LEARNING HOW TO LEARN:

THE GROWTH MINDSET FOR

LEARNING

PRESENTED BY DR. OLIVE SABIITI, THE DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR (ACADEMIC

A F FA I R S ) O N M O N D AY 2 6 A P R I L 2 0 2 1
L E C T U R E T I M E F O R B B A & D B A S T U D E N T S AT C A V E N D I S H U N I V E R S I T Y U G A N D A
 WHAT A RE OUR
LEARNING GOA LS
TODAY?
By the end of this presentation, you (students)
should be able to:
• Discuss the meaning and importance of “learning how to learn”
• Explain the concept of MINDSET
• Differentiate between the growth mindset and fixed mindset
• Critically analyse the relationship between mindset and learning
• Trigger and spur your brain growth by changing the voice in your
head and your actions
• Explain how to develop a growth mindset
 LEARNING HOW TO LEARN- WHAT IS IT AND WHY IS IT
IMPORTANT?
• “Learning How to Learn”, covers the science of learning so you can optimise the way you go about
studying, understanding, and using novel (new) material.

Learning how to learn covers many aspects such as:

• Our brain, as any other muscle can be trained, and can grow
• The “focused” and “diffused” modes of the brain
• The importance of sleep and exercise to learning, avoiding procrastination (the Pomodoro technique),
chunking, process vis –a- vis product.

The why?
• We are at University because we want to learn the disciplines we were admitted to, the courses we
registered for
• We want to be successful. Success begins at Cavendish
• We ask ourselves “How can I learn fast, better, and ultimately grow as an entrepreneur, master at my
discipline and consequently into a knowledgeable and employable citizen.
TRUE OR FALSE?
 Intelligent people are born smart.
Human qualities, such as intellectual skill are carved in stone.You are
smart or you are not, and failure means you are not smart. It is that
simple. If you could arrange successes and avoid failures (at all costs),
you could stay smart. Struggles, mistakes, perseverance are just not
part of this picture.
Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can’t change very
much.
You can learn new things, but you can’t really change how intelligent you are.
No matter how much intelligence you have, you can always change it quite a bit.
 You can always substantially change how intelligent you are
ALFRED BINET, THE INVENTOR OF THE
IQ TEST SAID………..
“A few modern philosophers…assert that an individual’s
intelligence is a fixed quantity, a quantity which cannot be
increased. We must protest and react against this brutal
pessimism….With practice, training, and above all, method, we
manage to increase our attention, our memory, our judgment and
literally to become more intelligent than we were before.”

Binet, Alfred, and Suzanne Trans Heisler. "Modern ideas about children."
(1975). Suzanne Heisler, Publisher.
 MINDSET IS KEY!
• “Our beliefs about our capabilities exert tremendous
influence on how we learn and which paths we take in life.”
Bill Gates, GatesNotes
• “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your
altitude” - Zig Ziglar
 SOME ATTRIBUTES OF THE MINDSETS
WHEN DO YOU FEEL SMART?
People with the _________
• The growth mindset is the belief that
mindset said: abilities can be cultivated.
• “It’s when I don’t make any mistakes.”
• Those with a growth mindset believe that
• “When I finish something fast and it’s perfect.”
they can get smarter, more intelligent, and
• “When something is easy for me, but other people
can’t do it.” more talented through putting in time and
• It’s about being perfect right now.
effort.
People with the ________ • The Fixed mindset assumes abilities and
understanding are relatively fixed.
mindset said:
• “When it’s really hard, and I try really hard, and I can
• People with a fixed mindset may not believe
do something I couldn’t do before.” that intelligence can be enhanced,. They
• “[When] I work on something a long time and I believe that you either “have it or you don’t”
start to figure it out.” when it comes to abilities and talents.
 So m a ny pe opl e have t hi s one c o ns umi ng goal of prov i ng t hem s el ves
— i n t he c l a s s roo m, i n the i r ca reer s, and i n t hei r rel at i ons hi ps.
E ver y sit ua t i on c a l l s for a con fi r ma ti on of t hei r i nte l l i genc e ,
per s o na li t y, o r c ha r a c ter.
E ver y sit ua t i on i s ev a l ua t ed: w i l l I s u c c eed o r fai l ? W i l l I l oo k s m ar t
o r dum b? W il l I be a ccept ed o r rejec t ed? W i l l I feel l i ke a w i nner o r
a l os e r ?

