THE IMPACT OF TEACHER FEEDBACK ON STUDENT MINDSET IN MATHEMATICS

Many students who struggle while learning mathematics claim that they are not “math people” and are quick to give up when they encounter challenges. The purpose of this study is to explore routines and structures for different types of feedback to impact the mindset and motivation of students who struggle with mathematics. The findings of this study could inform best practices for math instruction to support struggling students and mathematics achievement. 

Making adaptations using improvement science and multiple PDSA cycles helped refine strategies to support struggling students. Multiple data sources - including math anxiety ratings, what make students feel successful in math, and confidence ratings - were collected from each student during each cycle. This study found that providing students with strategic resources, teaching them how to use those resources, providing individual feedback, and implementing peer-to-peer feedback effectively increased student motivation and confidence while learning mathematics. The data showed a shift in student mindset from success being defined by results to success being defined by students’ ability to engage in productive persistence. 

The mathematics curriculum should be revised to reflect the structure of performance tasks, which requires students to engage in productive persistence to solve challenging problems. Teachers should be equipped through professional development to help students believe they can learn math, feel socially engaged, believe the content has value, and learn skills for success. The recommendations in this study will help math educators create a more just, equitable, and inclusive educational environment where anyone can be a “math person”.