CHAPTER 5
CAN I DO THIS?
In this chapter, four strategies are addressed to enhance
students sense of self-efficacy:
(1) Tracking and studying progress,
(2) Using effective verbal feedback,
(3) Providing examples of self-efficacy,
(4) & teaching self-efficacy
Tracking & Studying Progress
To develop a sense of self-efficacy, students can
track their progress and then examine the
relationship between their behavior and their
academic achievement. This includes:
1. Tracking academic progress over time
2. Setting personal academic goals
3. Examining effort and preparation
Tracking Academic Progress Over Time
Students can chart their progress on a specific
learning goal.
• For example, a Math teacher might have
students track how many problems of a
specific type they can solve in a specific
amount of time
• A Language Arts teacher might have students
track how many spelling words they answer
correctly on their weekly tests.
Percentage Scores vs. Rubric Scale
• Using percentage scores
works well when the
assessments address a
very specific skill like
spelling, solving math
problems, etc.
• Rubric scales are
preferred when learning
general knowledge.
• This is because
assessments that address
general informational
knowledge tend to focus
on different aspects of
that knowledge at
different difficulty levels
from assessment to
assessment.
Please see pgs. 118-119 for examples
of percentage and rubric scales/graphs
Set Personal Academic Goals
In addition to tracking their progress, students
can be asked to set personal goals for their
individual progress and strategize how they
would accomplish their goals.
Example of Setting Personal Academic
Goals:
Name: Avery DeMarco
My Goal: A score of 4.0 by the end of the unit
What Will I Do to Accomplish My Goal?
I will
work on my presentation of how heritable and nonheritable
traits affect each other for at least en minutes each night.
How Well Am I Doing?
I’m not keeping up with my plan
to work ten minutes each night. I have to stop watching TV so
much.
Examine Effort & Preparation
As the final activity, teachers can direct students
to track their effort and preparation along with
their academic progress. Please see pg. 121
table 5.4
REVIEW: Q & A
Exercise 5.1 - QUESTIONS
1. How does tracking student progress relate to
the growth theory of competence?
2. What does asking students to develop a plan
for their goal and tracking effort and
preparation add to the utility of having
students track their progress?
ANSWERS (found on page 178)
1. In school, students very seldom have the opportunity to observe their progress over time
relative to a specific learning goal in class. This might not automatically help foster the
growth perspective, but it does establish a foundation for interacting about the growth
perspective and the general notion of efficacy. As students observe their improving scores,
they can interact with the teacher and each other about the reasons for their progress.
2.
Adding these two components makes discussions of the growth perspective more concrete
and substantive. As students develop their plans and analyze their progress, discussion can
occur between the teacher and students about the characteristics of efficacy. Students can
be invited to share what they are learning about themselves and about the nature of
efficacy. As students progress in their understanding of efficacy, they can also report on
the changes in their behavior.
Using Effective Verbal Feedback
In this section, we look at the subtle but
important influence teachers can have on
students’ development toward the fixed or
growth mind-sets through verbal feedback
Types of Verbal Feedback
Feedback that reinforces FIXED THEORY- Teachers
should AVOID this type of verbal feedback
Feedback that reinforces GROWTH THEORY- Teachers
are encouraged to use this type of verbal feedback
• Stating that a student is
GOOD or BAD
• Telling a student that they
are doing better or worse
than another student
• Referring to intelligence:
“you answered all those
correctly, see how smart
you are.”
• You tried very hard on this, nice
job
• You put a lot of effort into this;
way to go
• You were very focused; keep it up
• You were well prepared, it sure
paid off
• You really thought this through;
this is excellent work
• You cam well informed; very good
• You were ready for this; nice work
Providing Verbal Feedback on a Task
Providing verbal feedback on a task that was
done poorly involves some of the same
techniques that are used when providing
feedback on tasks done well. For example, it is
always appropriate to comment on aspects of
the task that were done well. It is also
appropriate and useful to provide feedback on
aspects of the task that could have been done
better.
