhaps make students more comfortable making comments and suggestions about the teacher’s teaching practices. More data could be gathered if more students were interviewed in total. Also, due to less than perfect attendance rates, it was difficult to get students to take both the pre- and post-mindset intervention surveys and many of those data 36 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY points had to be removed before the analysis process. Lastly, it would be interesting to try this study in a classroom where the students are not as comfortable to see if the mindset intervention is as effective and if the intervention is still capable of significantly altering the learning mindset of students in different classroom situations. 37 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY REFERENCES Alfassi, M. (2003). Promoting the will and skill of students at academic risk: An evaluation of an instructional design geared to foster achievement, self-efficacy and motivation. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 30(1), 28. Blackwell, L. S., Trzesniewski, K. H., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Implicit theories of intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention. Child Development, 78(1), 246-263. Cavanagh, A. J., Chen, X., Bathgate, M., Frederick, J., Hanauer, D. I., & Graham, M. J. (2018). Trust, growth mindset, and student commitment to active learning in a college science course. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 17(1). Chao, M. M., Visaria, S., Mukhopadhyay, A., & Dehejia, R. (2017). Do rewards reinforce the growth mindset?: Joint effects of the growth mindset and incentive schemes in a field intervention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 146(10), 1402. Cutts, Q., Cutts, E., Draper, S., O'Donnell, P., & Saffrey, P. (2010). Manipulating mindset to positively influence introductory programming performance. Proceedings of the 41st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 431-435. Erdley, C. A., & Dweck, C. S. (1993). 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Fixed and growth mindset in education and how grit helps students persist in the face of adversity. Journal of International Education Research (JIER), 11(1), 47-50. Levy, S. R., Stroessner, S. J., & Dweck, C. S. (1998). Stereotype formation and endorsement: The role of implicit theories. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(6), 1421. Murphy, M. C., & Dweck, C. S. (2010). A culture of genius: How an organization’s lay theory shapes people’s cognition, affect, and behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36(3), 283-296. Paunesku, D., Walton, G. M., Romero, C., Smith, E. N., Yeager, D. S., & Dweck, C. S. (2015). Mind-set interventions are a scalable treatment for academic underachievement. Psychological Science, 26(6), 784-793. Rattan, A., Savani, K., Chugh, D., & Dweck, C. S. (2015). Leveraging mindsets to promote academic achievement: Policy recommendations. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(6), 721-726. 39 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Schmidt, J. A., Shumow, L., & Kackar-Cam, H. (2015). Exploring teacher effects for mindset intervention outcomes in seventh-grade science classes. Middle Grades Research Journal, 10(2), 17-32. Yeager, D. S., & Dweck, C. S. (2012). Mindsets that promote resilience: When students believe that personal characteristics can be developed. Educational Psychologist, 47(4), 302-314. 40 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY APPENDICES Appendix A: Mindset Intervention Lesson One- ● Neural Connections Videos o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XwFahi-qf8 o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtKJrB5rOKs o Video Discussion Questions 􀶵􋔠 How do people become more intelligent? 􀶵􋔠 How does the diagram of the neurons “At birth vs. At age 6” demonstrate this? 􀶵􋔠 What about the second diagram of the nerves of the animal living in a cage vs. an animal living with other animals and toys? 􀶵􋔠 How are our brains like muscles? 􀶵􋔠 When do our brains grow the most? o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpfYCZa87g Lesson Two- ● Brain Interactive Visual o Two students hold up colorful pictures of neurons. o The teacher then provides many pieces of cut yarn to represent connections between neurons. o She asks a member of the class to tell her a skill they are working on, such as soccer. She then asks students what you can do to get better at the game of soccer. o Each child who gives a suggestion selects a piece of yarn and gives one end to each of the students holding the neurons. After many examples, the class can see how thick the collection of yarn is getting. o The teacher then gives excuses for not going to soccer practice, such as weather, injury, or the season-ending. With each excuse, she takes away a piece of yarn (representing connections between neurons). o Throughout the year, you can refer to this example when explaining why the class needs to practice math facts, study for spelling tests, and keep trying. ● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpfYCZa87g ● https://newsela.com/read/lib-mindset-matters/ id/39807/?collection_id=2000000553&search_id=d1564fe6-c4f6-4de1-aa66- 2ff3fc17f227 Lesson 3- ● Emotions and Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNY0AAUtH3g ● Stress Symptoms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyg7lcU4g8E ● Study Tips: https://chloeburroughs.com/how-to-unstick-yourself-if-you-get-stuck-in-your- studies/ 41 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Lesson 4- ● Growth Mindset video: https://youtu.be/ElVUqv0v1EE ● Never Give Up Article: Effective Effort: https://www.edutopia.org/neuroscience-brain-based- learning-neuroplasticity Lesson 5- ● Growth Mindset Posters Lesson 6- ● Molding Mindset: Letters to underclassmen about the effect of having a growth mindset 42 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Appendix B: Interview Protocol and Questions Interview Protocol for 1st Interview Participant Number:_____________ Date: ________________________ Introduction: Hello, thank you for meeting with me today. I’ll explain a little bit about the interview and then we’ll get started. First, I want you to know that this conversation is completely confidential. Your name will not be used in my research data analysis or be discussed in my results. I have scheduled thirty minutes for us to meet, but depending on how the conversation goes, it may not take that long. The study I am conducting is about the use of a mindset intervention in our classroom. I am interested in whether it is working for my students and for the culture of our classroom. This year has been especially challenging and I want to see if my intervention has an effect on how we tackle the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we talk, I will ask you about your perceptions and experiences in our biology class. I may ask you about how you and how you think other students have felt during our time together throughout this intervention. I will be asking about how you perceive my teaching and your own abilities as a student. Do you have any questions? With that, do you feel comfortable continuing? 43 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Questions: 1. How do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 2. Describe a time when you were struggling in my class? When you were struggling, how did you feel about your ability to figure it out in the end? What steps did you take to try and figure it out? Did you ever figure it out? What was my role, if any, in helping you figure out what you were struggling with? 3. Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? In what ways or why do you think you have not? 4. How do you feel when you are in my classroom, in general? 5. How do you feel about putting yourself out there in my class, like answering a question, working in small groups, asking a question, or socializing with others? 6. Do you feel supported in my classroom when you do not understand something? Why or why not? 7. What could be done by the teacher to make it easier for a student to figure something out when they do not understand? 8. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you as a student? Have you struggled? How or what has kept you from struggling too much? 9. Has learning in my classroom been made difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic? Your grade in my class this last quarter was ______. Do you think that this was influenced at all by the pandemic? Do you think this has anything to do with yourself as a learner? 