FailureisanOption:EncouragingFailureintheClassroomthroughProblemBasedLearning

BrianField

MichiganStateUniversity

CEP812

AndrewSteinman

28thJune2015

Classroomsoftenfocusonstudentaccomplishmentsandencouragestudentstofollowalinear
approachinordertoreceivethecorrectanswer.However,thismethodutilizedinourclassroomsdoesnot
reflectrealworldapplication.Topreparestudentstoeffectivelyanalyzeandsolveproblems,our
classroomsshouldpursueaproblembasedapproach.Classroomsneedtostartimplementingproblem
basedlearningallowingfortheabilitytonotonlypursuesmultiplepathwaystoreachasolution,butalso
allowingtheopportunityforstudentstofailandrevise.Failurecanbedefinedasnotreachingadesired
result.Studentmentalityoffailureasanegativestigmainclassroomshouldtransitiontothementality
wherefailureisanimportantlearningtooltobeutilizedinreachingasolution.EdwardBurger
emphasizesthat
Individualsneedtoembracetherealizationthattakingrisksandfailingareoftenthe
essentialmovesnecessarytobringclarity,understanding,andinnovation.(Burger2012)Onlywhen
studentscanshifttheirmentalitytoembracethisideology,willstudentsbepreparedtobeeffective
thinkersforthefuture.
Traditionalclassroomteachingmodelsdonotallowfortheopportunitytoencouragefailure.Greg
SieringremarksthatWeshouldconsider,instead,waysofstructuringassignmentsandgradinginways
thatallowstudentstotakeintellectualrisksonthosesmallerlevels,wheretheystillhavetimetolearn
frommistakes.(Siering2012)Problembasedlearningencouragesstudentstotakemoreriskswiththe
understandingthatadefinedsolutionisnotpresent.Ifstudentsaretoprovidearationaljustifiedsolution,
thentheymustcontinuouslyrevisetheirfindingsuntiltheyareabletojustifytheirconclusions.
Problembasedlearningcanbesummarizedasselfdirectedlearningthroughauthentic,illstructured
problems.(Hung2008,499)
Aprimarycomponentofillstructuredproblemsistheopportunitytoseekoutmultiplesolutions.
Theseproblemsencouragemostthestudentstoactivelyparticipateinthedebateandatthesametime
helpthemtogatherexperienceindecisionmaking.(Tick2007)However,studentsshouldnotpursue
randomblindsolutionsbutshouldlearnfromthefailuresandcontinuouslyadaptthem.Dr.Geediscusses
Researchhasshownthatbrainstorming,inwhichstudentsthrowoutasmanyideasastheycanwithno
critiquesupposedlytofreethemupfromfearofcriticismcaneasilymakestudentslesscreativethan
theyhavebeenifleftontheirown.(Gee2013,193)Criticismandfailureareimportantelementsof
problembasedlearningwherethestudentsneedtounderstandtheirerrorsandrevisethem.Encouraging
studentstoonlytakerisksdoesnotproducemoreeffectivelearning.Itisonlythroughfailuredoes
learningactuallyhappen.Studentsshouldcontinuouslyrevisetheirfailedresultsuntiltheycanadvance
closertotheirdesiredresult.Learningbeginstobeseenasaprocessofcontinuousrevision,ratherthana
passorfailapproachtoreceivethecorrectanswer.Attimesstudentsmaynotreachacorrectsolution,
whichisok,aslongasthestudentsdemonstrategrowth.
Ifillstructuredproblemsthathavecomplexsolutionsbegintobeusedintheclassroom,thenwe
mustintroducenewtoolsforthestudentstouseinorderforthemtobesuccessful.Technologybecomes
animportantcomponentofillstructuredproblemsduetotheircomplexity.Studentsmustbeprovided
furtheraccesstoresourcestoallowthemtogofurtherindepthtoprovideasolution.Traditionalmodels
allowfortheteacherstobetheprimaryresourcetoguidestudentsintheproperdirectiontoreachthe
solution.However,teachersknowledgetoanswerthesecomplexproblemsbecometoodifficult,and
studentsansweringoftheproblemneedstobemorestudentcentered.Asaresult,technologyfillsinthe
gapwhereteacherscannolongersuccessfullyfulfill.Teachersandstudentscanutilizetechnologyina
combinedapproachwhenincorporatingproblembasedlearning.Dr.Geeemphasizesthisapproachin
howtheycouldbeincorporatedtomakeschoolsandsocietysmarter.(Gee2013,198)Hecomplains

thatToooften,theyareseparatedfrom,ratherthanblendedwith,facetofaceinteractions,physical
spaces,anddeepeducationalusesthatgoesbeyondentertainment.(Gee2013,198)Ifweareto
encourageourstudentstotakerisksandfail,wemustalsoprovidethemtheresourcestobe
successful.
Incorporatingfailureintheclassroomanddeconstructingthecultureofitbeingnegativewillhave
longtermpositiveconsequences.Whenstudentsenterintotheworkforce,studentswillbemorelikelyto
takecalculatedrisksandseekcontinuousrevisions,whichwillinturnresultingreaterproductivityand
innovationtosociety.Ifwewantcreateasocietyofinnovationthenwemustbeginteachingourstudents
thenecessarymindsetsandskillsthatencourageinnovation.Thisallbeginsintheclassroom,where
failuremusthaveacommonplace.

Bibliography

Burger,E.(2012,August21).
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https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2012/08/21/essayimportanceteachingfailure

Gee,J.P.(2013).
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Hung,W.,Jonassen,D.,&Liu,R.(2008).ProblemBasedLearningApproach.
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Siering,G.(2012).WhyRiskandFailureareImportantinLearning.
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Tick,A.(2007).ApplicationofProblemBasedLearninginClassroomActivitiesandMultimedia.
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