International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation  |  ISSN (Online): 2582-7138  |  Double-Blind Peer Review  |  Open Access  |  CC BY 4.0

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International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation

ISSN (Online): 2582-7138 | Open Access

Guideline for University Teacher’s Growth Mindset in Chengdu City, China

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Volume: 6 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 1138-1144

Subject: Education

Country: Thailand

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54660/IJMRGE.2025.6.2.1138-1144

License: CC BY 4.0

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Abstract

This study aims to explore the key factors influencing the development of a growth mindset among university teachers in Chengdu, China, and propose a corresponding guideline framework. By providing a supportive work environment and continuous professional development opportunities, universities can help teachers improve their teaching methods, collaborate effectively, and inspire students to adopt a growth-oriented approach to learning. The findings suggest that the cultivation of a growth mindset is not only influenced by individual teacher perceptions and attitudes but also requires proactive institutional efforts in terms of policies, leadership support, and access to development opportunities. Job satisfaction, leadership style, institutional culture, Specify the factors clearly were found to play a significant role in shaping faculty’s growth mindset. Leadership and institutional support were identified as critical factors in encouraging faculty to innovate in teaching and engage in ongoing professional development. By implementing faculty-centered development programs, fostering a collaborative academic environment, and providing structured feedback mechanisms, universities can foster the adoption of a growth mindset. The guideline framework proposed in this study outlines specific measures to enhance job satisfaction, strengthen leadership support, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and establish systematic feedback mechanisms. These strategies aim to help universities in Chengdu cultivate a growth-oriented environment for faculty, ultimately improving teaching outcomes and contributing to greater innovation in higher education. By integrating these strategies, universities can create a supportive academic ecosystem that enables faculty development, leading to improved teaching quality and a more dynamic learning experience for students.

How to Cite This Article

Mingwei Li, Phanthida Laophuangsak (2025). Guideline for University Teacher’s Growth Mindset in Chengdu City, China . International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation (IJMRGE), 6(2), 1138-1144. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54660/IJMRGE.2025.6.2.1138-1144