10. What could I do, as your teacher, to continue to help you get through this tough time? 44 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Interview Protocol for 2nd Interview Participant Number:_____________ Date: ________________________ Introduction: Hello, thank you for meeting with me today. I’ll explain a little bit about the interview and then we’ll get started. First, I want you to know that this conversation is completely confidential. Your name will not be used in my research data analysis or be discussed in my results. I have scheduled thirty minutes for us to meet, but depending on how the conversation goes, it may not take that long. The study I am conducting is about the use of a mindset intervention in our classroom. I am interested in whether it is working for my students and for the culture of our classroom. This year has been especially challenging and I want to see if my intervention has an effect on how we tackle the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we talk, I will ask you about your perceptions and experiences in our biology class. I may ask you about how you and how you think other students have felt during our time together throughout this intervention. I will be asking about how you perceive my teaching and your own abilities as a student. Do you have any questions? With that, do you feel comfortable continuing? Questions: 1. How do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class since we started the mindset intervention? Do you feel like that has changed at all in the last month or so? 45 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 2. Do you think you have the ability to figure things out when you are stuck in my class? Do you feel like that has changed at all in the last month or so? 3. How do you feel when you are in my classroom, in general? Has this changed at all in the last month? 4. How do you feel about putting yourself out there in my class, like answering a question, working in small groups, asking a question, or socializing with others since we started this mindset intervention? 5. Do you feel supported in my classroom when you do not understand something? Why or why not? Has this changed in the last month or so? 6. Have I gotten better at helping a student figure something out when they do not understand? 7. Do you think you are doing better in my class over all? 8. Do you feel like you can get through the rest of this pandemic? 9. What could I do, as your teacher, to continue to help you get through this tough time? 46 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Appendix C: Mindset Survey Data Table 1 Pre and Post Mindset Intervention Survey Data Subject Pre-Mindset Intervention Score Post-Mindset Intervention Score Difference 1 23 22 -1 2 23 27 4 3 25 28 3 4 24 24 0 5 25 30 5 6 28 28 0 7 13 25 12 8 23 28 5 9 21 23 2 10 21 22 1 11 29 28 -1 12 21 20 -1 13 25 24 -1 14 20 21 1 15 26 26 0 16 23 29 6 47 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 17 25 26 1 18 25 30 5 19 21 23 2 20 25 21 -4 21 22 25 3 22 25 28 3 23 17 23 6 24 27 27 0 25 26 23 -3 26 25 24 -1 27 18 14 -4 28 22 29 7 29 24 24 0 30 14 24 10 31 17 22 5 32 24 21 -3 33 21 23 2 34 22 25 3 35 19 19 0 36 19 19 0 48 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 37 15 13 -2 38 23 12 -11 39 24 25 1 40 21 27 6 41 26 28 2 42 17 13 -4 43 11 23 12 44 21 26 5 45 25 23 -2 46 25 24 -1 47 24 23 -1 48 19 19 0 49 14 25 11 50 18 25 7 51 26 29 3 52 27 29 2 53 19 24 5 54 22 20 -2 55 20 25 5 56 21 26 5 49 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Mean 21.89 23.82 1.93 Standard Deviation 4.26 50 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Appendix D: Interview Transcripts Subject 1 Interview 1 1. Me How do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 1 Pretty good. Me Good. 1 Yeah. Me So, like, do you say you're able to pick things up pretty quickly? 1 Yeah. Me Good. 2. Me Describe a time when you were struggling in my class. How did you feel about your ability to figure it out in the end? 1 Um, so, probably, last quarter, I needed, uh, I needed certain assignments that I needed to do, and I wasn’t here for that, and, uh so I was just confused about it, and I emailed you and you helped me out. Me Cool. 3. Me Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? 1 Yeah. Me In what ways do you think you have? 1 Uh, I know a lot more about DNA and molecules and all that. Me Okay. 4. Me Ummm, how do you feel when you’re in my classroom in general, how do you feel when you come in? 1 Uh, good, I mean it’s not boring so, I like being here.. Me (Laughs) Well, cool. 5. Me All right, umm. So how do you feel about putting yourself out there like answering a question, working in small groups, and socializing with others? 1 Good. Me Oh good. It’s a comfortable place to do that with? 1 Yeah. Me Cool. 6. [Question 6 was accidentally skipped]. 51 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 7. Me Ummm, what could be done by me, and you’re ok to say anything you want, um to make it easier for a student to figure out something when they don’t understand? 1 Uhhh, maybe a little bit more 1 on 1? Me All right, cool. 8. Me All right, um, has COVID-19 impacted you as a student? Have you struggled? 1 Yeah. Me And what has kept you from struggling? Or what has kept you struggling? Or, what has caused you to struggle, there, haha. 1 Uh well, uh, the beginning, I mean, I was happy because, I mean, we were going on break. And then in the middle of, I don’t know, it just got like, boring and just repetitive, assignments just getting thrown at you. And I just struggled with it a lot and I just didn’t, didn’t know how to get the assignments done or put them in on time, because there were just too many of them. Me Uh huh, yeah, I see that for sure 9. Me Okay, so your grade in my class last quarter was a D. Do you think that was influenced by the pandemic or does that kind of reflect what you normally have in classes? 1 Uh, reflects what I normally have in classes. But this quarter I’ve done a lot better. Me Yes you have, and I’ve seen that, and I’m really happy with how you’ve been doing. 10. Me All right, so what can I do as a teacher to help you continue through this tough, awful, COVID- 19-ey time? 1 Uh, maybe emailing me about more things, like when the cut off dates and that stuff is. Me That’s a good idea. All right, that’s and that’s all I had. Thank you. Subject 1 Interview 2 1. Me So, how do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? Has that changed recently? 1 Good. Me Good, umm, do you feel like you are capable of doing things you need to do here and everything? 1 Yeah. Me Cool. 2. Me .Me: Describe a time when you were struggling in my class, or any other class. When you were struggling, how did you feel about whether you were able to figure it out in the end or not? And did you ever figure it out? 1 My second quarter and I was trying to get my grade up in this class and I was struggling to get it up and then you helped me out and you said what I needed to do to get the grade up. Me So you went and asked for help from a teacher. Cool. 52 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Me Um, have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? Me Cool. Me Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? 1 Yeah. Me And what ways do you think you have? 1 Uh I know more about like I could look at a, and be like oh they don't they mutate like asexual or sexual, yeah, well. Me So, you're able to apply? 1 Yeah. Me Cool. 3. Me Um, how do you feel when you're in my classroom, just in general? How do you feel? 1 Good. Me How do you feel about putting yourself out there like answering questions and working in groups and asking questions and stuff? 1 Yeah, good. As well, I feel like learning in a group is sometimes fun. Me Cool. 4. [Question 4 accidentally skipped]. 5. Me Um, do you feel supported in my classroom when you don't understand something? Why or why not? 1 Uh, yes, because you usually help us. 6. Me Cool, what could be done by the teacher to make it easier to figure something out if you don't understand? 1 Nothing. Really, you seem like you have it down. Me Cool, all right. 7/8. Me Now, we're almost done. So, COVID has impacted a lot of people. Have you struggled because of COVID, are you doing better? How do you think you're doing there? 1 I struggled a little bit Me Cool, and you've been doing pretty poorly like the beginning of the year, but then you've just been doing really great. I'm really proud of you. Um, do you think, um, your influence, or do you think you're, what do you attribute your improvement to? 1 Uh, like the reasoning behind it? Me Yeah, so why do you think you got so much better this year? 53 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 1 I started to understand more like I started to like to think really think about it and like to not stay really behind because when I stay really behind I get very lazy. 9. Me All right, and then, last thing, what could your teachers do to help you get through this tough time? 1 Nothing. I mean everybody seems to have it down, so. Me Allright, well thank you. Subject 2 Interview 1 1. Me Will you tell me how you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 2 Good, because it's so easy. Me Good, good. 2. Me Describe a time when you were struggling in any class, it could have been in my class or any class. 