Growth mindset and motivation: a study into secondary school science learning

Abstract

Motivation in science in school is a national issue but is often overlooked in educational reform (Usher, A., and N. Kober. 2012. Student motivation – An overlooked piece of school reform. Centre on Education Policy, Graduate School of Education and Human Development. The George Washington University). Despite new curriculum content reforms in England to promote education and uptake, science remains an area of concern (Department for Education. 2015. 2010 to 2015 government policy: school and college qualifications and curriculum. Accessed October 27, 2016 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-school-and-college-qualifications-and-curriculum/2010-to-2015-government-policy-school-and-college-qualifications-and-curriculum; Department for Education. 2016. Revised A level and other level 3 results in England, 2014/2015. Accessed August 15, 2016 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/502158/SFR03_2016__A_level_and_other_level_3_results_in_England_SFR_revised.pdf. This article explores students’ lack of motivation towards studying science and strategies to enhance motivation in a secondary school academy with students aged 14–15 years of age. The quasi-experimental research design used qualitative and quantitative methods analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings suggest that the motivational factors most lacking in students are task value, self-efficacy and self-regulation. The intervention programme had significant impact on the students involved in the study and suggests the need to move towards a growth mindset style of teaching that makes science relevant to everyday life.

Keywords:

• Mindset
• motivation
• science
• task value
• self-efficacy
• self-regulation

Acknowledgements

I thank Professor Carol Evans for her continued support and assistance during the writing of this article as well as Dr Andri Christodoulou and Dr Nasser Mansour who have provided comments and feedback that have greatly improved the work.

Notes

1. In the UK education system, students are set predicted GCSE targets based on their KS2 data from assessments at primary school. These levels range from Level 1 to Level 6, Level 6 demonstrating the highest attainment. Those students entering secondary school with a Level 5A are deemed to be capable of making the most progress and are therefore set higher targets, achieving four levels of progress. Those students entering with a level below this would be expected to make three levels of progress during secondary school and therefore have lower GCSE targets. This levelling system was removed by the UK government as part of the education reform in 2014 (Department for Education 2015).