ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF HEALTH, SOCIAL CARE AND EDUCATION How Do Able Male Students’ Implicit Theories of Intelligence Impact On Their Engagement With Challenging Tasks? An exploratory case study. LOUISE BROWN A thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Anglia Ruskin University for the degree of Professional Doctorate in Education. Submitted: August 2016 Acknowledgements I need to express my sincere gratitude to many people who have supported and encouraged me throughout my doctoral studies. The past five years have been a period of intense professional and personal development, which I could not have completed alone. Thank you to my supervisors, Dr Geraldine Davis and Dr Philip Howlett, for sharing their research expertise and providing encouragement throughout each stage of my doctoral work. Thanks also to Dr Phil Long, Dr Debbie Holley and Dr Hazel Wright for their advice. I am grateful to my teaching colleagues for their help during the data collection phase of my study and for their encouragement to keep going when I was trying to manage writing up alongside running the Biology Department. Particular thanks to Robin Bevan, Cathie Bates, Caroline Gaitley, John Hume and the staff of the Science Department. Special thanks to the students who participated in my study, and to their parents and carers. It was a privilege to work with such articulate young people who were so open in sharing their beliefs, values and perceptions. Finally, I dedicate this thesis to my family – Jeff, Jonathan, Cameron, and my Parents. Their unconditional love and unwavering support have sustained me every step of the way. (i) ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY ABSTRACT FACULTY OF HEALTH, SOCIAL CARE AND EDUCATION How Do Able Male Students’ Implicit Theories of Intelligence Impact On Their Engagement With Challenging Tasks? An exploratory case study. LOUISE BROWN August 2016 This study explores the impact of implicit theories of intelligence held by academically able, male students on their levels of engagement with challenging tasks. In my workplace, an academy grammar school, levels of challenge in lessons were raised to engage and motivate students, and increase academic attainment. However, some students responded negatively to the challenging tasks and underachieved in assessments. Using the model of Implicit Theories of Intelligence Mind-Sets as a framework, the aim of this study was to elucidate students’ intrinsic beliefs, values and conceptualisations about challenge, effort and intelligence. This new knowledge was used to inform school policy and develop classroom practice that supports students to positively engage with challenge. An interpretivist methodology was adopted and case study design used to investigate the research question. Twenty-one Year Eleven students in a GCSE Biology class completed a questionnaire to assign them as fixed or growth mind-set theorists. The students’ learning behaviours were video-recorded during two consecutive Biology lessons whilst they completed a challenging problem-solving task. Six students (three fixed and three growth theorists) were selected for interview. During the video-stimulated, semi-structured interviews, students recalled their experiences working on the challenging task and related these to their conceptualisations of intelligence. A more diverse pattern of mind-sets, learning behaviours, goals and concepts of intelligence was found than is predicted by the model. Five students combined fixed and growth mind-set associated beliefs in their conceptualisations of intelligence. Within the boundaries of the case study, the findings did not support a causal relationship between mind-set and response to the challenging task. An alternative framework of understanding that included negative emotional responses to challenge, perceived value of effort within the school and concept of scientific knowledge was constructed to characterise factors raised by the students who responded helplessly in the face of difficulty. Key words: Mind-sets; able students; case study; challenge; engagement (ii) Table of Contents Chapter 1 Contextualisation of my research………………………….……..1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Context and Rationale 4 1.2.1 A critical appraisal of my professional practice 4 1.2.2 Profession, professional and professionalism: A critical evaluation of my values and beliefs about teaching and learning 7 1.2.3 Reasons for undertaking doctoral research 12 1.3 Introduction to the research process 16 1.3.1 Framing a research question: drawing together context and practice within a theoretical framework 16 1.3.2 Reflection on the value of seeking critical feedback to developing a professional research approach 19 1.3.3 Practitioner led research: issues affecting research in my own classroom 24 1.4 Contribution to knowledge 30 1.5 Structure of thesis 32 Chapter 2 Review of Literature ……………………………………………..35 2.1 Introduction 35 2.2 Able underachievers 37 2.2.1 What is underachievement? 