2 Um, the whole semester, the first semester, when I was doing online. Me Mmm hmmmm, what do you think was the big struggle with the online stuff? 2 Just that I was online and that I wasn't in person with the teacher. Me Okay, so that teacher kind of helped. 3. Me Um, have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? 2 Yeah. Me Yeah? And in what ways do you think you have or have not? 2 Um, the ways is that I learned, like what I was doing online, I didn't really have motivation to do anything because, you know, staying home, it gets depressing. Me Yes yes, so you're saying that, like, in class you have, um, what word did you use? Did you use motivation? 2 Yeah. Me Okay. So you have more motivation when you're in the building? 2 Yeah. 4. Me Okay, um, how do you feel when you're in the classroom like in this classroom in general? 2 Mmmmm, I feel okay. 5. Me Okay, cool um, how do you feel about putting yourself out there in my class? That's something a lot of students struggle with like answering a question, working in small groups, socializing with others. How do you feel about putting yourself out there in this classroom? 54 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 2 Um, with answering questions, like out loud, is a little nervous, because I'm a shy person. But with groups, I like my girl….. [mumbles]. 6. Me Your group works well together. So, do you feel supported in class when you don't understand something? 2 Ummmm, no? Me Okay so what do you think could be done to to help you feel more supported? 2 Having the teacher explain it to me. Me Okay. 7. Me Um, what could be done by the teacher to make it under, uh, make it easier for a student to figure something out when they don't understand? 2 Um having the teacher do an example. Me Okay, so examples on the board and stuff? 2 Mmmhhhm Me Cool. 8. Me How is the COVID 19, you kind of mentioned this when you talked about being home that first semester, um,has it impacted you in any other way? 2 Uhhhh, umm, it made my grades drop a lot. Me Yeah, so it was, it was all your classes kind of? 2 Yeah. Me Yeah, so what made you kind of decide to come back? Was it your grades? 2 Yeah. Me Cool, cool, and did you have, like, anybody that kind of pushed you that direction? 2 Um, my parents and my friends. Me Mmmhmm, if you don't mind my asking, what was the reasoning? Did you, um stay home that first semester just because of the risk of covid and everything? 2 I wanted to see how things would go the first semester. Me Okay. 9. Me Okay, all right. So, um, your grade in my class this last quarter wasn't great um but you, you're pretty darn sure that was influenced by the pandemic. Um, do you think that has anything to do with yourself as a learner? 2 Yeah, um I'm a very lazy person. [We both laugh a little] 55 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Me I think we all can be. 10. Me Allright, so finally, the last question, you made it. What could I do as your teacher to help you get through this tough time? 2 Um, just keep doing the things you're doing. Me Okay, well thank you. Subject 2 did not attend the 2nd interview. Subject 3 Interview 1 1. Me So, how do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 3 Um what do you mean, like? Me Like, do you feel like you're a learner that figures stuff out pretty quickly and can kind of do it on her own? Are you a learner that needs a lot of extra help? Are you somewhere in between? Like, what's your learning style, maybe, in my class ? 3 I usually like working by myself most of the time, but it also kind of depends on, like, the people I work with. If like, like in a group but most of the time like, individual. And I think I understand things pretty well. Me Okay, cool. So you think you're doing a pretty good job? 3 Yeah. Me Good. 2. Me Um, describe a time when you were struggling in my class or another class. If you were struggling in my class, when you were struggling, how did you feel about your ability to figure it out in the end? What steps did you take to try and figure it out? Did you ever figure it out? What was the role of the teacher, if there was a role with the teacher? So kind of like describe… struggling. 3 Um, I don't really struggle in this class. This class is pretty good. My history class though, is very hard, and so I think last quarter was like, super hard. But I, because I was like, failing the class, but I had to do a whole bunch of my stuff even though it was like, super late and I had to do a bunch of like, extra research in order to figure it out. Me Yeah, and, um, what was your history teacher's role? Did they take a big role in helping you get caught up? Or did you kind of just figure it out on your own? 3 Not really, I think I kind of did it by myself. Me All right, thank you. 3. Me So have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? And you can say no. In what ways, um ,or why do you think you have or have not? 3 I think I have because I just like understand more. Like, about things because, like, you know just gaining knowledge in general. 56 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 4. Me Okay that's fair. How do you feel when you're in my classroom, just in general? 3 Like a good, um, energy I guess. It's like it's comfortable. Me So comfortable. A comfortable amount of energy. Not too much, not too little. 5. Me Okay. How do you feel, and this is like an important one to me, how do you feel about putting yourself out there in my class? Like, answering a question, or working in small groups, asking a question if you need help, or even socializing with people? 3 Working in small groups and socializing, I'm pretty okay with. I mean, I don't really like answering questions, just because it feels like a lot of spotlight on one person. But it's not too bad. Me Okay, and how about, like if you need help? Do you feel like you're okay asking a question that way? 3 Yeah. 6. Me Okay, do you feel supported in my classroom when you don't understand something? Why or why not? 3 Yeah, you make it very clear that, like, we can answer questions wrong, and it won't be like there's nothing wrong with answering it wrong. Me Okay, cool. 7. Me Um, what could be done by the teacher to make it easier for a student to figure out something that they do not understand? 3 Um, I don't know, really. Maybe providing more resources . Me Okay, like extra resources. Yeah. 3 Yeah 8. [Question 8 skipped]. 9. Me Okay, um, has learning in my classroom been made difficult by the covid 19 pandemic? 3 Um, I mean a little bit I think. But, I don't think a lot because we still do quite a lot of things. Me Yeah 10. Me Um, let's see and what could I do as your teacher to help you continue to get you through this awful pandemic-ey stuff? Um, I don't know. You're pretty good about being supportive of the students. Me well cool, and that's all the questions I had. So thank you so much. I needed this so thank you. Subject 3 Interview 2 1. Me All right, so how do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class now that we're done with the intervention and stuff ? 57 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 3 Ummm, I don't know. I think I feel the same. I don't think that much has changed. Me I was looking at your score on the intervention thing and you're right. Your mindset didn't seem to change that much. 3 Yeah. 2. Me Um, so still kind of the same thing. Any times that you've been struggling in my class, what steps did you take to try and figure out? Have you figured it out and what was my role in that? 3 Um, I don't really struggle in your class. Me There you go. Me Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? 3 Yes, um, because I don't know. Learning about science, I guess. 3. Me How do you feel when you're in my classroom, in general? 3 No, uh, I like your class. It's a comfortable environment. Me Comfortable place, I like it. 4. Me How do you feel about putting yourself out there, like answering questions, working in small groups, or socializing with others? 3 I think before I said that I didn't like it very much. Now I'm okay with it. I don't mind it. Me I thought that activity we did kind of opened a lot of people up. Uh, which one was it? It was the genetic disorder one that one seemed to open a lot of people in the room up a bit. So I thought that was pretty cool. 5. Me Um, do you feel supported in my classroom when you don't understand something? 3 Yeah. Me Cool, and why? 3 Um, because you make it, like, make us aware that it's okay if we mess up. Me Yay! 6. Me All right, what could be done by your teacher to make it easier if you don't understand something and you want to figure it out? Have I gotten better with this? 3 Um, I think having more time to answer questions. Me Okay, yes. I agree. 7. Me Do you think you’ve been able to do better, lately? Or is this COVD stuff just too crazy? 