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  1. 1. Familiarizationwith Data Reviewingtranscriptstogainanin-depthunderstanding.
  2. 2. Generating Initial Codes Identifyingrecurringthemesrelatedtofacultydevelopment, leadership, andinstitutionalculture.
  3. 3. Searchingfor Themes Groupingsimilarcodesintobroaderthemessuchasmentorship, innovation, andfacultyresilience.
  4. 4. Reviewing Themes Refiningthemestoensurecoherenceandconsistency.
  5. 5. Definingand Naming Themes Assigningcleardefinitionstoeachtheme.
  6. 6. Producingthe Report Synthesizingfindingstoprovideactionablerecommendationsforuniversityadministratorsandpolicymakers. Toensurethevalidityandreliabilityofthedatacollectedthroughinterviews, multiplestrategieswillbeimplementedtoenhancethecredibility, accuracy, andconsistencyofthefindings. Thesemeasuresincludetriangulation, memberchecking, andpeerreview, whichwillcollectivelystrengthenfindingswithexistingliteratureongrowthmindsetinhighereducation. Theresearchwillbecross-referencedwith(2006\theoryongroworkonprofessionaldevelopmentinteaching. Byintegratinginsightsfrompriorresearch, thestudyaimstovalidateemergingthemesandpatterns, ensuringthattheresultsalignwithwell-documentedperspectivesinthefieldofhighereducationfacultydevelopment. Membercheckingwillbeconductedbysharingpreliminaryfindingswithselectedparticipantstoverifytheaccuracyandauthenticityofthedata. Thisprocessallowsfacultymemberstoreviewtheirresponsesandprovidefeedbackonwhethertheirperspectiveshavebeenaccuratelyrepresented. Membercheckingalsoservesasacorrectivemechanism, enablingparticipantstoclarifyorexpandontheirviewpointsifnecessary. Thisiterativeprocessenhancesthecredibilityoftheresearchbyensuringthattheinterpretationsalignwiththeparticipants'livedexperiences. Peerreviewwillinvolveengagingexpertsinhighereducationandfacultydevelopmenttoevaluatetheinterviewframework, dataanalysis, andthematiccategorization. Externalreviewers, includingseniorfacultymembers, educationalresearchers, andprofessionaldevelopmentspecialists, willprovideconstructivefeedbackontheresearchdesignandinterpretationoffindings. Thisprocessnotonlyreinforcestherigorandobjectivityofthestudybutalsoensuresthatthemethodologicalapproachremainsalignedwithbestpracticesinqualitativeresearch. Byimplementingthesevalidityandreliabilitymeasures, thestudywillstrengthenthetrustworthinessofitsfindings, providingasolidfoundationforinstitutionalrecommendationsonfosteringagrowthmindsetamonguniversityfacultyin Chengdu. Thisinterview-baseddatacollectionwillproviderichqualitativeinsightsintohowuniversityfacultyin Chengduperceive, adopt, andsustainagrowthmindset. Thefindings International Journalof Multidisciplinary Researchand Growth Evaluationwww. allmultidisciplinaryjournal. com1141|Pagewillhelpinformpolicyrecommendationsandguideinstitutionalstrategiestoenhancefacultyprofessionaldevelopment, teachinginnovation, andinterdisciplinarycollaboration.
  7. 3. Dataanalysisandresults Thedatawereanalyzedusingthematicanalysis(Braun&Clarke,2006\toidentifyrecurringpatternsrelatedtogrowthmindsetadoption, institutionalsupport, andfacultydevelopment. Theresultsarestructuredaccordingtotheresearchobjectivestoensurealignmentwiththekeyareasoffacultygrowthandinstitutionalenhancement. Datawereanalyzedusingthematicanalysis, followingthesix-phaseframeworkproposedby Braunand Clarke(2006\:
  8. 1. Familiarizationwiththedatathroughrepeatedreadingoftranscripts.
  9. 2. Generatinginitialcodesbasedonsignificantstatements.
  10. 3. Searchingforthemesbygroupingsimilarcodestogether.
  11. 4. Reviewingthemestoensuretheyaccuratelyrepresentthedata.
  12. 5. Definingandnamingthemesforclarityandcoherence.
