Fostering a Growth Mindset in Teachers and Learners (PD+)

Fostering a Growth Mindset in Teachers and Learners examines the foundations of growth mindset and its application to professional reflection, instructional practice, classroom culture, assessment, motivation, and educator sustainability. Participants explore the differences between fixed and growth mindset beliefs, reflect on teaching practices that support professional collaboration and shared learning, and examine how lesson planning, constructive feedback, classroom design, and teacher language can foster persistence, resilience, and positive responses to challenges in K–12 learning environments.
Throughout the course, participants apply growth mindset principles through activities, assessments, and assignments that produce practical resources for their own classrooms or educational settings. Participants select instructional and feedback strategies, design assessment practices that support learner agency and reflection, examine the role of relationships, goal setting, and motivation, and develop strategies for engaging students, families, colleagues, and other stakeholders. The course also emphasizes educator self-care and sustainability, guiding participants in creating resources and plans that help teachers, school leaders, and learners maintain a positive growth mindset over time.

Enrollment, Delivery, and Completion Information 

• EDUC 5598PLinks to an external site.:  Fostering a Growth Mindset in Teachers and Learners
• Credits: 1.5 semester credit hours (letter grade A-F)
• Enrollment Type: Open enrollment with self-registration
• Completion Timeframe: 120 days from the date of enrollment
• Delivery Format: Fully online
• Purpose: K-12 professional development recertification requirements
  
  

Recertification and Professional Advancement Statement

Successful completion of this course results in a letter grade and semester credit hour from Idaho State University. As a graduate 5000-level course aligned to Idaho State University’s Graduate Catalog EDUC 5598PLinks to an external site., the course includes engagement with a faculty member and a K–12 practitioner and is designed to support professional learning and implementation in educational settings. Learners enroll as non-matriculated students, and earned grades and semester credits are recorded on an ISU non-academic transcript endorsed by the university Registrar. Applicability of this course toward K–12 teacher license renewal, recertification, salary lane advancement, or other professional advancement is determined by the relevant state board of education, licensing authority, school district, human resources office, collective bargaining agreement, or other approving entity.

Student Expectations

To earn semester credit and a letter grade in this course, students must complete the course in full and engage at the level of rigor expected in a university course. The course includes academically engaged learning through readings, lectures, videos, discussions, applied activities, assignments, and assessments. Successful completion requires consistent participation and satisfactory performance on graded coursework.

Students must:

• Spend the time necessary to complete all assigned learning materials, activities, assignments, and assessments in support of the course learning outcomes
• Demonstrate thoughtful and substantive engagement by applying course knowledge through high-quality, timely work that produces practical strategies, tools, resources, or artifacts ready for use in educational settings
• Engage with instructor feedback, where applicable
• Successfully complete all graded requirements necessary to earn semester credit and a final letter grade

Required Materials and Technology

Students must have regular access to a reliable laptop or desktop computer capable of loading and running standard software.

The computer must support word processing, presentation tools, file downloads and uploads, data review, and multimedia tasks such as viewing videos, recording audio or video, and participating in web conferencing.

The learning management system supports mobile devices, but mobile access should be considered supplemental only. Mobile devices may limit a student’s ability to complete assignments successfully, particularly those involving file handling, multimedia creation, lesson plan development, or other course activities.

An up-to-date browser on any computer or device is required, along with a reliable internet connection.

General Technology Hardware for Online/Hybrid Courses - ISU Help DeskLinks to an external site.

No textbook purchase is required for this course.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

Analyze the differences between fixed and growth mindset beliefs and identify reflective teaching practices and professional learning strategies that support growth mindset development, collaboration, and shared learning.

Select instructional, feedback, classroom design, and teacher language practices that foster learner growth, persistence, resilience, and positive responses to challenge.

Design assessment practices and explain the role of relationships, goal setting, and motivation in supporting learner agency, reflection, and growth mindset development.

Develop relationship-building strategies and create self-care resources that support educators, learners, families, colleagues, and school leaders in sustaining a positive growth mindset over time.

Course Deliverables & Takeaways

Learner Developed 

Growth Mindset in Practice - A Professional Toolkit for Learners, Educators, and School Communities: Cumulative course toolkit with a collection of professional resources, strategies, reflection tools, planning documents, communication supports and sustainability resources designed to be ready to use within your own educational setting. Some artifacts include: 

• Mindset Foundations and Shift Plan 
• Professional Reflection and Collaboration Strategy 
• Assessment for Growth and Learner Agency Resource 
• Learning Environment and Teacher Language Audit 
• Educator Self-Care and Sustainability Resource

Course Provided

• Realistic Reflection Rhythm Implementation Guide: A guide that provides realistic reflection rhythms to include brief daily reflection, focused weekly review, and a deeper monthly reflection with sample reflection calendars and a 4-week template. 
• Growth Oriented Lesson Plan Structure: A structure that can be used within lesson plans and instructional design that intentionally makes growth visible, supported, and actionable for students throughout the learning experience. 
• Growth Mindset Sustainability Planning: Planning document to assist educators in the creation of a growth mindset practice which aims to protect a selected mindset, response, or professional capacity indicator.

Units

Assignments and Grading

As a credit-bearing course, grading emphasizes knowledge acquisition, meaningful engagement, and the development of practical tools and artifacts that can be implemented in real educational settings.

Final Artifact– 100%

Create a professional-quality implementation artifact that demonstrates your understanding of the course content and your ability to apply it in practice. The final artifact should synthesize learning across all 8 units and result in a comprehensive toolkit, plan, framework, resource set, or other professional-grade product that is ready to use in your educational setting. The project should reflect both knowledge mastery and practical application and be appropriate for use by a K–12 teacher or administrator.

Projects are assessed for clarity, accuracy, depth of understanding, alignment with course concepts, professional quality, and readiness for implementation in an educational setting. Final submissions should demonstrate the level of rigor expected of university coursework and be suitable for review in professional or accreditation contexts

Projects are assessed on clarity, accuracy, connection to course concepts, and appropriateness for course level.

Grading Scale: ISU grading policyLinks to an external site.

• A = 90–100%
• B = 80–89%
• C = 70–79%
• D = 60–69%
• F = below 60%

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to follow institutional policies on academic honestyLinks to an external site.. Plagiarism, cheating, or misrepresentation of work undermines learning and will result in appropriate consequences as defined by university policy. If you are unsure whether something is acceptable, ask before submitting work.

Accessibility and Disability Services

The university is committed to providing an accessible learning environment. If you have a documented disability and need accommodations, contact the Disability Services office Links to an external site.as early as possible to ensure that reasonable accommodations can be arranged. Students without documentation who believe they may have a disability or learning difference are encouraged to consult Disability Services about evaluation options and campus resources.

Classroom Climate and Respect

This course addresses topics related to disability, learning differences, and personal experiences. Students are expected to maintain a respectful, supportive environment, keep classmates’ stories confidential, and listen with openness and empathy. Disagreement is normal, but it should be expressed respectfully.