3 Um, I struggled a little bit. But I think it's just harder not being able to interact, I think. Me And has learning in the classroom been made difficult because of that? 3 Um, not really. In some classes, yeah, but like this class specifically? Not. 58 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Me Okay. 8. [Skipped Question 8] 9. Me And what could I do as your teacher to continue to help you get through this tough time? 3 Um, nothing.You do pretty good. Me Yay! All right we're good. Thank you for coming in. Subject 4 scheduled an interview and then moved out of the state without saying goodbye. Subject 5 Interview 1 1. Me All right. So, here we go, and be honest with me and open you don't have to worry about hurting my feelings or anything like that, okay? All right, so first off, how do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 5 I think that, like, how do I perform in the class? Or, like, how do I pay attention? Me Or, so how do you feel about your learning ability? Like, how you're doing? How well you pay attention? Just overall, like, do you think you're a good learner? A bad learner? Or, in between? 5 I think I'm a pretty good learner. Like, sometimesI just go home and I’m like, “Look, see how the water is sticking together? That's because of polarization.” My parents are like, “What is Funky doing to you? What is Funk doing to you?” Me Yeah, so you think you're a good learner because you hold on to concepts pretty well? 2. Me Okay, so describe a time that you struggled in my class, or if you haven't struggled in my class, a different class. So kind of think about that time, and think about how you felt about your ability to figure it out in the end. What steps did you try to take to figure it out? Did you figure it out ? And did your teacher have any role with what you are doing with your struggle? 5 Okay, um, I think when school gets dismissed is when it's the hardest. Because it's just really hard to stay focused and to get my work done. But I think what helped me was, like, I would set timers and alarms, and I would prioritize. And, like, if i needed help then I knew that I could email my teachers and they would answer my questions, which was nice. Me Awesome, thank you. 3. Me So, have you improved your science abilities in this class? And what ways do you think you have, or have not? 5 Um, I think I have. We've learned about a lot of new concepts and stuff. And so I think that's, um, I have improved with that. And also, like, uh, when we do experiments and stuff like, I've gotten better at working with other people and like doing all these experiments. Which is cool. Me Cool. 4. Me Okay, how do you feel overall, in general, when you're in my classroom? 59 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 5 Um, I have a fun time. I think it's fun. It's fun. Me Cool. 5. Me How do you feel about putting yourself out there in my class? Like answering questions, working in small groups, asking questions, or socializing with others? 5 Um, you know that I like to talk. Me Yes, I do. 5 People find me, and I think I feel pretty comfortable answering questions. Me Cool, so you're not, like, worried about taking risks and saying is it this? Or anything like that? 5 Yeah. Me Okay. 6. Me Um, do you feel supported in my classroom when you don't understand something? Why or why not? 5 Um, I think I do, because I know that you answer questions and you don't make me feel dumb about a question. So, that's nice. Me Cool. 7. Me What could be done by your teacher to make it easier for a student to figure something out if they don't understand? 5 Um, I really liked when you had like, when you have something visual that I can see. Because I’m a pretty visual learner. Like when you were having us all get tied up. That sounds really bad. [Giggles] Me I'm tying up my students, by the way. [Laughter] 5 But yeah, I remember that. Me Okay. 8. Me Um, let's see. You kind of talked about the COVID- 19 impacting yourself as a student. You said you struggled. Um, what has kept you from what has kept you from struggling too much? 5 Um, just that I like getting good grades, and I like learning new things. And so that kind of drives me to get my work done, even if I want to get distracted or feel like I need to do other things instead. Me Cool um, so I think we'll just go to the last question, because I think you're there. 9. [Question 9 skipped] 10. Me Um, what could I do as your teacher to help you continue to get through, like ,if we get dismissed again? Or through some tougher times? 5 Um, I think what you've been doing is awesome, because having being able to, um, communicate, especially during covid. Like, through email and stuff that's nice. And then lots of visual learning. I really like labs and tying students up, boy. 60 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Me So yeah, okay, well thank you. That's all I have. You helped me a ton. So thank you very much. Subject 5 Interview 2 1. Me Okay, so how do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? Has that changed recently? 5 Um, I think that I enjoy learning. I think it's cool. Biology is cool. I mean, it's so awesome. I love it. I'm such a geek. We all, um, yeah I think that you teach really well and so you make it easy to understand like concepts and stuff. Me So cool. So as a learner, you feel successful? 5 I think so. Sometimes I don't get stuck, but yeah. 2. Me Do you think you have the ability to figure things out when you are stuck in my class? 5 Um, so do you want a specific scenario? Or, like, what I did? Me You could just go with what you did with that. 5 Okay, yeah, so um let's see. Like when I haven't understood an assignment before, sometimes I like, try and do more research or look over my notes or I ask people. Sometimes, like, if I'm at home doing homework I just go take a break so I can refresh my brain and come back to it. So I'm good. I think that helps a lot. Me Those are good strategies, for sure. Me Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? 5 Well, I think I've got a better understanding of how a lot of things work. And it's really cool to, like, look at stuff (I'm geeking out right now) like, “See, whoa! This is how it's built. This is how it works. This is, you know, photosynthesis. This is so cool.” So, I think this class has given me a better understanding of science. Me Well, awesome. Yay! 3. Me How do you feel when you're in my classroom, just in general? 5 Um, I think it's a fun class. We do a lot of cool activities and labs and stuff. Me Do you feel good happy calm 5 Yes, yes, all of the above. Good feelings. Me Okay. 4. Me Um, how do you feel about putting yourself out there? Like answering questions, working in small groups, asking questions and- I feel pretty comfortable doing that. I think it's, like, a safe place because you know it's understandable if we don't understand stuff. That's why we go to school and still learn stuff. And so I feel comfortable asking questions and stuff. Me Yay. 61 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 5. Me Do you feel supported in my class when you don't understand something, and why, or why not? Um, yes. Because I know if I ask a question, you'll do your best to answer it. And give you examples and stuff. Me Cool. 6. Me What could be done by teachers to make it easier for students to figure something out if they don't understand? 5 Maybe, like, make it easier to contact teachers. Because, like, sometimes I send an email, but I don't get a response to like a month later. And like some teachers do that, some don't, but I mean, communication is very important. Me I agree. 7. Me All right, um, has COVID-19 impacted you? Do you think you’ve been doing better? 5 I think it's made it, like, when we were dismissed, it made it a lot harder to stay focused, and stuff, on my work. But now, it's, I mean, it's not that bad. Things are a little normal and you've adjusted. So I think it's okay. 8. Me You've been doing great all year. Um, do you think that has been influenced by the pandemic or not? Your grades and stuff? Do you think you’re up for the rest? 5 Um, not not a ton. Maybe like sometimes it was harder because of certain perfect precautions and stuff. But not very often. You persevered through. Me Golly. 9. Me Okay, last question. What could Ido as your teacher to continue to help you get through this tough time? 5 Um, be supportive. Have fun labs. It's great to come to class and be like, “Hey we're going to dissect the class today.” Me Yeah, all right. Well thank you so much. Subject 6 Interview 1 1. Me So, how do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class, so far up to this point? 6 I like it. I like this class. I love this class. Me awesome do you think you're a strong learner or kind of a medium learner or a weak learner. 