Psychologist Carol Dweck, who introduced the concept of a growth mindset, explains that people with this mindset view their abilities as something that can be developed through learning, effort, and experience rather than something fixed (Morin, 2026). This idea matters in education because how students think about their abilities can shape how they respond when learning becomes difficult. A student with a fixed mindset may see a difficult task or a mistake as proof that they are “not good” at something, while a growth mindset encourages them to see that same challenge as an opportunity to learn and improve.
Having a growth mindset does not mean that everything will eventually become easy. It means being willing to try, make mistakes, ask questions, and continue when something is difficult. The classroom should be a place where students feel comfortable trying something even when they aren’t sure they will succeed. Sometimes a wrong answer can even lead to a better discussion because we can explore why it didn’t work and what we could try differently.
(Barlow, 2018)
Growth mindset also has to apply to the teacher, not just the students. Telling students to take risks and not fear mistakes means much more when the teacher models the same behaviour. Teachers don’t know everything, and we shouldn’t pretend that we do. If a student asks something and I don’t know the answer, I want to be comfortable saying, “I’m not sure, let’s figure it out”. If I make a mistake during a lesson, I can acknowledge it and correct it. Even when a lesson, activity, or new piece of technology doesn’t go as planned, I can model how to reflect, adjust, and try something different. If I want my students to be comfortable saying “I don’t know yet”, I have to be comfortable saying it too.
Technology can be a valuable way to put this mindset into practice. Platforms such as Kahoot!, Quizizz, Gimkit, and Padlet can create low-stakes opportunities for students to participate, test their understanding, and receive feedback without every response being attached to a formal grade. This can be especially helpful for a student who lacks confidence or is hesitant to raise their hand. Answering through a device gives them a chance to participate and make mistakes without feeling like the entire class is watching. Instead of being told to have a growth mindset, students get to experience what it feels like to struggle, practice, and improve. Over time, these small successes can build students’ confidence to attempt more challenging tasks and take risks outside the digital activity.
Embedding technology in this way also connects to assessment for, as, and of learning. A digital quiz, game, poll, or exit ticket can be used as assessment for learning, helping the teacher identify misconceptions and adjust instruction. It can support assessment as learning by allowing students to receive feedback, recognize what they need to work on, and try again. These low-stakes checkpoints help students build their understanding and confidence before an assessment of learning, when they are expected to demonstrate their learning independently.
As a future teacher, I don’t want students to feel like they have to walk into my classroom already being good at something to succeed. I would much rather have a student who is willing to try, struggle, ask for help, and try again. Technology can help create the low-stakes opportunities students need to practice while gradually building confidence in their abilities. At the same time, teachers have to hold themselves to the same standard by trying new approaches, accepting feedback, and learning from mistakes. Growth mindset should not just be something written on a classroom poster. Students should experience it in how they are taught, assessed, and encouraged to learn.
Here are some articles that help us learn to foster growth mindset in the classroom:
https://thirdspacelearning.com/us/blog/develop-growth-mindset-elementary-classroom/
https://www.thetambellinigroup.com/digital-tools-and-the-growth-mindset-fostering-lifelong-learners/
Here are some tools that assist student learning:
Kahoot: https://kahoot.com/en-GB/
Gimkit: https://www.gimkit.com
Blooket: https://www.blooket.com
Quizzizz: https://webflow-dev.quizizz.com/homepage-au?lng=en
Padlet: https://padlet.com
References
Barlow, T. (2018). Growth mindset: The Power of yet. Tom Barlow Online. https://tombarlowonline.com/growth-mindest-the-power-of-yet/
Growth Mindset vs. fixed mindset: Understanding the path to success. (n.d.). Explore Your Reality. https://www.exploreyourreality.com/growth-mindset-vs-fixed-mindset/
Morin, A. (2026). What is growth mindset?. Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/growth-mindset
OliviaL@NUO
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