Classroom mindset : a new model of student motivation in context

Student motivation is a key component of student success, and the classroom context is\ud known to impact motivation. The current research introduces a new model of student\ud motivation in context that focuses on the concept of a classroom mindset, or the implicit\ud message in a classroom environment that intelligence is either malleable or fixed. This\ud study tested whether middle school students (n = 75) perceived a clear classroom mindset\ud in their math classrooms, and whether this perception was related to their own mindset\ud for math as well as their perceptions of their classroom???s goal structures, autonomy\ud support, and feedback about effort and ability. Results indicated that the majority of\ud students perceived a clear classroom mindset, and that student mindset and classroom\ud mindset were highly correlated. The perception of a growth-mindset classroom was\ud linked to perceptions of stronger mastery goal structure, lower performance goal\ud structure, and more autonomy-support, and a structural equation model adequately\ud explained the relationships among these classroom context perceptions, student mindset,\ud and student goal orientation for math. Areas for future research and implications for\ud classroom practice are discussed.\ud Keywords', theory of intelligence, mindset, classroom context, achievement goals,\ud attributions, autonomy, self-determination theory, motivation, effort, abilit