THE GROWTH MINDSET: A FIXED MINDSET:

• is the belief that you can grow your brain and • is the belief that you are born a certain way
that your intelligence grows with effort. and cannot change.
• allows people to value what they’re doing • Is where everything is about the outcome. If
regardless of the outcome. you fail—or if you’re not the best—it’s all
• In a growth mindset, students understand been wasted.”
that their talents and abilities can be • In a fixed mindset, students believe their
developed through effort and persistence. basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents,
They don't necessarily think everyone's the are just fixed traits. They have a certain
same or anyone can be Einstein, but they amount and that's that, and then their goal
believe everyone can get smarter if work at it.. becomes to look smart all the time and
never look dumb.
Dr. Olive Sabiiti
MINDSETS CHANGE THE MEANING OF EFFORT
MINDSETS CHANGE THE MEANING OF EFFORT
 CAN WE TRAIN OURSELVES ON THE MINDSETS?
• We all switch from one mindset to another.
• Our mindsets exist on a continuum from fixed to growth, and although
we’d like to always have a growth mindset, the reality is that we can only
be on a journey to a growth mindset.
We can start by assessing our minds.
• The goal is to recognize fixed mindset elements in ourselves and then
reflect on feedback and strategies for how to improve.
• Knowing our minds, helps us to figure out what triggers make us more
fixed mindset so we can work on them.
• Recognising those triggers will allow us to plan in advance to react
properly.
WHAT IS YOUR MINDSET-I?
WHAT IS YOUR MINDSET-2?
PRACTICE THE GROWTH MINDSET
 DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET AND IMPROVE
LEARNING
• People are all born with a love of learning, but the fixed mindset can undo it. Picture your brain
forming new connections as you meet any challenge and learn. Keep on going.
• Embrace the power of not yet
• Do not be deceived or oppressed by the tyranny of now- this moment, this activity defines me
• Recognise fixed mindset traits and avoid them. FLEE
They resolved to cheat next time instead of study [Cheat instead of Study]
They looked for someone who had performed worse than themselves to feel good about themselves
[Find someone worse]
 Running from difficulty
The need for constant validation- learners focus on the now instead of yet. Cannot get through the day
without an award
Focus on Process Praise- Praise the effort, strategy, improvement, process, progress. “Becoming is
better than being.” We can praise wisely, not praising intelligence or talent. That has failed. Praise the
process that learners engage in: their effort, their strategies, their focus, their perseverance, their
improvement.This process praise creates resilient learners. Chasing the outcome is almost always the
wrong approach. Instead, individuals should focus on constantly growing and intentionally taking actions
that improve various aspects of their lives.
DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET AND IMPROVE YOUR LEARNING

• Commit to hard work and love it while at it. Every time you push out of your comfort
zone to learn something new and difficult, the neurons in your brain form new, stronger
connections, and over time you can get smarter.
• “Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship. So keep moving, keep growing, keep
learning” Denzel Washington. Ease is a hindrance to progress. The idea of investing long hours
into one’s success and development is consistent across most fields and is very telling of how
most successful people have gotten to where they are.
• Love What You are Doing NO MATTER THE CHALLENGE
• Focus on Learning Over Achievement.
 KEY TAKEAWAYS!
• “Becoming is better than being.”
• No matter what your ability is, EFFORT is what ignites that ability and turns it into
accomplishment. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and
looks like work.” Thomas Edison
• Only time where success comes before work in life is in the dictionary
• The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not
going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows
people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.
• This mindset represents a much more positive and effective way to approach LEARNING. Rather
than focusing on earning good grades, students (YOU) should focus on learning the material (the
‘goal’ of education in the first place). By really learning the material, acing the test would be
expected, not hoped for.
• “Many growth-minded people did not even plan to go to the top. They got there as a result of
doing what they love. IMAGINE! The top is where the fixed-mindset people would like to be, but
it’s where many growth-minded people arrive as a by-product of their enthusiasm for what they
do.” (Dweck, Kindle Location 883).
 YOU CAN DO IT!
Y O U C A N B E W H AT E V E R
YOU WANT TO BE!!
DEVELOP THE GROWTH
MINDSET!
G O O D L U C K - E N J OY T H E R E S T O F T H E C O U R S E