Growth mindset interventions improve academic performance but not mindset in biochemistry

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Student self-beliefs, specifically mindsets, significantly impact academic achievement.
• Growth mindsets, where abilities are seen as malleable, correlate with higher grades and persistence.
• The effect of mindsets on learning in college-level biochemistry remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of metacognitive interventions on promoting growth mindsets in undergraduate biochemistry students.
• To evaluate changes in student mindset, learning attitudes, and academic performance.
• To determine if interventions improve critical thinking skills assessed in a biochemistry course.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods study design was employed over four semesters.
• Third and fourth-year undergraduate students in a Biochemistry survey course participated.
• Metacognitive interventions were implemented to foster a growth mindset.

Main Results:

• Student mindsets did not significantly change due to the interventions.
• Interventions led to increased positive perceptions of learning over performance.
• Students receiving interventions significantly outperformed the control group on a critical thinking exam.

Conclusions:

• Metacognitive interventions can enhance academic performance in biochemistry, particularly in critical thinking.
• While direct mindset shifts may not occur, interventions positively influence learning attitudes.
• These strategies offer a valuable tool for improving student outcomes in science education.