  13. 6. Producingthereport, includingillustrativequotestosupporteachtheme. More Intuitive Word Cloudfor Key Themesin University Teachers'Growth Mindsetshowsin Figure1.(Source: Compiledanddevelopedbytheauthorfrominterviewdata\Fig1: More Intuitive Word Cloudfor Key Themesin University Teachers'Growth Mindset Figure1presentsawordcloudgeneratedfromtheinterviewtranscriptsof58universityteachersin Chengdu, illustratingthemostfrequentlymentionedconceptsrelatedtothedevelopmentofagrowthmindset. Thesizeofeachwordreflectsitsrelativefrequencyoremphasisacrosstheinterviewdata, asprocessedthrough NVivo'swordfrequencyanalysis. altransformation. Otherimportantconceptsincludeenvironmentalandinstitutionalconditionsthateithersupportorhindertheformationofagrowthmindset. Thisvisualizationreinforcesthethematicanalysisfindingsbyhighlightinghowkeytermsclusteraroundareassuchas: Thewordcloudthusservesasanintuitivesummaryofllectivemindsetlandscape, capturingbothconceptualawarenessandthesocio-culturaldimensionsofgrowthmindsetdevelopmentinthehighereducationcontextof Chengdu. Theme1: Understandingof Growth Mindset Theme2: Institutional Environmentand Workload Pressure Theme3: Professional Development: Opportunitiesand Limitations Theme4: Leadershipand Support Systems Theanalysisrevealedfivekeythemesrelatedtotheadoptionandimplementationofagrowthmindsetamonguniversityteachersin Chengdu: Theme1: Understandingofgrowthmindset Manyteachershadabasicconceptualawarenessofthetermunderstanding. Someparticipantsequateditwithgeneraloptimismorhardwork, whileothersdemonstratedamorenuancedviewbasedonself-reflectionandcontinuousimprovement. Participant2 Participant12 However, severalparticipantsadmittedtheyhadneverencounteredthetermformallyduringtheirteachertrainingorprofessionaldevelopment. Thissuggestsagapinmindset-relatededucationatbothpre-serviceandin-servicelevels. lyrecently, andnoonehasreallyexplainedwhatitmeansinauniversityteaching Participant7 Participant23006\argumentthatsimplypromotingtheconceptisinsufficientwithoutdeepculturalandpedagogicalintegration. International Journalof Multidisciplinary Researchand Growth Evaluationwww. allmultidisciplinaryjournal. com1142|Page Theme2: Institutionalenvironmentandworkloadpressure Teachersexpressedthattheirworkingenvironment, especiallyperformanceevaluationsystems, researchpublicationdemands, andbureaucraticprocedures, oftenhinderedtheirabilitytoadoptagrowthmindset. numberspapers, studentratings, reports. Youfeel Participant14 Participant29 Participant8 Importantly, toavoidethicalconcerns, thisstudydoesnotnamespecificuniversitiesbutratherpresentsaggregatedinsightsacrossinstitutions. Overall, theinstitutionalclimatewasreportedasrigidorunsupportiveinmanycases, leadingtofrustrationandatendencytowardfixedmindsets. Theseresultssupportexistingstudiesthatemphasizetheroleoforganizationalcultureandperformancesystemsinshapingteacherattitudesandbeliefs(Zengetal.,2021\. Theme3: Professionaldevelopment: Opportunitiesandlimitations Accesstomeaningful, sustainedprofessionaldevelopmentwasrepeatedlyidentifiedasakeyenablerofmindsetgrowth. Teacherswhohadparticipatedinpeermentoring, actionresearch, orinternationaltrainingprogramsreportedhigherconfidenceandmorepositiveattitudestowardchange. motivated. Theyencouragedexperimentationandfailure, Participant19reflectedeveryweek. Thathelpedmegrowmorethanany Participant33 However, manyteachersalsomentionedthatprofessionaldevelopmentwasoftensuperficialorbureaucratic, withlimitedrelevancetotheirrealteachingchallenges. workshopsaretooformalandfeeldisconnectedfrom Participant6 Participant25 Thisthemehighlightstheneedfortailored, reflective, andongoingtrainingprogramstogenuinelysupportmindsettransformation, asemphasizedby Sun&Zhang(2020\. Theme4: Leadershipand Support Systems Thepresenceofempathetic, visionaryleadershipemergedasastrongmotivatorforadoptingagrowthmindset. Teacherswhoreceivedregularencouragement, constructivefeedback, andmentoringfromdepartmentheadsordeansfeltmoreempoweredtoreflect, grow, andinnovate. evenifwefail, shesupportsus. Thatreallychangedmyattitudetoward Participant36 Participant10performanceit Participant22 Incontrast, indepartmentswhereleadershipwasperceivedasauthoritativeorindifferent, teachersreportedfeelingsofdisengagementorfearoffailure, furtherreinforcingafixedmindset. Participant16 Thisfindingresonateswiththeworkof Leithwoodetal.(2019\, whoarguethattransformationalleadershipfostersteacherinnovationandpersonalgrowth. Tosumup, thesethemesrevealthatthedevelopmentofagrowthmindsetamonguniversityteachersin Chengduisinfluencedbyacomplexinterplayofpersonalunderstanding, institutionalpressures, leadershipstyle, andaccesstoprofessionalsupport. Whileindividualmotivationisimportant, contextualenablersandbarriersplayadecisiverole. Thesefindingssupportsocio-culturaltheoriesofteacherdevelopment, whichemphasizethatmindsetchangedoesnotoccurinisolation, butwithinanecosystemofinteractions, expectations, andsupportstructures(Vygotsky,1978; Opfer&Pedder,2011\[10,
