For years, educators have followed a model of explaining a new concept, then letting students practice. Think of a typical math class: the teacher will introduce an idea, do some example problems on the blackboard, and then ask students to practice similar problems on their own.
New research finds that this age-old pattern may not be the most effective teaching method. A systematic review published in October in the journal Review of Educational Research identifies a better system: allow students to wrestle with a new problem first, and then explain the underlying concept.
Education researcher Manu Kapur, a co-author of the review, calls this strategy “productive failure.” His research suggests it may be the key to teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) concepts in middle school and beyond.
For the review, Kapur and postdoc researcher Tanmay Sinha analyzed 53 studies of science and math students in North America, Europe, and Asia. The students ranged from second graders to postgraduates, but most were 12 to 18 years old. Their findings demonstrate that asking students to problem-solve first was two to three times more effective for learning than providing instruction first.
Kapur and Sinha are quick to note that “productive failure” requires specific circumstances. First, students need enough background knowledge to attempt the initial problem (Interestingly, their strategy did not work well with younger students, probably because they don’t have enough general knowledge to effectively problem solve). The initial problems should be challenging, but not impossible. And the model functions best when students work in small groups to figure out answers.
Evidence shows that when students recognize their knowledge gaps in trying to solve the initial problem, it sparks an interest in learning. This helps them better understand the new concept when the teacher explains it.
To further test “productive failure,” Kapur’s team implemented the theory starting in a university-level algebra course at ETH Zurich, a public university in Switzerland.
Usually, the course uses a traditional approach of learning through a lecture, followed by practice exercises. For their on-going study, Kapur’s team gave students the option to solve some problems before the class lectures. The preliminary data show that students who completed the extra work were 20% more likely to pass the class and had considerably higher grades compared to students who did not complete the extra work.
The take-home message: An alternate method of learning where students first problem-solve, then receive instruction, is more effective than traditional learning methods.
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