Week 1 Discussion: Grit, Growth Mindset and Starting University

Unit Information

Course code: FYS 101
Course title: First Year Seminar: Strategies for College Success
Institutional context: Typical first-year learning frameworks and college success units used in US, Canadian, UK, Australian, and UAE universities, often delivered online or in blended mode.

Assessment title: Week 1 Discussion – Grit, Growth Mindset and Your Study Goals
Assessment type: Online discussion board initial post and replies
Weighting: 5% of final grade (part of Participation and Online Engagement)
Timing: Week 1, due by the end of the first teaching week

Assessment Description

Week 1 introduces the ideas of grit, resilience, and growth mindset as foundations for success in your first year of study. In this discussion, you will define one key concept in your own words, connect it to a concrete experience from your life, and respond to peers’ examples so that you begin applying these ideas to your approach to university work from the very start of the semester.

Developing these learning dispositions early is particularly important during the transition into higher education, when students are adjusting to new academic expectations, independence, and feedback practices. Research suggests that students who approach challenges with a growth-oriented perspective are more likely to persist after setbacks, engage in help-seeking behaviors, and view difficulty as part of learning rather than as evidence of low ability (Yeager and Dweck, 2020).

Task Instructions

Part A: Initial Post (300–400 words)

Post an initial response of 300–400 words in the “Week 1: Grit and Growth Mindset” discussion forum.

Complete all four steps below.

  1. Choose a focus concept: Select either grit, resilience, or growth mindset as your main concept for this post.

  2. Explain the concept in your own words: Using the Week 1 readings or videos, write a short explanation of approximately 100–150 words explaining what your chosen concept means for university students. Avoid copying definitions and instead paraphrase in your own language.

  3. Connect to a personal example: Describe one specific situation from your life where you either demonstrated or struggled with this concept. Examples may include preparing for a major exam, learning a new skill, balancing work and study, or returning to study after a break. Focus on what you did, what you found challenging, and how you responded.

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  4. Set one practical goal: State one concrete and realistic way you will apply grit, resilience, or a growth mindset in this unit over the next four weeks. For example, explain how you will respond to a low mark, approach difficult readings, or manage time when motivation drops.

Write in the first person, use clear paragraphs, and make sure your example and goal are clearly linked to your chosen concept so that the connection between theory and experience is explicit.

Part B: Replies to Classmates (2 posts, 100–150 words each)

After posting your initial response, read several classmates’ posts and reply to at least two different students with focused responses of 100–150 words each.

  1. Greet the classmate using their preferred name.

  2. Briefly summarize what you understood from their example or goal in one sentence.

  3. Comment on how grit, resilience, or growth mindset is operating in their situation, or suggest another way the concept could be applied.

  4. Add one question that encourages them to think further about how they might respond to a future challenge.

  5. Maintain a respectful, supportive, and professional tone.

Submission and Technical Requirements

  • Post your initial 300–400 word discussion entry directly into the “Week 1: Grit and Growth Mindset” forum by Day and date at 11:59 pm.

  • Submit at least two reply posts of 100–150 words each to two different classmates by Day and date at 11:59 pm.

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  • Post directly into the forum text editor and do not upload a separate file.

  • If you experience technical issues, capture a screenshot and contact your instructor as soon as possible.

Marking Criteria / Rubric

Criterion 1: Concept Explanation and Use of Readings (35%)

  • High distinction: Provides a clear, accurate, and well-paraphrased explanation of grit, resilience, or growth mindset aligned with Week 1 materials, and explicitly links the concept to first-year study.

  • Pass: Provides a generally accurate explanation with minor gaps or oversimplification and some reference to readings or videos.

  • Unsatisfactory: Explanation is vague, inaccurate, copied, or not clearly connected to Week 1 materials.

Criterion 2: Personal Application and Goal Setting (35%)

  • High distinction: Presents a specific and well-developed personal example illustrating the chosen concept and sets a realistic, concrete goal for applying it during the next four weeks.

  • Pass: Includes an example and a goal, though one may be general or weakly linked to the concept.

  • Unsatisfactory: Example or goal is missing, very vague, or unrelated to the chosen concept.

Criterion 3: Engagement with Classmates and Communication (30%)

  • High distinction: Posts at least two timely replies of 100–150 words that engage meaningfully with classmates’ ideas, accurately reference concepts, and include thoughtful questions or suggestions. Writing is clear and well structured.

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  • Pass: Posts at least two replies that acknowledge classmates and offer some relevant commentary.

  • Unsatisfactory: Posts fewer than two replies, replies are very brief, or engagement is minimal or unclear.

Sample Response

I chose to focus on growth mindset because this concept challenges the belief that ability is fixed and instead emphasizes learning through effort, strategies, and feedback. In high school, I avoided mathematics because I believed I was not naturally good at it, and each mistake felt like confirmation that I should stop trying. When I returned to study last year and had to complete a statistics unit, I approached errors differently by treating them as indicators of what I needed to practice next. I attended online workshops, asked questions in discussion forums, and broke my study into shorter sessions to stay engaged. For this first-year seminar, my goal is to apply the same mindset to academic reading. When I find an article difficult, I will plan shorter reading blocks, annotate key ideas, and actively seek clarification rather than abandoning the task. I expect moments of frustration, but I want to view them as part of learning rather than as reasons to disengage.

 Learning Resources / References

  • Duckworth, A. L. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. Scribner.

  • Yeager, D. S., and Dweck, C. S. (2020). What can be learned from growth mindset controversies? American Psychologist, 75(9), 1269–1284. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000794

  • Claro, S., Paunesku, D., and Dweck, C. S. (2016). Growth mindset tempers the effects of poverty on academic achievement. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(31), 8664–8668. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1608207113

  • Hodge, B., Wright, B., and Bennett, P. (2018). The role of grit in determining engagement and academic outcomes for university students. Research in Higher Education, 59(4), 448–460. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-017-9474-y

  • Bowman, N. A., Hill, P. L., Denson, N., and Bronkema, R. H. (2015). Exploring grit dimensions as predictors of educational outcomes. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 6(6), 639–645. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550615574300

  • Credé, M., Tynan, M. C., and Harms, P. D. (2017). Much ado about grit: A meta-analytic synthesis of the grit literature. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(3), 492–511. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000102