6 Medium Learner. Me Okay. 2. Me Um, describe a time when you were struggling in here, like, and when you were struggling, how did you feel about your ability to figure it out in the end? 62 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 6 Well, I do understand half of the things that's going on but sometimes there's some, like sometimes I just don't really quite understand. But, um, I can figure it out, or I just can ask a teammate, Emily. Me Cool, yeah? 6 Yeah, she's helpful. Me Yeah, so working with your team is a really helpful thing for you to do. Awesome. 3. Me Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class, and in what ways? Why do you think you have or have not? 6 I have since I was doing it online. It was kind of challenging to mostly learn, but here I can just take notes and I can go back, and just check. Me Perfect. Yeah, so different ways of organizing yourself. 4. Me How do you feel in general when you're in my class? 6 Good, I feel okay. Like, I do learn in this class. 5. Me Cool, and how do you feel about putting yourself out there? Like answering questions, working in small groups, raising your hand, and asking a question or socializing? 6 Yeah. Me How do you feel about that? Do you feel like you can do that? Or do you feel a little nervous? 6 I feel a little nervous. Me Okay. 6. Me Um, do you feel supported in my classroom when you don't understand something? Perfect, and why do you? 6 Um, well feel supported. You and you're gonna explain stuff. And also because I have, you know, like, classmates that can just ask for help. Me Perfect, cool. 7. Me What could be done by the teacher to make it easier for a student to figure out something they don't understand? 6 Uh, you can, um, for me it's good. If I don't understand something, teachers just put, like an example, and I feel like that can, like, help me understand. Me Well thank you. That's a good suggestion. 8. Me Um, how has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you as a student? Have you struggled? 6 Yes, mostly, because I really switched, um, to you know coming to school. But I've been trying to handle it. It's been a little bit challenging, but I got it. Me Allright. 63 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 9. Me Do you think your grade last quarter was influenced by the pandemic? Or do you think this has something to do with yourself as a learner? 6 I feel like it was because of the pandemic. 10. Me And what could I do as your teacher to help? Can I continue to help you get through this tough time? 6 Um, if I have any questions, just love if you help me understand. Me Yeah, all right. Well, that's it. So thank you so much. Subject 6 Interview 2 1. Me Kind of frame these answers around how you feel today. So, um, I know we've been in class for a while, so your current feelings about class and everything. How do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 6 When I'm paying attention, I do hear it when, if I'm kind of awkward, and don't pay attention. Then I'm kind of confused or like, um behind, from like other students for right now. I am doing okay. Me Okay cool, I think you're doing really well this quarter. Especially, I think things have been going pretty good. 2. Me Do you think you have the ability to figure things out when you are stuck in my class? 6 Like a good time? Me Yeah, so like, just something you were struggling with. What did you do about it? 6 I asked, um uh, I asked him for help. He helped me out and that's what kind of like I started to understand, because I saw everybody working and I thought I was like behind and the only one. I didn't understand, so I asked a student for help and she helped me. That's when I started to understand everything. Me Awesome. Perfect, cool. Yeah, using your classmates. Me Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class this year Um yeah. I think I had like, the whole school year, like, and mostly taking notes. Kind of like, helped me a lot and helped me, like, memorize some of the things.. Me Found you learn some new strategies this year? That’s good. 3. Me In general, how do you feel in my class? 6 I feel comfortable. I always look forward to coming to this class. Happy in this class. Everybody's just like minds kind of their own business. Me Yeah that makes me feel good as a teacher, and this class has come a long ways. Because, I think at the beginning, this class was a little bit rough. But this, I think this class has come quite a long ways. 64 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 4. Me All right. How do you feel about putting yourself out there in class? Like answering questions, working in small groups, asking questions when you need help and stuff? 6 Like if I get called out like in class, I know I'm just gonna feel, like, very nervous. And, like, I know I'm not gonna, like, say the things I was planning on saying. But sometimes I just don't like being called out. But I do take notes from other big students. 5. Me Do you feel supported in my classroom when you don't understand something? 6 Yes. Me And why or why not? 6 Just because of the classmates and mostly because you know there's always, like, people to help. Yeah. 6. Me What could I do to be better at helping students when they’re struggling? 6 Um, to explain with, like, an example that students might understand. Me Okay. 7. Me Uh Covid has impacted almost everybody. You struggled this year because of COVID at the beginning of the school year. 6 Yes, because I was doing online. But since I switched back into person it started to like, things started to get better. Me Cool all right. Um yeah, you have improved, definitely for sure. 8/9. Me So, last question. How do you feel like you're doing? What could I do as your teacher to continue to help get through this tough time? 6 Be there for us. Yeah I mean, you already do that. Which is really great, and yeah, there's nothing really much about that. Me Well thank you so much. That helps out a ton. Subject 7 Interview 1 1. Me How do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 7 Um, I think, um I think it's easy to learn in this class because you make the curriculum easy. Me Okay, so you feel like that you're a pretty good learner in here? 7 Yes. 2. Me Okay, so I want you to describe a time if you were, um, struggling in my class. When you were struggling, how do you feel about your ability to figure it out in the end? What steps did you take to try and figure it out? Did you ever figure it out, and what was your teacher's role if any in helping you figure it out? 7 Um, I can't remember a specific time, but I know that when Brooklyn used to be in this class, we would like, collaborate and do the assignments together. So that we could join our brains and, um 65 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY and usually it was that was just it, um the assignments were pretty straightforward. So it was awesome. Me Cool, so you used, um, your team. Which is that, your sister 3. Me Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class, and what ways? Or why do you think you have no? 7 Uh yeah, um I have learned a lot. Um, and I'm like deeper into cells and um dna and stuff. 4. Me How do you feel when you're in my classroom, like, just in general how do you feel? 7 I like this class here, um. 5. Me Okay. thank you. Um, how do you feel about putting yourself out there in my class, like answering a question if I call on you? Or working in small groups asking questions or socializing with others? 7 Um, I forgot her name, but the girl who sits next to me, she's easy to talk to. And sometimes I'm nervous for the question, like of the cards, but, um, other times like it's okay. Me Yeah. 6. Me All right. Um, do you feel supported when you don't understand something in here? Why or why not? 7 Yeah, um, if I don't understand anything, I can just ask you. Me Okay. 7. Me Um, what could be done by your teacher to make it make it easier for a student to figure something out if they don't understand? 7 It can make it easier sometimes, messaging is the problem, but I haven't really messaged you much. Me So- 7 Oh yeah, because sometimes it's hard to get the teachers to respond if you need something. Me Okay. 8. Me Um, how has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you as a student? Have you struggled and how or what has kept you from struggling? Or has made you struggle or kept you from struggling? 7 I have struggled because, um, it's just there's so many distractions at home and it's harder to focus and um, it's fine. I also like doing stuff later, and so when I had to like, wake up for calls too, that was difficult because I'd like stay up really late doing a homework. Because that's, I don't know, my brain just worked better than like it would. Me Yeah, I mean we all kind of at home we're our own people. We have our own schedules and way of doing things so for sure. 9. Me Um, has learning in my classroom specifically been made difficult, um by the COVID-19 pandemic? Like was there anything that influenced you specifically in this class? 