Blog posts

Teaching Failure as an Acceptable Outcome in STEM Education

Failure is a fundamental aspect of STEM learning, particularly in engineering-based projects. When students engage in designing, building, and testing prototypes, they inevitably encounter setbacks. However, how educators frame these experiences can determine whether students become resilient problem-solvers or discouraged learners. A shift from viewing failure as a negative outcome to seeing it as a learning opportunity is essential in preparing students for real-world STEM challenges.

Introduction: The Business of Failure in Education

In recent years, phrases like "fail fast" and "fail forward" have permeated the business world, particularly within startups and the tech industry. The idea is that failure is not only inevitable but necessary for innovation and long-term success. Yet, as we discussed in our previous blog post, failure—especially when framed improperly—can be discouraging for students. So how do we take the best aspects of this philosophy and apply them to education without alienating learners?

As I have been speaking to individuals and groups about The Arduino Classroom: Volume One and finalizing doing the standards analysis, I have had the opportunity to reflect on the Allied Arts presented in the book. Sadly, “A” is a catch-all for language arts, art, music, design, history, and a full spectrum of other content which deserve their own consideration in this acronym. “A” to me seems burdened, perhaps overwhelmed, by all of the content that is poured into “A.” It follows then that it is more easily ignored as compared with the other four letters in STEAM.

We are writing a series of blogs to respond to the growing movement in business and education (dare we say celebration) of “failing fast,” “failing forward,” or “failing forward fast.”

Computer science teachers have well-defined requirements to meet as they introduce students to programming. As an example, The College Board’s AP Computer Science course documentation indicates that courses are required to cover the following including:

No Sound