EDDG meeting – Confidence and Well-being 10/12/08
There was a very interesting and lively debate around the issues raised at the FERRN Seminar in Glasgow last week. I’ve highlighted some of the areas that may be worth investigating further, either through further workshops and learning and teaching days, or small scale research within the college.
FERRN Winter seminar
The confident and resilient learner
Work of Carol Craig and Emily Cutts:
Lack of evidence that a focus on boosting self-esteem is meaningful. Research in USA shows practice by teachers and parents to raise self-esteem in young people has encouraged too much self-absorption and contributed an increase in depression.
Teachers tend to : praise individuals too much (inappropriate) , restrict competition, giving everyone praise and recognition, don’t give negative feedback, give grades that are aspirational, restricting opportunities to fail. This can result in students who become over focussed on themselves.
High self-esteem can be a problem !
A focus on confidence , resilience (psychological immune system) and mind-sets is more appropriate and ‘successful’. Important to use negative experiences. Bad feelings have a purpose – galvanise us to do things differently.
Research in Glasgow and Napier– mindsets (fixed and growth)
Small interventions (4 ten minute sessions on mindsets, and altering feedback sheets) can improve academic performance and possibly retention. This is something we could develop and introduce.
Links to goal setting, motivation, giving feedback, tutorial work , induction, personal planning .
Further information on confidence, well-being and mind-sets is available from www.centreforconfidence.co.uk
Handout research : Emma Clays and Kyle Smith (Perth college)
This research examined the outcomes of using formatted and unformatted texts with students studying Higher English. The students who had been given unformatted text did better in tests. This related to content and structure, with students writing in sentences and paragraphs rather than bullet points.
If you would like to find out more about this research and possibly be involved in a small-scale research with your own students then email or phone me.
Karen Lawson
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2 comments:
I have found some interesting websites on the subject of mindsets, in particular about mindset testing.
Here they are:
http://www.prlog.org/10017011-learn-to-become-better-communicator-by-taking-free-two-minute-mindset-test-at-actualme-com.html
http://michaelgr.com/2007/04/15/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindset-which-one-are-you/
http://www.open.ac.uk/skillsforstudy/identifying-your-mindset.php
If anybody finds any useful material on this topic, please post the links here.
Thanks
Dieca
Information from Dave MacKay
Creating Confidence – 18th November 2008
Presenter – Brian Waddell, Careers Scotland
The underlying theme of this presentation was looking at “confidence in relation to the delivery of careers guidance” in relation to Brian’s’ assignment with the Centre of Well Being and Confidence
Agenda
1. Positive psychology
2. Confidence
3. Well being and paradox of choice
4. Mindset and the psychology of learning
5. Flow and Creativity
Time restrictions meant that item 4 was not covered.
Psychology has three aims: -
1. Understand genius
2. Understand and lead better/ more meaningful life
3. Understand and cure mental illness
There has been an emphasis on 3, which has resulted in positive emotions being played down. Between 1887 and 2000, the vast majority of publications have been in relation to mental health – ratio 21:1 MH to “happiness” publications.
This negativity bias can also be attributed to:-
• Evolution – flight or fight
• Tendency to remember –ve rather than +ve
• News Reporting – emphasis on bad
• More aware of threats rather than opportunities
Negative memories tend to be societal (e.g. wars) and a more narrow range of thoughts,
Positive memories are more individual based (a good holiday)
1. Positive Psychology - the work of Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
Defined as being the “science of optimal human functioning”
It focuses on happiness, well being and positive characteristics like strengths.
Seligman’s argues that a “strengths approach” –
• Encourages insight
• Generates optimism
• Sense of direction
• Sense of vitality
• Achieves goal
Careers Scotland tends to look at “strengths” as: -
• Talents
• Skills
• Knowledge
Missing from the above are: -
• Characteristics
• Personality traits
(When asked what our strengths are, these are the areas that we tend to emphasise)
The authentic happiness website has an on line questionnaire that identifies 5 or 6 top strengths from 24 signature strengths defined by Seligman. Could be used with clients
http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx
2. Confidence
Definition of confidence - Carol Craig, Centre for well being and Confidence -
Confidence = Self Efficacy (Self Belief) + Optimism
Carol Craig distinguishes between self belief and self esteem. Self Esteem is a combination of genetic and parenting. An inflated self esteem can lead to problems when the individual realises that their actual ability/influence is less than they had believed.
Self Belief can be changed by (a) past performance, (b) vicarious experience and (c) verbal persuasion.
Optimism –Seligman attributes 50% of this as being genetic, therefore, external factors can affect levels of optimism. It can be taught/learned (CBT –Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
3. “Well Being - paradox of choice” –Barry Schwartz
Briefly covered. Too much choice can cause stress, examples given at presentation included: -
Starbucks (87K different types of coffee), telephone systems, salad dressing (!), jeans
• MCMC– aim for better quality options, but fewer of them
5. Flow and Creativity
“Flow” – described as “state of performing task that do not notice time passing”. This is experienced by 90% of people at some time. This is an area that needs to be investigated more fully as has obvious implications for career choice.
“Creativity” – see Sir Kenneth Robinson at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
Resources
http://www.centreforconfidence.co.uk/ BW recommends that we register and get updates
Paradox of Choice - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6XEQIsCoM
Sir Kenneth Robinson - http://www.sirkenrobinson.com/
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