IMPLEMENTERS AS LEARNERS: TEACHERS’ GROWTH MINDSET DEVELOPMENT THROUGH IMPLEMENTING STUDENT-FOCUSED INTERVENTION IN MACAU CLASSROOMS

This study investigates how teachers learn and internalize growth mindset through
implementing student-focused interventions in an Asian educational context. Moving
beyond examining student outcomes, this research focuses on how implementation
serves as a vehicle for teachers' own mindset development. Using an integrated
framework combining Burnette et al.'s Framework for Implementation of Mindset
Interventions and Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (ELT), the study employed a
qualitative case study design involving three teachers who implemented a 14-week
intervention with two interviews. Thematic analysis revealed seven core themes:
Teacher Cognitive Reconfiguration, Classroom Strategy Operationalization,
Organization Barriers, Systemic Support Needs, Cultural Relevance Gaps, Student
Engagement Dynamics, and Student Agency Development. Findings demonstrate that
authentic implementation involves teachers moving from explicit labeling to implicit
practice, recognizing mindset coexistence, and redefining success as continuous
improvement.