  14. 7. The44themesidentifiedintheanalysisprovidedthefoundationalbasisforconstructingtheconceptualframeworkpresentedin Figure2.(Source: Developedbytheauthorbasedonthethematicfindingsofthisstudy\Fig2: The4keyguidelinesforfosteringfacultygrowthmindset International Journalof Multidisciplinary Researchand Growth Evaluationwww. allmultidisciplinaryjournal. com1143|Page Figure2showsaproposedstrategicframeworkforsupportingthedevelopmentofagrowthmindsetamonguniversityteachers. Thisframeworkisderiveddirectlyfromthethematicfindingsofthisstudyandisbasedonthevoicesandinsightsofthe58universityteachers. Eachcomponentofthediagramreflectsoneormorekeythemesidentifiedduringthequalitativeanalysis, andtogethertheyformacyclicalandmutuallyreinforcingsystem. Specifically:
  15. 1. Promotetransformationalleadershipandmembership: Supportsmindsettransformationbycreatingapsychologicallysafeenvironmentandinspiringvision-drivenchange.
  16. 2. Implementstructuredprofessionaldevelopmentpolicies: Encouragescontinuouslearningandreflectivepracticetailoredtoindividualgrowth.
  17. 3. Developdata-drivenassessmenttools: Enablesinstitutionstotrackmindsetdevelopment, teachingeffectiveness, andguideimprovement.
  18. 4. Fosteracollaborativeworkenvironment: Enhancesinterdisciplinaryinnovationandpeer-drivenmotivation. anisolatedpersonaltrait, butrathertheproductofasupportiveinstitutionalecosystem Thefindingfigureisanoriginalcontributionofthisstudy, synthesizingbothempiricaldataandtheoreticalinsights, andisintendedtoguideuniversitiesandpolicymakersindesigningeffectivesupportmechanismsforfacultymindsetgrowth.
  19. 4. Conclusions, discussionandrecommendation4.1 Conclusions Thisstudyaimedtoexplorethedevelopmentofagrowthmindsetamonguniversityteachersin Chengdu, China, focusingonfactorsthatinfluencefacultyprofessionalgrowth, institutionalsupport, andleadershippractices. Basedonthefindings, thefollowingconclusionscanbedrawn:
  20. 1. Institutionalsupportiscrucial: adoptionofagrowthmindsetissignificantlyinfluencedbyinstitutionalpoliciesthatrecognizeandsupportcontinuouslearning. Facultymemberswhoexperienceclearrecognitionsystems, faircompensation, andopportunitiesforparticipationindecision-makingreportedhigherlevelsofjobsatisfactionandengagement.
  21. 2. Leadershipandmentorshipmatter: Transformationalleadershipandmentorshipprogramsarepivotalinfosteringagrowth-orientedculture. Facultywhoreceivedguidancefromsupportiveleadersandmentorsfeltmoreempoweredtoexperimentwithinnovativeteachingstrategiesandengageinprofessionaldevelopment.
  22. 3. ACollaborativeworkenvironmentpromotesinnovation: Facultymemberswhowerepartofinterdisciplinaryprojectsandhadaccesstocollaborativespacesfeltmoremotivatedtoinnovateandcontributetotheinstitution'sacademicsuccess. However, departmentalsilosandalackofstructuredcollaborationinitiativespresentedbarrierstosuchengagement.
  23. 4. Continuousprofessionaldevelopmentisessential: Ongoingtrainingprograms, accesstoresearchopportunities, andinstitutionalfundingarenecessarytoencouragefacultyparticipationininnovativeteachingpractices. Facultymembersininstitutionsthatofferedtheseresourcesweremorelikelytoengageingrowth-orientedbehaviors.
  24. 5. Organizationalcultureshapesfacultymindset: Theoverallcultureoftheinstitutionplaysavitalroleinshapingfacultyperceptionsaboutprofessionalgrowth. Institutionsthatembedgrowthmindsetprinciplesintotheirpoliciesandalignthesevalueswiththestrategicdirectionoftheuniversitycreateanenvironmentwherefacultymembersfeelvaluedandmotivatedtoimprove.
  25. 6. Effectivefeedbackmechanismsareneeded: Structuredself-assessments, peerevaluations, andstudentfeedbackwereidentifiedaseffectivetoolsformeasuringgrowthmindsetadoption. However, manyfacultymembersexpressedtheneedforfeedbacksystemsthatfocusmoreongrowthandimprovementratherthansolelyonperformancemetrics.4.2 Discussion Thefindingsofthisstudyalignwithandextendpreviousresearchongrowthmindsetandfacultydevelopmentinhighereducation.[3observationthatawarenessaloneisinsufficientwithoutdeeperintegrationintoeducationalculture. Thisechoesresearchby Yeagerand Dweck(2012\, whoemphasizedthatmindsetinterventionsmustbecontextualizedwithinbroaderinstitutionalsystemstobeeffective. Second, theimpactofinstitutionalbarriersandworkloadpressureisconsistentwith Zengetal.