Using Goal Setting Assignments to Promote a Growth Mindset in IT Students

This paper explores how goal-setting activities in a course were used to promote a growth mindset in students. Research shows many benefits for students with a growth mindset that emphasizes learning and addressing challenges by focusing on effort and process rather than judgments about success or ability. Activities designed to prompt students to improve general skills that would make them better students and prepare them to be lifelong learners were introduced in two upper level IT courses. The activities were designed to promote a growth mindset by focusing on the efforts made and processes used rather than the outcomes. Assessment of the activities found that students demonstrated a growth mindset in their work, saw clear value in the activities, and made progress in improving specific skills.