66 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 7 Not really. Sometimes like the websites on Kami is like, I think there was one experiment website that was just a little hard to figure out. But Brooklyn understood it, so she helped me with that. Me Cool. 10. Me All right, and last question. What could I do as your teacher to help you get through the pandemic and everything like that? 7 I think you're doing well and if, um, anything it's just it's not anything for you specifically. Me Okay, um, is there anything that you would like to see other teachers do? 7 Um well, not really. It's um, just like the messaging because sometimes that can be difficult and putting stuff like it's harder to understand. Then answering through a message too, it's like a lot easier to be able to hear it from them and like get, yeah. Me For sure, because in like. Sorry I didn't mean to cut you off. 7 Um, in person interactions. You can like see what their eyes are doing, and they can motion to things and use diagrams and stuff so. Me Definitely. 7 And the environment helps a lot. Like, having that order, like it's just school. You do work. Me I hear you. All right. Well, thank you. Subject 7 Interview 2 1. Me How do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 7 I'm learning a lot of new stuff and it's easy to learn in here. And, um, like I said last time the notes are really helpful. Me Good good. So, you feel pretty successful in here? 7 Yeah. 2. Me What about if you were struggling? Um it doesn't have to be in my class, but how did you feel about your ability to figure it out? 7 Um in my English I was struggling to get study skills done, because there's just a ton of reading. And I, uh, she was able to help me, and yeah. Me So did your teacher take the biggest role there to help you? Or did you have other, um, strategies that you used to uh, stop struggling? 7 Um, I just kind of tried to manage my time. Me Okay. 7 That was the biggest problem. Me Oh yeah. Well, in a lot of those classes it does take time to figure that out. Me Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? 67 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 7 Yeah. I've learned a lot and I've learned deeper into cells and stuff. And i've learned deeper into a lot of stuff. Me Okay 3. Me So how do you feel, in general, in class? 7 Um, it's a straightforward class. Me Okay, and do you feel comfortable? Happy? Do you feel energetic? tired? Like how, in general like, feelings wise? 7 Um, it's morning but, um, it's easy to wake up in this class because of your energy. Lots of energy. Me Yeah. 4. Me How do you feel about putting yourself out there, now? Like asking questions, working in small groups, socializing, answering questions? 7 Um, lately I've been like saying the answers more in class. So that's better. Me Okay. 5. Me Um, do you feel supported when you don't understand something? 7 Okay. Me Uh, why do you feel supported when you don't understand something? 7 Um, you just make it clear that you're there to help in case we need it. Me Cool. 6. Me All right on to Covid. Oh okay. Never mind. I skipped something, um. So you were saying that I make it clear that I'm always there to help. What could be done by the teacher to make it even easier for a student to figure something out if they don't understand? 7 I don't know. Maybe I'm not sure. Me That’s okay. 7. [Question 7 accidentally skipped.] 8. Me How has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted you? Um you, I know you mentioned, we've talked about this before, but do you feel like in the last few weeks, um the pandemics changed, like how it's impacted you? Or do you feel that's kind of stayed the same? 7 Yeah. Since we don't have the at-home learning anymore, it's way easier to keep, like be on track in class. Me Yeah, I 100 % agree. Being here has been helpful. Um so you feel like learning during the pandemic was mostly just made difficult by having to go back and do the distance? 7 Yeah, the distance learning thing. Me Yeah, um, do you think this had anything to do with yourself as a learner? 68 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 7 Kind of. Just because maybe it's more of a type of learning thing. Like maybe a visual or something. Me Okay. 9. Me How can I continue to help you get through this tough time? Me All right. Well thank you. Subject 8 Interview 1 1. Me How do you feel about yourself as a learner in biology? 8 Um, I feel that I've struggled in science classes before, and when I came into this class, first of all you as the teacher helped a lot. But, second of all, it's easier to learn instead of just learning basic science. It's easier to learn biology. Me Okay. Yeah probably just having, like a specific thing that we're looking at. 2. Me Okay, describe a time that you were struggling in my class. Um, when you were struggling how did you feel about your ability to figure it out? What steps did you try to take to figure it out and what was my role, if any, in helping you figure it out? 8 One thing I struggled with was probably when we were doing osmosis and diffusion, and I tried figuring it out and when I called you over you explained a lot. And then after that, I kind of just grasped the hang of it. Me Okay. 8 So, I was asking questions to get help. 3. Me Cool, um, so have you improved your science knowledge's knowledge and abilities in this class, and in what ways? 8 Uh, I've improved them on I'm just kind of more open-minded about science, and wanting to learn more about science. Me That's awesome. Like, curiosity is the first step in science, so that's great. 4. Me Um, how do you feel when you're in my class, just in general? 8 I feel like it's a nice environment, and that I'm happy to be here. Me Cool, that makes me really happy. 5. Me How do you feel about putting yourself out there in my class? Like answering questions when I call on you, working in small groups, asking questions when you need help? 8 Um, so like other classes, it's kind of like you feel like you'll be on the spot. Like in this class it feels like, it's just, you know everyone. You're friends with everyone, it's fine. Me Cool, oh my gosh, you're gonna make me cry. Because, this is like, my goal in life. This is like, great. 6. Me Um, so you feel supported in my classroom when you don't understand something? 69 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 8 Yes. Me Cool, and why? 8 Because you and everybody around. They just, like to help out and- Me Yeah. Third period is just such a special class. I love it. 7. Me What could be done by the teacher to make it easier for students to figure out something if they don't understand? 8 Probably a bit more one-on-one stuff. I know it's hard but like just a little bit more. Me Okay, no. I understand. 8. Me Um, how has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you as a student? Have you struggled, um, and how have you struggled? Or if you haven't, what's kept you from struggling too much? 8 I have struggled in almost all my classes and it's because when we go on distance learning teachers like to put a whole bunch of work on there. And also, they, I've had a couple teachers miss classes because they've been exposed. So then we have substitutes come in and I'm not really great on online stuff. So I kind of struggle and then I have to get it all turned back in. Me Yeah. Um how about ,uh my classroom? 9. Me In particular, your grades always been great in here. Um do you think that the pandemic has influenced your grades at all or do you think it has something to do with yourself as a learner? 8 In this class it's not really influenced my grades, per se. There have been a couple times where I've been online and I've been, like, struggling. But in other classes yeah, has because of just COVID itself. Me Allright. 10. Me Last question. What could I do as your teacher to help you through this tough time? With all this COVID-ey stuff? 8 I don't know. It depends on if you know English or not. But, um, just be supportive. Me Very supportive. Cool and that's important, important. All right. Subject 8 Interview 2 1. Me Okay, so answer as of, like, today how you feel, okay? So, how do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 8 [Mumbles, not recorded] 2. Me How did you feel about your ability to figure stuff out when you’re stuck? And not just for my class, or any other class. 8 So for English, English for example, I was struggling real bad the past two quarters, and I was having a hard time keeping up. Even with the teacher's help and with me, like, doing homework at night. And I finally was able to get past that by going to a couple tutors. 70 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Me Cool. 8 And so they helped me get through that. Me That's great. That is awesome. Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? 8 Oh for sure. I have. I could go on about a whole bunch of topics. LikeI’ve learned about cells and stuff, and stuff like that. Me Awesome, I'm glad to hear that 3. Me Um, how do you feel, in general, when you're in my classroom? 