Why do some students give up immediately when faced with a difficult mathematics problem, while others persist in their efforts? Psychologist Carol Dweck, who researches how children overcome situations in which they fail, explains this phenomenon with "mindset theory." According to this theory, which posits that students' mindset structures greatly influence their learning processes, achievements, and general attitudes, individuals possess one of two different mindsets: "growth mindset" or "fixed mindset." Individuals with a fixed mindset believe that certain traits such as intelligence, talent, and character are unchangeable, while those with a growth mindset hold the opposite view. This study aimed to examine the impact of a growth mindset on mathematics achievement, academic perseverance, attitudes toward mathematics, and mathematics anxiety among 8th-grade students. A correlational survey model was employed, administering the Mathematical Mindset Theory Scale, Academic Perseverance Scale, Mathematics Lesson Attitude and Anxiety Scale, and a TIMSS-based Academic Achievement Test to 183 8th-grade students. The study also analyzed the relationship between student and parent mindset structures. Analyses revealed a significant positive relationship between a growth mindset and academic perseverance, mathematics attitudes, and mathematics achievement. Conversely, a significant negative relationship was found with mathematics anxiety. A further significant finding was that students of parents with a growth mindset were more likely to possess a growth mindset themselves. The findings underscore that non-cognitive factors, specifically a growth mindset, are critical components of mathematics learning, suggesting that interventions focused on fostering this mindset in students and parents may enhance academic success.

Ethical dilemmas, situations where educators must choose between conflicting moral principles, are common in educational practice but remain underexplored systematically. This study aims to map the evolution, structure, and trends of ethical dilemma research in educational sciences from 1998 to 2025. Employing a descriptive bibliometric approach, the study analyzed 105 journal articles indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection. Data were processed using VOSviewer 1.6.20 to conduct citation, co-authorship, keyword co-occurrence, and bibliographic coupling analyses, allowing for the visualization of scholarly networks, conceptual linkages, and research patterns. The findings reveal a steady growth in the number of publications, particularly after 2017, reflecting rising scholarly interest in ethical issues within teaching, leadership, and assessment. Highly cited works, such as Ehrich et al. (2011), have shaped the field, while emerging studies address digital ethics, social-emotional competencies, and AI-supported decision-making. The United States, Australia, and Finland are identified as leading contributors, and key journals include Teachers and Teaching and Journal of Moral Education. “Ethical dilemma” and “ethics” were the most frequently occurring keywords, indicating the field’s conceptual centrality. The study demonstrates that ethical dilemmas have become a significant and evolving research focus in educational sciences, characterized by interdisciplinary approaches and expanding thematic scope. Findings highlight the increasing complexity of ethical decision-making in education and underscore the need for continued scholarly exploration integrating cognitive, emotional, and contextual dimensions.