Maintenance Technology October 2015 - (Page 4)

MY TAKE Develop Growth Mindsets A Jane Alexander Managing Editor 4| increase their intellectual abilities, they did better. nguishing over how and where industry Finally, we found that having children focus on can get workers for hundreds of thousands the process that leads to learning (like hard work of STEM-related jobs now and in the or trying new strategies) could foster a growth future has become almost an obsession for mindset and its benefits." me. Really. But then, I sense that some of you may In Dweck's opinion, however, a growth mindset be similarly preoccupied. And why not? Rarely a isn't just about effort. That's a common misconcepday goes by without reading or hearing some news tion. While effort is certainly a significant factor in story or first-person account about the current or achievement, it's not the only thing. As she put it, projected impact that the technical-skills gap poses "Students need to try new strategies and seek input for operations-or experiencing it for ourselves. from others when they're stuck. They need this Writing in these pages almost 10 years ago, repertoire of approaches- contributing editor Bob not just sheer effort-to Williamson was spot on learn and improve." when he predicted that this An example of her workforce crisis would grow referenced "input from increasingly worse-much, others" is shown in a short much worse-before it got and sweet, yet thoughtbetter. Alas, despite the provoking, graphic in the efforts of many people, instiResearch has shown that students' Education Week article. It tutions, organizations, and mindsets, (i.e., how they perceive sums up several ways to businesses the world over, their abilities), play a key role in their encourage students using we're still sucking wind. motivation and achievement. Imagine a "growth" versus "fixed" Based on my own the effect that can have on a child's mindset vernacular. As experience as a mother and interest in STEM-related educational many of us have learned, grandmother, I've often and career pursuits. how we "say" things is of written that capturing the enormous importance with hearts and minds of children young people. All adults early on with regard to (parents, educators, employers, and others) would STEM pursuits-in elementary school, if not be wise to take this advice to heart. earlier-is crucial. In my ongoing hunt for informaFor instance, saying to a fifth-grader who might tion to back up that opinion, I recently stumbled be struggling with a long-division problem, "Not on an online Education Week (edweek.org) article everyone is good at math, just do your best," isn't by Carol Dweck, published in print as "Growth helpful from a growth-mindset perspective. A more Mindset, Revisited." It's a good read. effective approach would be to say, "When you In this piece, Dweck, the author of Mindset: The learn how to do a new kind of problem, it grows New Psychology of Success, (Ballantine Books, 2007) your math brain." referred to her past research that found students' I urge you to read the entire Dweck article for mindsets, i.e., how they perceive their abilities, play yourself, and adopt a "growth-mindset" stance a key role in their motivation and achievement. when it comes to any students in your life. MoreThis research also found that changing their mindover, please encourage others, including those who sets could boost students' levels of achievement. educate our children, regardless of age, to do so as "More precisely," Dweck wrote, "students who well. Carol Dweck wrote that she and her colleagues believed their intelligence could be developed (a are on a "growth-mindset journey." We all should growth mindset) outperformed those who believed join her. MT their intelligence was fixed (a fixed mindset). And when students learned through a structured program that they could 'grow their brains' and jalexander@maintenancetechnology.com MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY OCTOBER 2015 http://www.edweek.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maintenance Technology October 2015

My Take
Uptime
For on the Floor
Industry News
Crushing Limestone with Reliability
Choose Reliability or Cost Control
Get To The Root of the Cause
Select the Right Safety Logic System
Simple Purchasing Practices Incite Lubrication Failure
CMMS Upgrade Tips
Pump-Bearing Alignment
Lockout/Tagout Advice
Advancing Ergonomics
Products
Showcase
Ad Index

Maintenance Technology October 2015