8 I feel like it's a good environment for me to learn and be in. Me Thank you. That makes me feel so good. 4. Me How do you feel about putting yourself out there? Like answering questions, working in small groups, and socializing? 8 Uh, not really my thing. But at the same time, it's cool to meet new people. Me Okay. 5. Me Um, do you feel supported in my classroom when you don't understand something? Why or why not? 8 I do feel supported because there's always people around that will help. Me Cool. 6. Me Am I any better at helping students to figure something out when they do not understand? 8 Your class is pretty self-explanatory, so I don't know. Me I’ll take that as a win for sure. 7. Me All right. COVID has impacted a lot of us. Do you feel like you’re doing better? A what's kept you from struggling too much? 8 I have struggled for sure, and it's just been with schoolwork, and transitioning, and stuff. And also the teachers are putting the assignments online for the distance learners and you're doing that same thing, and some of the instructions aren't as clear. Me Yeah for sure. Um. 8. Me I have struggled for sure and it's just been with schoolwork and transitioning and stuff and also the teachers are putting the assignments online for the distance learners and you're doing that same thing and some of the instructions aren't as clear 9. Me Let's see, what could you do, or what could I do as your teacher, to continue to help you get you through this time? 8 Just be supportive. 71 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Me Cool, hey, thank you so much. Subject 9 Interview 1 1. Me How do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class, maybe while you were like, now? 8 I feel like distance learning, it was a little bit harder because I couldn't really ask you. Like, like I couldn't, like, email you. Because you wouldn't like, respond right away, you know, because obviously you have your other classes and stuff. So I feel like it was a little bit harder, but like now that I'm in class, it's a lot easier. Because like, whenever I need a question, you kind of explain it to me, like in a way where I understand it a lot better. And like the teaching too, like it just feels like I understand it a little bit better when I hear you saying it to me in person, rather than just reading it. Me All right, so definitely better off in person. You feel more successful that way and would you describe yourself as like a successful learner in person, or a mid, or poor? 8 Poor learner. Probably mid. Mid, mid because I ask a lot of questions. Me Oh my goodness, girl! You know that's no problem! 2. Me Okay, so describe a time when you're struggling in my class. When you are struggling, how did you feel about your ability to figure it out? What steps did you take and did you even figure it out? And did you use my help, or not? Um like, in person or online, either. 8 I think I'm gonna do online. So like online, I kind of like when I would get confused, I would email you. And then I would just wait till you emailed me back and then I would try to figure out. Like how to, or like when we did the meet online that was a lot easier for me. Like when you broke it down to me and had me understand, I think. Me Yeah cool, and then, so in person, um, describe a time maybe you were struggling a little bit ? 8 Um, I was struggling, um, in this class a little bit when, like, when I first came back. I think it was, yeah, I had like a f, i think. Yeah, because I was like, struggling a little bit. Um, I don't really know how I was struggling. I think it was just like the whole coming back. And then. Oh, yeah. Me Yeah. Yeah, okay. 3. Me Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class? What way do you think you have or have not? 9 I think I have because, um like, with the whole genetic technology I feel like I like, actually know what's going on. And sometimes, I don't really like, know, I just like, go along or like, I just act like I know, but I don't really know. And then I feel like I actually know, like, and I actually understand what we're talking about, rather than just knowing the answers or memorizing the answers. Me Well, that's great. Like a deeper understanding. 9 Yeah. 4. Me So, how do you feel, in general, when you're in my class? 72 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 9 I feel kind of confident, because I feel like I understand this class a lot, and I feel like I can, like, ask you anything without, like, being scared or shy. You know? Me Awesome. Okay. 5. Me So yeah, related. How do you feel about putting yourself out there in my class? Like answering a question, working in groups, asking a question, and socializing with others? 9 Um, II think it's good. I think it's good because I'm kind of really shy, but that kind of helps me, you know, get out of my shell. 6. Me What could be done by the teacher to make it easier for a student to figure something out if they don't understand? 9 Um, I don't know. Me Allright. 7. Me Do you feel supported in my classroom when you don't understand something? 9 Yeah. Me Okay, and then, why or why not? 9 Um I feel I don't know. I just think I feel really comfortable in this class, especially like with the people that are in, like, the period. It's a fun group. They're like- Me Yeah? 9 Like, they're just really, like, comfortable. You know? I feel like they're not really judgmental. I feel like if I was in, like, a more quieter class I would be kind of quiet too, and scared. Me Yeah, I love that class. Yeah.Goofy and fun. Okay. 8. Me Um, so we kind of talked about the COVID-19. How has it impacted you as a student? Have you struggled on? How, or what has kept you from struggling too much? If you didn't struggle too much. 9 Um, well, I struggled a lot when I was doing online, because I was watching my brother and doing online at the same time. So it was putting a lot of stress on me and then my mom, like, realized that I was putting a lot of stress on me. And so then she was like, “I'm gonna put you back in person.” So then, we came back in person and it was, like, a lot better and a lot easier for me. And I think, like, with the whole COVID thing, it's okay, you know, because I feel like we haven't shut down, you know. Since I came back we haven't shut down. So I don't know. I feel like it's fine. Me All right. 9. Me And then, has learning in my class been made difficult by the pandemic? Um, so yeah, you didn't do very well last quarter. Do you think that was influenced by the pandemic? Or just like, by you being at home? Or do you think it has something to do with yourself as a learner? 9 I think it had something to do with me being at home. Just because it was a lot harder online than it is in person. Me Allright. Last question. 10. Me What could I do, as your teacher, to continue to help you get through this tough time? 73 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 9 Um, I think you're doing pretty good, honestly. Me Okay. 9 I don't really think there's anything you need to improve. Me All right. Well then, definitely ask me if you do need anything, okay? Subject 9 Interview 2 1. Me Just kind of answer based on how you feel about class as of now. So, like, currently so how do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 9 Um, I feel like I've learned a lot, actually. So, like, before I didn't know what kind of sperm was. Now I know I make fun of everybody. So it's an important piece of knowledge. 2. Me Describe a time where you were struggling in my class- 9 Like in this quarter or like just in general? Me T h i s quarter would be better. 9 Okay. Me And it doesn't have to be in my class maybe another class even 9 Um, something I was probably struggling with was the meiosis stuff. Oh yeah, but then I asked you, like, I asked you questions about it. And then you kind of just summed it up for me really easily, so. Me Well, awesome. So you weren't afraid to ask questions though, and that's what matters. Do you think you improved your science knowledge and abilities? 9 I think I have. I think I have, like, by understanding better. I think before I kind of would just try to get the answer right instead of, like, actually comprehending what I'm putting in there. I would just be, like, oh it's this and then just put it in there and now I kind of actually understand what I'm putting in. Me There. Well, it's good. You're starting to see, like, the big picture of the class and stuff. That's awesome. 3. Me Um, so how do you feel, like, just in general? When you're in my class, how do you feel? 9 I like this class a lot. It's really fun and I do feel like I'm learning a lot. Most of the time, so good. 4. Me How do you feel about putting yourself out there? Like answering questions, working in small groups, asking a question or socializing with others in my class? 