Get Your Students Hired
I find that students are motivated to push their comfort zone in production (culinary) when it's made clear that the group will benifit by learning opportunities from not only the items that get it "right", but also the ones that provide contrast to the persctibed defenition of "right". That we all benefit from the experience of observing "mistakes" and how to better plan for avoiding those pitfals.
Mohan, great example and also a great example of action learning. The hands on approach is a real bonus. Other topics that can incorporate action learning activities should also be used whenever possible. I have see some very creative action learning lesson plans used in English, Math, and other courses that tend to focus more on lecture as the main form of knowledge transfer.
James Jackson
I teach Automotive technology in an adult school. In the lab, live vehicles are bugged with malfunctions. The students are made familiar with the necessary theoretical knoledge and tools for the diagnosis. They as, groups of three or four, are given the task of trouble shooting the malfunctions. I will be just an observer. After successfully finishing the task I go over the procedure in the class room. During the discussions I particularly point out the mistaken steps that each group had taken during the trouble shootings. And, I found out that the students are highly conscious of their mistaken steps and will never repeat the same mistakes again.
David, great post and I totally agree in the power of learning from mistakes. The classroom needs to be a safe environment for students to feel comfortable and be willing to test their knowledge - even to the level of failure. The important skill here is how the instructor can capture the moment and focus the student's attention on the correct answer and build the mental picture the student needs to associate the new knowledge to something they can more readily recall.
James Jackson
Katherine, when a lesson plan can allow students to learn from their mistakes the impact of that learning can be long lived. The learning process can be greatly enhanced by the instructor capturing the moment and ensuring students fully understand how the mistake could have been avoided and students are able to practice the proper behavior or discuss their newly found knowledge.
James Jackson
Learning from mistakes can be a key factor in a students success. This makes going over a test after it has been turned in a valuable training aid. We must keep in mind as instructors that the "test" itself is part of the learning process. When students are successful its reenforcement of their knowledge, when they are not successful at a test going over it could help them retain the correct knowledge. We see this pattern over and over again.
My students benefit alot from others mistakes. Students like to know that it is ok to make a mistak,and then learn from the mistake. I think making mistakes are important to the learning process.
Allen, good to let students know the classroom is the place to learn from their mistakes. Mistakes in the real world can be risky and have negative consequences and this is the value of making mistakes in the classroom and enhances the overall learning process.
James Jackson
Making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn from.If you are not making mistakes you are not trying to become better.The good and smart people learn from thier mistakes and become better at what they are doing.
In an English class, mistakes can often be made. It seems that some students will find no shame in offering their findings even if it is wrong; however, some students if they fail once at answering a questions, will never attempt again. I think it is wise to treat incorrect answers the way this class suggested until you find out how the individual students handles failure. Great class.
Ben, what a great message for your students. The classroom is the place to learn from mistakes and as a result we minimize any mistakes when it really counts in the real world work environment. Thanks for sharing.
James Jackson
I am an Automotive Instructor. We encourage mistakes. This is the best learning tool out there. I encourage students to share thier mistakes with others. At that point it will give me the oppertuninty to explain.
sandra, I like your focus on the importance of learning from others and the importance of students sharing their experiences with there peers so that everyone can gain from the sharing. You show first hand how to build safety within the classroom buy creating an environment where students feel they can freely share their own experiences and are eager to learn from others.
James Jackson
My experience has been that students benefit greatly from others mistakes. We like to use it as a learning tool in our dental lab daily. Students are never ridiculed over a mistake-but applauded for sharing their mistakes for others to learn from.
Aaron, well stated. For those professions that can enhance learning through observations of the mistakes made students can quickly cultivate a style and learning process all their own. Thanks for sharing.
James Jackson