Link Roundup: Learning through Failure
Learning involves trial and error — emphasis on the error.
Errors reveal gaps in learning. Information isn’t retrieved with one hundred percent exactitude, and that which isn’t remembered can be relearned. Without knowing problem areas, it is difficult to create a meaningful learning plan.
Failing to remember information isn’t a personal failure, but it can feel that way. Low-stakes assessments can make failure sting less, although support will look different for each student. Often, the idea of failure needs to be disentangled from its social and societal implications.
Error, failure, mistake: all of these words have negative connotations. For this reason, it can be difficult for students — and teachers — to embrace failure. Then again, perhaps “embrace” has its own connotation that should be challenged. If failure feels bad, it could be acknowledged rather than embraced.
Check out these resources on learning through failure, from what kinds of failure are the most productive to ways to support your students through failure’s challenges.
“Why We Should Embrace Mistakes in School” from Greater Good Magazine
This article presents a strong case for acknowledging failure and using it to inspire greater learning. It looks at how mistake mindedness helps to prevent perfectionism and the ways in which learners benefit from making and correcting errors. It also considers the challenges of classroom failure, citing research on the connection between student attitudes toward failure and self-worth.
“Why Understanding These Four Types of Mistakes Can Help Us Learn” from MindShift
This oldie-but-goodie blog post suggests that mistakes aren’t all the same. Mistakes have their own taxonomy, from careless errors to slipups from being stretched. It also iterates the idea that failure isn’t helpful if it doesn’t include reflection.
“If You’re Not Failing, You’re Not Learning” from Edutopia
This interview with Manu Kapur explores his theory of productive failure, or the power of targeted failure to initiate learning. Kapur shares ways in which designing outcomes just out of students’ reach allows for healthy challenge when paired with a teacher’s guidance. Failure alone isn’t the key to learning, but failure in connection with other supports is.
“Mistakes or Opportunities? Learning from Errors” from the Learning Scientists
This blog post digs into the research of learning through failure, citing various studies that showcase the value of mistakes. The title alludes to one of its main ideas: that mistakes should be seen opportunistically. A mistake is bad, whereas an opportunity suggests positive outcomes.
“Teaching Your Students to Bounce Back from Failure: 4 Steps to Build Resilience into Your Curriculum” from Inspiring Minds
In this blog post from Harvard Business Publishing’s education blog, learn about the FLEX plan, a framework for building student resilience. It focuses on failure but also expands on other negative feelings, such as uncertainty and stress. This framework can help to foster belonging in the classroom even in the midst of mistakes.
About the blogger:
Jesika Brooks
Jesika Brooks is an editor and bookworm with a Master of Library and Information Science degree. A lifelong learner herself, she has always been fascinated by the intersection of education and technology. She edits the Tech-Based Teaching blog (and always wants to hear from new voices!).
