Eclectic Technology

Failing forward is a new term that has come into the field of education. We know that learners fail, and many see failure as an end point. Others see failure as a lesson learned and move forward. This post provides 21 ideas that you may find useful in your classroom, as you rephrase failure for learners, allowing them to see that what we have viewed as failure is part of the road to success.

Each of the 21 ideas is explained with a brief description and then the question "How does this promote failing forward?" is asked and answered, with an example. Below are three of the ideas. Click through to the post for more.

* Design iterative work.

* Connect students with communities

* Recognize it with badges, feedback and celebration

You may find one or two ideas that you would like to implement quickly, or consider looking ahead to next year and how some of these ideas might help learners become more successful.

We want our students to demonstrate that they know how to think, to understand that they have the ability to ask questions and find answers, answers that may not be available through Google (esp. if we are asking them to research). In short, we want them to use metacognitive skills.

But how do we teach them these skils? The image above, from teachthought, provides 15 questions that may help students create the habits that students need to learn. Below are three of the questions. Click through to the post for the entire list, as well as some great discussion.

* Is this idea important to me? To others? Why or why not?

* Is there a “part” of this new idea I can take and “pivot”? Create something new and fresh?

* What real-world models–examples–relate to this that can help me understand this further?

Consider posting these questions in your classroom and using them when appropriate with students.