The Mindset Student Workshops series, known internally as the “Boost” Mindset project, is entering its fourth year as an institution-wide initiative designed to enhance student motivation, metacognition, and academic self-efficacy. Originating from a Chancellor’s Learning Scholar Faculty Learning Community on Mindset in 2018 and supported by the USG STEM Grant Initiative, this work has evolved from a pilot project into a sustained element of SGSC’s student success strategy.
All currently enrolled students are automatically enrolled in the Mindset Student Workshops course within GeorgiaVIEW (D2L), where they can access virtual, self-paced workshops on the neuroscience of learning, motivation, time management, note-taking, study strategies, and related topics. Students who complete workshops earn certificates of completion, and some faculty offer incentives for participation within their courses.
Complementing the student workshops are several Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs). The ongoing Mindset FLC provides professional development in classroom-based mindset interventions, such as transparent assignment design, feedback framing, inclusive communication, and focused discussion practices. Other FLCs include “Finding Solutions,” “TiLT,” and this year “Teaching and Learning: A Fitting Room Experience.” The Fitting Room FLC will support faculty as they “try on” new strategies.
The Mindset Student Workshops initiative continues to promote a culture of growth mindset across the institution by engaging both students and faculty in evidence-based learning practices, fostering shared language around effort, strategy, and resilience, and supporting measurable improvements in GPA, retention, and course completion.
The Mindset Student Workshops series, known internally as the “Boost” Mindset project, is entering its fourth year as an institution-wide initiative designed to enhance student motivation, metacognition, and academic self-efficacy. Originating from a Chancellor’s Learning Scholar Faculty Learning Community on Mindset in 2018 and supported by the USG STEM Grant Initiative, this work has evolved from a pilot project into a sustained element of SGSC’s student success strategy.
All currently enrolled students are automatically enrolled in the Mindset Student Workshops course within GeorgiaVIEW (D2L), where they can access virtual, self-paced workshops on the neuroscience of learning, motivation, time management, note-taking, study strategies, and related topics. Students who complete workshops earn certificates of completion, and some faculty offer incentives for participation within their courses.
Complementing the student workshops are several Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs). The ongoing Mindset FLC provides professional development in classroom-based mindset interventions, such as transparent assignment design, feedback framing, inclusive communication, and focused discussion practices. Other FLCs include “Finding Solutions,” “TiLT,” and this year “Teaching and Learning: A Fitting Room Experience.” The Fitting Room FLC will support faculty as they “try on” new strategies.
The Mindset Student Workshops initiative continues to promote a culture of growth mindset across the institution by engaging both students and faculty in evidence-based learning practices, fostering shared language around effort, strategy, and resilience, and supporting measurable improvements in GPA, retention, and course completion.
While AY 2023–2024 showed a temporary decline in student participation, participation rebounded in AY 2024–2025, despite, or perhaps because of the impact of Hurricane Helene. This improvement may also be due to increased faculty engagement, particularly from our education faculty, where instructors have intentionally embedded the Mindset Student Workshops into their course expectations.
Student survey responses continue to reflect strong satisfaction and a clear desire for additional and more diverse workshop topics. Frequent requests include applied learning strategies (note-taking, reading the textbook), stress management, and overcoming procrastination. Developing new workshop content has been challenging, however, due to heavier faculty teaching and service loads.
In terms of faculty development, during the past five years there have been seven FLCs related to Mindset and AI with an average faculty participation number of 13.4 per year (AY 2020-2021 through AY 2024-2025).
The primary challenge facing continued growth of the Mindset Student Workshops is faculty capacity. Heavy teaching and service loads limit the time available for workshop development, data analysis, and participation in Faculty Learning Community (FLC) activities. These demands are expected to intensify in the coming year as SGSC undertakes a comprehensive accessibility audit of all courses and implements new institutional policies for individual course assessment and documentation of learning outcomes.
While faculty interest in mindset and experiential learning remains high, these parallel institutional priorities may constrain available time and attention for program innovation. Maintaining engagement without overburdening faculty will require careful coordination and streamlined processes.
Cross-institutional collaboration and resource sharing through the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the USG CAT-TLAC network, leveraging these partnerships to access curated materials, micro-credential course opportunities, and proven mindset interventions. (Point of contact is the institution representative to this CAT).
Enhanced analytics and dashboard tools to support longitudinal tracking of student participation, GPA differentials, and retention metrics. These tools would also be of use to H.A.W.K.
