Failure as motivator
Does failure make it easier to succeed?
I came across an interesting article. about “productive failure.” The article dealt with research into ways that failure could set the stage for later academic success.
Pretests were used to assess students’ knowledge BEFORE instruction. Results were predictably dismal. Some students then received traditional instruction while others were left to “sink or swim.”
It turns out that students with a tougher path tend to do better, in the final analysis. As the article states: “The experience of failure and struggle gave students something valuable.”
This is a great concept for designers — we’re reminded every day that our failures help us improve — but it’s tough to implement as an instructor, especially an online instructor.
TIme and again, I have seen students disengage and become discouraged when struggling to understand an assignment. We do everything we can to make sure all the questions are answered and the path to success is clear.
Judging from this research, it might be good to teach less and question more. What do you think? Leave a comment with your thoughts below.
This work by Loren Omoto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
