Academic behaviors and mindsets as student outcomes beyond test scores¶

Element · All elements
Evidence · 3 claims (3 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q3 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 3 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The paper treats a set of non-tested student outcomes — "a range of academic behaviors and mindsets other than test scores" — as important contributors to children's long-term success and as legitimate targets of teacher effects. The measured outcomes named in the summary are self-reported behavior in class, self-efficacy in math, and happiness in class. This outcome set functions as the paper's focal construct, contrasted throughout with math test scores.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Measures of these outcomes must be collected from students, e.g., self-reported behavior, self-efficacy, and happiness in class.

Constraints¶

• The paper's evidence concerns upper-elementary students and math-related outcomes.

Target Learners¶

• upper-elementary students

Target Learning Goals¶

• academic behaviors in class
• self-efficacy in math
• happiness in class

Claims¶

• Non-tested outcomes are predicted by teaching practices most proximal to these measures, including teachers' emotional support and classroom organization [+M]
• Teachers who are effective at improving academic behaviors and mindsets are often not the same teachers who raise math test scores [+M]
• Upper-elementary teachers have large effects on students' self-reported behavior in class, self-efficacy in math, and happiness in class that are similar in magnitude to their effects on math test scores [+M]

Related Elements¶

• Landscape analysis of instruments measuring learning strategies and student mindsets in middle childhood

Examples¶

• Promote a Growth Mindset in Math
• Growth Mindset Interventions
• Growth Mindset Feedback

Key Sources¶

• David Blazar, Matthew A. Kraft. (2015). Teacher and Teaching Effects on Students' Academic Behaviors and Mindsets. Working Paper 41. Cambridge, MA: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/teacher-and-teaching-effects-on-students-academic-behaviors-and-mindsets