Everyone wants to succeed. It’s only natural.
In fact, our brains crave success because it gives us the feel-good hit of dopamine. That sense of pleasure and satisfaction we get from achieving a goal is not to be underestimated.
In contrast, failure suppresses dopamine and increases feelings of disappointment and frustration.
However, the short-term stress of failure also has an interesting side effect. It enhances focus and memory and gives us the drive to correct our mistakes and reach our goals.
While no one enjoys failure, it’s critical for achieving long-term success in learning. That’s why instructional design should always include a safe space to get things wrong.
How failure supports the learning process
Studies have shown that failure not only supports the learning process, it enhances it, too.
A 2018 study by Toronto-based educators involved dividing students into two groups. One group studied by memorizing the information, while the second group guessed the answers and then got feedback on their results.
The results were fascinating. The students who guessed outperformed the group that memorized. It was determined that this was because they had time to reflect on their incorrect answers and then learn from their mistakes.
Strengthening memory retention and mastery
When we succeed, we celebrate and enjoy that rush of dopamine. Very rarely, however, do we stop and reflect on what led us to that outcome.
The typical response after success is to move on to the next challenge and keep progressing.
Failing, on the other hand, forces us to stop and think about what happened. Once we understand where we went wrong, we start searching for a way to reach a better outcome.
Like the students in the study above, the group that memorized the information did not get a chance to reflect. In contrast, the group that guessed and then reflected had a more successful outcome.
All that extra time spent on reviewing and analyzing gives us a much stronger memory recall in the short and long term. And taking the time to grasp concepts thoroughly allows us to become masters of that skill.
Developing resilience
Think back to when you were young and attempted to ride a bike without training wheels for the first time. No doubt you wobbled, swerved, and fell multiple times. But did you give up? Or did you grit your teeth and try again?
As you encountered the failure of falling, your brain was also busy learning how to handle each setback. Every fall taught you persistence, and each new attempt taught you to face the failure head on.
This resilience is what gives you the drive to keep trying until you master the skill. The mental toughness reduces the negative emotional impact of failure and allows you to push through to the other side.
Encouraging critical thinking
When we fail, something interesting happens. The frontal lobe (prefrontal cortex) of our brain is activated.
This area is responsible for critical functions like decision-making and self-regulation. Failure forces the brain into deeper cognitive processing as well as analysis and reflection of what went wrong. We also start to think about what needs to change to reach a successful outcome.
During this process, the brain forms new neural pathways that strengthen the connections associated with problem-solving and critical thinking.
This is known as “neuroplasticity.” It refers to our brain’s incredible ability to adapt to change. The more our brains face these situations, the better we become at handling challenging events.
Why instructional designers must overcome the perception of failure
One of the biggest hurdles you’ll face when encouraging failure is the negative stigma attached to it. As mentioned previously, no one actually wants to fail.
Traditional education hasn’t helped this matter. Those red-inked corrections and detentions seek to penalize mistakes instead of using them as learning opportunities. Moreover, socially and culturally, failure is usually viewed as a sign of incompetence, weakness, or stupidity.
So how do we, as instructional designers, change this outlook on failure?
The key is to promote the idea that failure is not the end point of learning. Instead, it forms part of the pathway to success and is a necessary – and natural – part of the process.
You can do this by creating learning experiences where failure is normal, expected, and even celebrated. By shifting failure away from personal deficiency, it can, instead, be presented as an opportunity for exploration and improvement.
Strategies for integrating failure into instructional design
Failure should be baked into learning by giving students ample time to pause and reflect, receive feedback, and decide which changes to make.
Some effective ways to do this include the following:
Strategy #1: Scenario-based learning
Scenarios mimic real-world situations and have proven to be an incredibly effective way to integrate failure into instructional design. Plus, they’re also fun to participate in, which helps!
Learners are given complex scenarios and are invited to explore different outcomes through “branching.” This is where each decision leads down a different path. And, every path provides learners with unique consequences based on the choice they made.
Much like a “choose your own adventure book” (remember those?) when individuals encounter failure, they can go back to an earlier point in the scenario. They can then make a different choice to reach a better outcome.
Scenarios work because they allow learners to experiment without the fear of real-world repercussions. Providing this safe space permits mistakes in a risk-free environment while giving plenty of time for pause and reflection.
Incorporating feedback on each branching decision will also help support the learners as they move through the scenario.
Strategy #2: Simulations and games
Games are built for failure. Take computer games, for example. When your character “dies,” it’s tempting to throw the controller across the room, but you don’t give up and stop playing. Instead, you learn from your mistakes, develop a strategy for avoiding “death,” go back to the save point, and try again.
Simulations differ in that they provide immersive learning environments mimicking real-world situations. Learners can apply and test out their newfound knowledge or skills in a risk-free space.
A typical example of this would be a flight simulator, where pilots can learn to fly aircraft in realistic environments without the dangers that come with doing it for real.
Both gamified learning and simulations offer students plenty of opportunities to test out different strategies and strive for improvements. Thanks to their engaging and interactive nature, failure is seen as less daunting and simply part of the process.
Strategy #3: Trial and error
Humans naturally learn through trial and error, so it is important to incorporate activities into training programs that encourage this method.
Trial and error is especially important for trying out new manual skills that require hands-on practice (like riding a bike!) It’s equally useful for learning software, digital tools, and equipment operation.
From a logical perspective, trial and error supports mathematical and scientific problem-solving and hypothesis testing.
For example, when learning a new photo editing program, the typical learning process is to click around the various options and try out features until the desired result is achieved. Once you have figured out what works, you will be much more likely to remember it the next time you use the software.
Strategy #4: Low-stakes failure opportunities
Low-stakes failure opportunities are what learners need to build that all-important resilience.
Use elements like quizzes, practice tests, or non-graded assessments where failure is used as a feedback mechanism. The low-pressure environment gives students the confidence to make errors without fear of negative repercussions.
Also, these opportunities help learners keep track of their progress and understand which parts of the course require more work.
Why feedback and failure go hand-in-hand
Failure alone does not lead to learning. It can only work in a learning environment if the individual is given time to reflect and analyze.
That means constructive feedback needs to happen right after a failure. Real time support not only guides learners in the right direction, but it also gives them the motivation to do so.
Without feedback, the failure can feel overwhelming and demoralizing. A lack of guidance will also make the learner feel lost and unable to understand or rectify their mistakes.
After all, if they don’t get any information on why their decision or action was wrong, how can they hope to make improvements?
With this in mind:
- Provide feedback at every stage of the learning path in a specific and objective manner.
- Then, ask the individual to reflect on what could be done differently and invite them to try again.
- End on a positive note to reaffirm the learner’s ability to succeed if they persist.
- Make sure learners know they have access to additional help and support if they need it.
Final thoughts
No one goes through life without failing. It’s an integral part of any learning process. From taking our first steps as babies to cooking from scratch right up to getting academic and professional qualifications. We wouldn’t achieve any of it without falling down along the way.
Hopefully, this article has shown you that failure can – and should be – a positive experience in a learning environment. And, by incorporating failure into instructional design, you are actually setting your students up for success.
By Janette Bonnet
Janette Bonnet is an experienced L&D professional who is passionate about exploring instructional design techniques, trends, and innovations.