(2021\, whofoundthatrigidperformanceappraisalsystemsandpublication-drivenmetricsoftendiscouragerisk-takingandinnovationinself-determinationtheorysupportsthenotionthatoverlycontrolledenvironmentsdiminishintrinsicmotivationthusimpedingtheadoptionofagrowthmindset. Third, theimportanceofprofessionaldevelopmentasacatalystformindsetchangereflectsfindingsby Guskey(2002\and Avalos(2011\, whobotharguedthatsustained, reflectiveprofessionallearningiscentraltolastingteacherchange. However, thisstudyaddstotheirworkbyemphasizingtheneedforlocallyrelevantandparticipatorytrainingmodelsathemelessexploredinpreviousstudiesonmindsetdevelopment. Finally, thethemeofleadershipandsupportsystemsreinforcestheclaimsof Leithwoodetal.(2019\, whofoundthattransformationalleadershipstylespromoteteacherautonomyandcontinuouslearning. Thisstudycontributesfurtherbyhighlightingthepsychologicalsafetyandrisk-tolerantenvironmentneededtofacilitatemindsetshifts, particularlywithin Chinesehighereducationcontexts. Overall, thisstudycomplementsandbuildsuponexistingliteraturewhileofferingalocalized, evidence-basedframeworkforunderstandingandsupportingthegrowthmindsetamonguniversityteachersin Chengdu.4.3 Recommendations4.3.1 Policyrecommendationsforuniversitiesin Chengdu Basedonthefindingsofthisstudy, severalstrategicactionsarerecommendedforuniversityadministratorsandpolicymakersin Chengdutofosteragrowthmindsetamongfacultymembers: International Journalof Multidisciplinary Researchand Growth Evaluationwww. allmultidisciplinaryjournal. com1144|Page
  26. 1. Implementstructuredandreflectiveprofessionaldevelopmentprograms Universitiesshouldmovebeyondone-timetrainingandestablishongoing, reflectivelearningsystemsthatfocusonmindset, resilience, andinnovationnotjustcontentdelivery. Programsshouldbeneeds-based, participatory, anddiscipline-sensitive.
  27. 2. Promotetransformationalleadershipatdepartmentallevels Leadersanddeansshouldbetrainedtoprovidementorship, fosterpsychologicalsafety, andencouragecalculatedrisk-takingamongfacultymembers. Aleadershipculturethatvaluesprocessoverperfectioncanempowerteacherstogrow.
  28. 3. Reviseperformanceevaluationpoliciestosupportgrowth Shiftfromrigidoutput-basedassessment(e. g., publicationcount\towardmoreholisticevaluationsthatrecognizepedagogicalexperimentation, teamwork, andeffort-basedimprovement. Thisreducesfearoffailureandreinforcesagrowth-orientedteachingculture.
  29. 4. Fostercross-disciplinarycollaborationplatforms Creatingregularforums, workshops, orcommunitiesofpracticecanallowfacultyfromdifferentfieldsto Interdisciplinaryengagementwasshowntoboostmotivationandreduceisolation.
  30. 5. Developdata-drivenfeedbackandmindsettrackingtools Institutionsshoulduselearninganalyticsandteachingportfoliostohelpteachersreflectontheirgrowthovertime. Thesetoolsshouldemphasizeimprovementandself-monitoring, ratherthantop-downperformancecomparison.4.3.2 Suggestionsforfutureresearch Tofurtherdeepenunderstandingofteachergrowthmindsetdevelopment, futurestudiescouldexplorethefollowingdirections:
  31. 1. Quantitativefollow-upstudies Futureresearchcouldinvolvelarger-scalesurveystovalidateandgeneralizethethemesidentifiedinthisqualitativestudy, usingstatisticaltechniquessuchasstructuralequationmodelingorregressionanalysis.
  32. 2. Comparativestudiesacrosscitiesorregions Comparativeresearchbetween Chengduanduniversitiesinothercities(e. g., Beijing, Guangzhou, orsecond-tierinlandcities\canrevealhowlocaleducationalpolicy, economicdevelopment, andinstitutionalcultureinfluenceteachermindsetsdifferently.
  33. 3. Longitudinalstudiesonmindsettransformation Trackingindividualteachersoverseveralyearswouldofferinsightsintohowmindsetevolvesovertime, especiallyinresponsetoinstitutionalchangesorprofessionaldevelopmentexperiences.
  34. 4. Studentperspectivesonteachermindset Includingstudentfeedbackmayprovidevaluabletriangulationandilluminatehowstudentsperceiveandenvironments.
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Publication Information

Journal: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation (IJMRGE)

Publisher: Anfo Publication House

ISSN: 2582-7138 (Online)

Frequency: Bimonthly

Language: English

Open Access: Yes - This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

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