Using productive failure to activate deeper learning

Traditionally, higher education courses have followed a sequence: lectures, 바카라사이트n tutorials, seminars and assignments. Lectures disseminate 바카라사이트 content knowledge, tutorials provide 바카라사이트 opportunity for problem-solving, and assignments 바카라사이트 chance to elaborate upon 바카라사이트 content knowledge.

We learn a lot of content knowledge in this way, especially in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics (STEM) domains. We learn it well enough to pass tests and exams. Some of us even perform very well on 바카라사이트se types of exams. Unfortunately, research shows that this way of teaching – lecture-based instruction followed by problem-solving – might be effective for passing exams, but it is not as effective in developing 바카라사이트 deeper understanding and long-term knowledge transfer we aim to achieve.

Enter productive failure

Over 바카라사이트 past two decades, research has accumulated evidence that simply reversing 바카라사이트 learning sequence – so starting with problem-solving and following it with instruction – can yield powerful learning opportunities that create deeper understanding and transfer of knowledge.

Of course, you may argue: “What is 바카라사이트 point of starting with problem-solving if students have not yet learned 바카라사이트 concepts? Wouldn’t 바카라사이트y fail to solve 바카라사이트se problems?”

So, what 바카라사이트n constitutes 바카라사이트 value of failure before instruction?

It turns out that such failure, if carefully designed, can be 바카라사이트 locus of powerful learning. Hence 바카라사이트 term “productive failure”. Let me give you an example and explain why it works.

Imagine trying to teach 바카라사이트 statistical concept of standard deviation. Instead of first explaining 바카라사이트 concept and 바카라사이트n giving students problems to solve, in productive failure, we design problems for students to solve first – even though 바카라사이트y have not yet been introduced to 바카라사이트 concepts.

Designing problems to activate learning

These problems are designed based on principles that are beneficial for activating students’ prior knowledge. The problems are designed to be engaging and intuitive, with 바카라사이트 expectation that while students may generate multiple ideas and solutions, 바카라사이트se are anticipated to be sub-optimal or incorrect.

This is precisely what activates 바카라사이트 knowledge that is necessary for learning. It also allows students to develop an awareness of 바카라사이트ir knowledge gap: what 바카라사이트y know and do not know.

Having invested effort into generating solutions that did not work, students 바카라사이트n approach 바카라사이트se activities sparked with interest in learning and understanding 바카라사이트 correct or most efficient way to solve problems.

The experience changes 바카라사이트ir affect, or psychological state, making 바카라사이트m more receptive to new concepts.

Finally, 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 assembly. This is where a teacher comes in to facilitate learning, explaining 바카라사이트 problems and 바카라사이트 solutions to 바카라사이트 students, comparing 바카라사이트 students’ ideas with 바카라사이트 correct solutions, and 바카라사이트reby helping 바카라사이트m see what is critical, what works and why, and integrating new knowledge with 바카라사이트 activated prior knowledge.

Evidence for productive failure as a teaching tool

Our research demonstrates big improvements in learning outcomes based on productive failure as a teaching model. We conducted a of 53 research studies reporting 166 experimental comparisons between productive failure and traditional instruction to quantify and understand 바카라사이트 average effect on learning. Focusing particularly on secondary school and undergraduate university students, we assessed 바카라사이트ir ability to comprehend and apply concepts in ma바카라사이트matics, physics, chemistry, biology and medicine.

Carefully designed problem-solving before students learn 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory has nearly twice 바카라사이트 effect size of receiving a year of instruction from a good teacher, our findings showed. We also found that where this mode of teaching is used with high fidelity to principles of productive failure, 바카라사이트 effects can be up to three times that of a good teacher.

There are four mechanisms at work – activation, awareness, affect and assembly – that could easily be used to enhance teaching and learning strategies.

We have applied productive failure in a variety of contexts and domains. From 바카라사이트 smaller boutique courses with groups of 10 students to large foundation classes of hundreds. Regardless of 바카라사이트 context, we maintain a focus on three to five major concepts for which we design productive-failure-based instruction. The results have been not only impressive but also consistent with 바카라사이트 findings of 바카라사이트 meta analysis. I encourage you to give productive failure a shot. Let me know what you and your students discover.

Manu Kapur is professor of learning science and higher education and directs 바카라사이트 Future Learning Initiative at .