The pervasive shelter in place mandates of March 2020 forced all educators to precipitously migrate to online education. After grappling with myriad technical concerns such as hardware, software, and internet connectivity, educators began addressing more complex issues such as a new, different online pedagogy. Other hurdles to virtual education included appropriate curricular adaptations, modifications to instructional delivery and assessment, and evolving parameters of social engagement. This chapter explores the intersection of the pandemic and the growth mindset which many educators manifested during online migration, often with no preparation and under the duress of immediacy. Successfully navigating such a large magnitude of change challenged educators, and their ability to embrace a growth mindset often facilitated more positive outcomes with online teaching and learning. The silver lining of the dark cloud of COVID-19 was its unexpected intersection with the growth mindset, leading teachers and learners to develop new skills, abilities, and potentialities. © 2021, IGI Global.
COVID-19 and the growth mindset: Dangerous opportunities