37 2.2.2 What are the potential reasons for underachievement? 39 (iii) 2.3 Implicit theories of intelligence (ITI): a model for understanding underachievement 46 2.3.1 Development of the model of ITI mind-sets 46 2.3.2 Empirical evidence supporting the model of ITI mind-sets 48 2.3.2.1 How do implicit theories of intelligence relate to goal orientation? 48 2.3.2.2 How does an individual’s implicit theory of intelligence and goal orientation relate to their achievement? 50 2.3.2.3 How do students’ epistemological beliefs relate to their goal orientation and achievement? 56 2.3.2.4 Qualitative studies 57 2.4 How has the model of ITI mind-sets impacted on school policy and practice? 65 2.4.1 Education theory and practice 65 2.4.2 The application of the model of ITI mind-sets to classroom practice and intervention strategies 67 2.4.3 The application of the model of ITI mind-sets to national policy 72 2.4.4 The application of the model of ITI mind-sets to school policy 74 2.4.5 The application of the model of ITI mind-sets to assessment 77 2.5 Conclusions 80 (iv) Chapter 3 Methodology and Methods……………………………………….81 3.1 Introduction 81 3.2 The Research Question 83 3.3 Methodology 87 3.4 Research Design 92 3.4.1 Case Study 92 3.4.2 Methods of data collection 95 3.4.2.1 Assigning students’ ITI mind-sets using the scaled questionnaire 95 3.4.2.2 Lesson Observations 96 3.4.2.3 Semi-structured student interviews 99 3.4.3 Data Analysis 103 3.5 Ethics 107 3.6 Chapter Summary 116 Chapter 4 Findings and Analysis…………………………………………….118 4.1 Introduction 118 4.2 Questionnaire results and analysis of lesson observations 119 4.3 Students’ interview responses about their engagement with the challenging problem-solving task 125 4.4 Summary and key points: students’ engagement with the challenging task 136 4.5 Students’ responses to questions about their ITI mind-set in the context of their experiences solving the challenging problem 139 4.5.1 Henry’s Story 139 4.5.2 Chris’ Story 141 4.5.3 William’s Story 143 4.5.4 Isaac’s Story 146 (v) 4.5.5 Adam’s Story 152 4.5.6 Nathan’s Story 155 4.6 Key findings: students’ responses to questions about their ITI mind-sets in the context of their experiences solving the challenging problem 159 Chapter 5 Discussion and Conclusions……………………………………...163 5.1 Introduction 163 5.2 Critical evaluation of the model of ITI mind-sets in the context of the case study findings 166 5.2.1 The role of goal orientation as an indicator of students’ response to the challenging problem- -solving task 166 5.2.2 Students’ conceptualisations of intelligence and how these affected their responses to the challenging task 181 5.2.3 Proposed framework for understanding the impact of students’ ITI mind-sets on their responses to a challenging problem-solving task 202 5.3 Impact of the findings 205 5.3.1 Introduction 205 5.3.2 Impact of the case study findings on policy and classroom practice at my school 206 5.3.3 The impact of the case study findings on wider educational issues and debates 221 5.3.4 The impact of using student voice on changing school policy and practice, and on sharing my research outcomes with others 232 5.3.5 Reflection on the impact of the case study on my professional development 239 (vi) 5.4 Chapter Summary 246 Chapter 6 Critical Evaluation………………………………………………..249 6.1 Introduction 249 6.2 Critical evaluation of the case study research design: methodology and methods 251 6.3 Critical evaluation of my role as teacher-researcher 265 6.4 Further Research and Development 275 6.4.1 Development of a growth mind-set culture at my school 275 6.4.2 Further Research 279 6.5 Concluding Statement 286 (vii) List of Figures 2.3.1 Summary of the beliefs and responses to challenge associated with the fixed and growth mind-sets predicted by the ITI model 46 3.4.2 Schedule of data collection stages of the case study 100 5.2.1 ITI mind-set associated achievement goals and behaviour type in response to challenge 169 5.2.2 ITI mind-set conceptualisations and rationales relating to challenge 184 5.2.3 Framework for understanding the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that impacted on the students’ engagement with the challenging osmosis problem 205 (viii) List of Tables 2.4.2 Summary of strategies used to promote a culture of growth mind-set in classrooms 69 4.2 Questionnaire mean scores, assigned mind-sets and observed behaviour type (positive engagement versus helpless responses) of the student selected for interview 119 4.6 Summary of students’ assigned ITI mind-sets, classroom responses. Goal orientations and ITI associated concepts