One last thing to Remember:
Verbal Feedback
The message should always be that if students
try hard and prepare well, they can accomplish
great things.
Providing Examples of Self-Efficacy
This section provides the reader with examples
of stories and quotes regarding the power of
self-efficacy.
Examples of Stories/Quotes to Share
with Students
Examples are given on pgs. 127-134
• Stories of people such as Will Allen; Suraya
Pakzad; & Roland Fryer
• Teachers can also use resources such as:
– Time magazine
– Kids with Courage: True Stories About Young People
Making a Difference
– It’s Our World, Too! Stories of Young People Who Are
Making a Difference
– Dare to Dream! 25 Extraordinary Lives
More Examples….
• Teachers can use clips from movies such as the
following:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Rudy
A Beautiful Mind
October Sky
Oliver Twist
Glory
Mr. Holland’s Opus
The Pursuit of Happiness
Apollo 13
Philadelphia
Babe
Reinforce the Growth Theory
Stories/Quotes/Movie Clips can all help
reinforce the growth perspective. Teachers can
relate the stories, etc. with the students own
personal projects. Teachers can also lead
students into discussions about efficacy.
REVIEW: Q & A
Exercise 5.3 - QUESTIONS
1. What is the relationship between stories and
developing a sense of efficacy?
2. How might quotations be used in ways that
stories cannot be easily used?
3. What are stories from your own life or lives
of people close to you that might inspire
efficacy in students?
Answers (found on page 181)
1. The concept of overcoming formidable odds to achieve a goal might be quite foreign to some
students, particularly those who have spent years operating from a fixed-theory perspective.
In such cases, students probably need concrete examples of the power of efficacy. Stories
provide those concrete examples.
2. Since quotations require very little class time, they can be used quite frequently as a brief
reminder of the power of a strong sense of efficacy. Additionally, they frequently stimulate
students to research the context in which the quotes were stated.
Teaching Self- Efficacy
Here the authors consider directly teaching
students about the two theories found in
Dweck’s (2006) research: the fixed theory and
growth theory. The teacher can do this by:
1. Distinguishing between growth and fixed
theories,
2. Having students identify their personal
theories,
3. Keeping the conversation alive
1. Distinguishing between the theories
Teachers can explain the research behind the
theories and should use the labels:
Fixed theory
Growth theory
A vignette teachers can use with students is found on page 136
Identify Personal Theories
Once the distinction between the two theories
has been made, students can determine
whether they have a growth or fixed theory.
Questions you can use with students are found on page 137
Keep the Conversation Alive
Once the distinction of the theories have been made and
the students have identified their personal theory, the
teacher can keep the conversation alive by using the
following statements:
1. How is your understanding of your self-theory
affecting you in school?
2. What insights have you gained based on your
understanding of the growth theory and the fixed
theory?
3. What are you doing to enhance your belief in the
growth theory?
REVIEW: Q & A
Exercise 5.4 - QUESTIONS
1. What are the defining characteristics of the
growth theory and the fixed theory?
2. What is the importance of keeping the
efficacy conversation alive?
Answers (found on page 182)
1. The growth theory is rooted in the idea that intelligence increases with effort-that we can
always get smarter by working harder. The fixed theory is rooted in the idea that intelligence
is a fixed trait- something we cannot really change no matter how hard we work. The
differences between these theories are profound because a student who believes he can
become more and more intelligent is far more likely to take on challenging tasks and to learn
from, rather than be embarrassed by, failure. Students who hold a fixed theory, however, will
likely shy away from challenges to avoid failure and will also likely shy away from putting in
substantial effort. For them, if you are intelligent then success should come easily.
2. Unfortunately, a fixed theory is one that tends to be deeply ingrained in students. Changing
from a fixed theory mind-set to a growth theory mind-set is difficult and time consuming.
Students with fixed theories need consistent reminders about the growth theory. They also
need consistent encouragement if they are to believe success both inside and outside the
classroom is possible.