Development of an educational intervention prototype to enhance growth mindset and numeracy skills for elementary students who are at risk of mathematics
Abstract:
The purposes of this study were 1. to analyze the experiences and previous educational interventions results towards growth mindset and numeracy skills of at-risk students in mathematics 2. to design a prototype of an educational intervention that enhances students' growth mindset and numeracy skills based on students' experiences 3. to analyze the effects of the educational intervention prototype towards growth mindset and numeracy skills of at-risk students. Three phases of this study were applied the Design Thinking process as a research design. Phase 1: A set of data was collected through observation, semi-constructed interview and document analysis in order to analyze students experiences and previous educational interventions result in growth mindset and numeracy skills of at-risk students in mathematics. Participants were 5 students in grade 3rd who are at-risk in mathematics, 5 parents and 3 teachers. The result found the target students have never been provided with any educational interventions. Instead, they were provided with some tutorial sections. Students had been encouraged by parents to take an extra class after school while recently none of the students attended. 80% of the target students believed that they lacked mathematic skills. The teacher and parents also believed that intelligence is hereditary and there is the limitation of personal learning capability. Furthermore, the previous mathematics activities were not response to student learning. The students received negative feedback: as a result ; they had a negative feeling towards mathematics learning. Phase 2: Data of experience of the target students from phases 1 was used to define problems. Actionable problems have been ideated through focus group discussion by 4 purposive experienced teachers. Then, data from the focus group discussion was analyzed along with the theoretical prototype which is related to literatures and research in order to develop the educational intervention prototype. This prototype would be tested in the next phase. As a result, the prototype consists of 10 activities with 60 minutes each. Each session is divided into 3 parts which are Enhancing growth mindset, Math is fun and Empowering yourself. Phase 3: The experimental research design was employed to investigate the effects of the educational intervention prototype. Participants as a key performant were 3 at-risk students and 1 qualified teacher who was a prototype implementor. The result found that after the intervention, growth mindset of the target students had raised with a scored at 20.67 (SD.= 0.58). Besides, all target students had increased their numeracy skill score to reach over 80%. The user (teacher) reflected that the educational intervention prototype had various activities and could definitely improve growth mindset and numeracy skills of the students. Data from the testing phase can also assist the user in modify and develop a further intervention for those students.