9 I think your class has taught me how to socialize a little bit, because before, uh, like with Monica and stuff, I didn't really talk to Monica a lot.And then I was, like, kind of forced to because I had to get in a group. So then I was like, “Okay well, I'll just go talk to her.”And so then, that's like basically, yeah. Me Yay! Allright! 74 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 5. Me Do you feel supported in my class when you don't understand something? Why or why not? 9 Yes, because you always answer my questions . Me Cool. 6. Me Have I got any better at helping students figure things out when they don’t understand? 9 Uh, I think you're doing a pretty good job at that. So perfect. 7. Me So, before you said you were struggling, but you’re doing better now? 9 Yes. Me Yes you used to. But not anymore. 9 Not anymore. Me Awesome. So how have you, um, how have you gotten past these struggles? 9 Oh, I came to in-person. Me Yeah, I think that's been the number one help for everybody. 9. Me Um, okay so what, anything I could do as a teacher to help you get through the rest of the year? 9 I think you're doing great. Me Well, thank you so much. Subject 10 Interview 1 1. Me How do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 10 Um, I feel pretty good because it's really clear. But I am a really bad procrastinator, so sometimes it's really hard to get assignments done on time. Me Okay. 2. Me Um, describe a time when you were struggling in my class. When you were struggling, how did you feel about your ability to figure it out in the end, and did you ever figure it out? 10 I think, um, we did have a lot of work to do but if you're willing to ask questions and make sure somebody's telephone clarifies it for me. It really helps Me Cool. 3. Me Have you improved your science knowledge and abilities in this class, and in what ways do you think you have? Or why do you think you have not? 10 Um, I think I've expanded my knowledge on science because we actually get to do hands-on stuff. Even though it's been really hard this year, and we really get to expand what we've learned, and you're really good at clarifying. 4. Me How do you feel when you're in my classroom, in general? 75 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 10 I feel really comfortable because you're just, my classmates are free and really talkative. And I really enjoy that. Me They're a good group. You have a fun class. 5. Me How do you feel about putting yourself out there in my class? Like answering questions, working in small groups, asking questions, or socializing with others? 10 Um, sometimes it's hard. Because I'm scared I might get it wrong, but I just, if I, if I get it wrong there's always a chance that somebody could help me correct it. So it's always nice to ask questions, and be able to, uh, learn, and how do you say it? How do you explain it? Let learn and expand what your, your knowledge. Even if you're incorrect. Me Yeah. 6. Me Do you feel supported in my classroom when you don't understand something? Why or why not? 10 Um, I do feel very, very supported. Because I do have many good friends in this classroom who are willing to help me, and I do also have an amazing teacher who's really, um, really talk, really, uh, highly exciting. Very talkative and really knows how to explain things clear enough for you to get, understand, what you're learning. 7. Me Um, what could be done by the teacher to make it easier for a student to figure out something when they don't understand? 10 Um, I think me, personally, I have really bad times with packets and really long assignments. So maybe, sometimes, once for a while, short assignments would be really nice. So, yeah. Me Okay. 8. Me How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you as a student? Have you struggled and if you haven't, what's kept you from struggling too much? 10 Um, I think I've really grown my procrastination. Uh, I don't really like it. I, I, I do stuff last minute. Which isn't good for me, and i hope to not do that next year. 9. Me Has learning in my class been made difficult by the pandemic? You've been doing pretty good in my class. Got a pretty good grade. Do you think that was influenced at all by the pandemic, or do you think that has more to do with yourself as a learner? 10 I think it has more to do with myself as a learner. Even though there is a pandemic, you still have to take accountability for yourself, and, uh, be able to do the work in the assignments you're given. Because even if the pandemic is affecting you also, um your grace, and your future career life, it will also affect you. 10. Me And then what could I do as your teacher, to continue to help get you through this tough time? 10 Um, I think just being the way you are being. Comfortable with your students and not being too harsh or too lenient on them. I think that's really important as a teacher. Me All right. Well thank you so much. Subject 10 Interview 2 76 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY 1. Me How you feel about current class, um, and how you're feeling about your learning. So, how do you feel about yourself as a learner right now? 10 Sorta crappy right now. Me I have seen that happen in you. 10 Yeah, I'm procrastinating. I don't like getting things done until the last minute. Me I think, okay, um, do you feel like you're still capable and stuff like that? 10 Yeah, I still feel like I can do the work. Me Cool. 2. Me Do you think you have the ability to figure things out when you are stuck in a class? 10 Um, I have this class right now, the medical terminology. Uh, I didn't do, like, half the work and then like last minute I didn't pass her class. So, I had to figure out how I'm going to pass that class. So I emailed her and she told me to, like, just finish the book. And then, yeah, so that's how I figured out. Just by talking and communicating. Me Talking, communicating, was your, was your struggle due to like just procrastinating some more? Or was it more just that you didn't understand something? 10 Yeah, it was like the pandemic, and then not understanding all going on at one time. So it was hard. Me Okay. Have you improved in your science knowledge and abilities in this class? 10 Yes. Me And what ways do you think you have? 10 Um, I feel like usually when you're in science class they only teach you not as much. They don't really go into detail.So, it's fun going into detail, since you're only focusing on one specific part of science. So yeah, been pretty nice. Me Okay. 3. Me How do you feel when you're in my classroom, in general? 10 Comfortable. Me Comfortable. I like it. Okay. 4. Me How do you feel about putting yourself out there? Like answering questions, asking questions, socializing, or working in small groups? 10 Um, I like not talking too much, but I like answering questions in class and doing small groups. Me Cool. 5. Me Do you feel supported when you don't understand something? Yes. 77 MINDSET INTERVENTION IN BIOLOGY Coo.l 6. Me Cool, and what do you think that, what could be done by the teacher to make it easier to figure something out if you don't understand? 10 Um, I feel like everything right now is going pretty good. So, I guess continue doing that. Me All right. 7. [Question 7 accidentally skipped] 8. Me COVID. We were just talking about it. Um, you've mentioned, it's um, impacted you as a student. How has COVID impacted you as a student? 10 I feel like, um, I always think, “Oh I have an extra Friday since I'm not at school.” So once I realized that Friday is also a work day, I kind of try to take advantage of it. But oftentimes I just think of it as a weekend. So it gets harder for me to do stuff and then when midterms or something's coming up they're like, “Oh, why don't you take your Friday to do your work?” I'm like, “Oh I thought it was a part of my weekend.” Me Yeah I feel the same way about Fridays. I just don't feel like, Icome here and I'm just like, “I don't want to work.” 9. Me So let's see. What could I as your teacher help you to continue to get through this tough time? 10 Oh, nothing. I like the environment that I've built with most of my teachers this year. So it's been really fun. Me Especially with having masks on and not really seeing anybody's face. And it's been quite an interesting challenge. I think, I think Granger's done a really good job overall of making everybody still feel mostly comfortable, though. Subject 11 Interview 1 1. Me How do you feel about yourself as a learner in my class? 11 Um, I really like it because, like you're, like, um, I don't know. Like, I feel like your custom is really different from other classes I have. Like, it's more funner. There's a lot of joy. There's a lot of laugh, like it's not quiet. There's a lot of people talking. Like for me personally, I like a classroom that's quiet. But also like, really talkative. Like, I like sounds around me. So, like, I really like your class. Me Okay, so as you're learning in my class, do you feel like you're a strong learner here? Or do you feel like you're a weak learner, or in the middle? 11 I'm in the middle. Like, sinc