Comments on: Rethinking Failure, Learning, and Achievement http://www.jonmott.com/blog/2009/07/rethinking-failure-learning-and-achievement/ Musings about Academic Technology Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:42:09 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Rethinking Failure « Hannah Suarez http://www.jonmott.com/blog/2009/07/rethinking-failure-learning-and-achievement/comment-page-1/#comment-1126 Rethinking Failure « Hannah Suarez Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:40:06 +0000 http://www.jonmott.com/blog/?p=47#comment-1126 [...] The End in Mind: Rethinking Failure, Learning and Achievement [...] [...] The End in Mind: Rethinking Failure, Learning and Achievement [...]

]]> By: jonmott http://www.jonmott.com/blog/2009/07/rethinking-failure-learning-and-achievement/comment-page-1/#comment-935 jonmott Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:25:26 +0000 http://www.jonmott.com/blog/?p=47#comment-935 Better now? Better now?

]]> By: jonmott http://www.jonmott.com/blog/2009/07/rethinking-failure-learning-and-achievement/comment-page-1/#comment-938 jonmott Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:54:40 +0000 http://www.jonmott.com/blog/?p=47#comment-938 Wow. This is really whacked in the browser I'm using right now. Something must have broke. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend. :-( Wow. This is really whacked in the browser I'm using right now. Something must have broke. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend. :-(

]]> By: jonmott http://www.jonmott.com/blog/2009/07/rethinking-failure-learning-and-achievement/comment-page-1/#comment-937 jonmott Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:16:44 +0000 http://www.jonmott.com/blog/?p=47#comment-937 Ron--<br><br>I guess it's time to tweak my CSS. :-)<br><br>Jon Ron–

I guess it's time to tweak my CSS. :-)

Jon

]]> By: jonmott http://www.jonmott.com/blog/2009/07/rethinking-failure-learning-and-achievement/comment-page-1/#comment-934 jonmott Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:15:48 +0000 http://www.jonmott.com/blog/?p=47#comment-934 Steve,<br><br>This is great stuff. I love the idea that the exact same outcome can be perceived differently if we simple call it something else ("failure" v "learning"). I think that's one of the hallmarks of a great teacher (or parent for that matter)--one who helps the learner or the child see obstacles, foibles, and mistakes as stepping stones to greater knowledge and achievement. <br><br>Thanks for sharing!<br><br>Jon Steve,

This is great stuff. I love the idea that the exact same outcome can be perceived differently if we simple call it something else (”failure” v “learning”). I think that's one of the hallmarks of a great teacher (or parent for that matter)–one who helps the learner or the child see obstacles, foibles, and mistakes as stepping stones to greater knowledge and achievement.

Thanks for sharing!

Jon

]]> By: ron http://www.jonmott.com/blog/2009/07/rethinking-failure-learning-and-achievement/comment-page-1/#comment-936 ron Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:01:40 +0000 http://www.jonmott.com/blog/?p=47#comment-936 hi Jon,<br>I like your blog, but the contrast here is terrible. I cant even read it unless I select the text to make a white background -- but light blue/grey on white is still pretty bad.<br><br>ron hi Jon,
I like your blog, but the contrast here is terrible. I cant even read it unless I select the text to make a white background — but light blue/grey on white is still pretty bad.

ron

]]> By: steveehrmann http://www.jonmott.com/blog/2009/07/rethinking-failure-learning-and-achievement/comment-page-1/#comment-933 steveehrmann Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:00:06 +0000 http://www.jonmott.com/blog/?p=47#comment-933 As a doctoral student, I co-taught a course called "Failure in Human Systems" at MIT (1974). One lesson is that failure and learning are closely related: each usually involves a mismatch between expectation and reality. If it's failure, that mismatch is so threatening that the person turns away for protection and perhaps in shame. If it's treated as 'learning,' the person has the means and courage to turn toward it, to try figuring out the cause of the mismatch.<br><br>One of our students, Lew Erwin, wrote a fascinating case study about the warranty system in consumer durables. In those days, TVs had tubes. Manufacturers created warranties in order to get data on which tubes were failing, and paid repairmen to replace defective parts, so the consumer would get a free call. Lew found that many consumers called in repairs for problems not actually caused by defective parts (e.g., set not plugged in). To avoid billing the consumer, the repairman would pull out a perfectly good component. The TV company was getting false data (that the tubes that were easiest to reach were also the most likely to fail.)<br><br>I know this isn't the kind of moral you were asking for, but it says a lot to me about the complexity of both failure and learning. As a doctoral student, I co-taught a course called “Failure in Human Systems” at MIT (1974). One lesson is that failure and learning are closely related: each usually involves a mismatch between expectation and reality. If it's failure, that mismatch is so threatening that the person turns away for protection and perhaps in shame. If it's treated as 'learning,' the person has the means and courage to turn toward it, to try figuring out the cause of the mismatch.

One of our students, Lew Erwin, wrote a fascinating case study about the warranty system in consumer durables. In those days, TVs had tubes. Manufacturers created warranties in order to get data on which tubes were failing, and paid repairmen to replace defective parts, so the consumer would get a free call. Lew found that many consumers called in repairs for problems not actually caused by defective parts (e.g., set not plugged in). To avoid billing the consumer, the repairman would pull out a perfectly good component. The TV company was getting false data (that the tubes that were easiest to reach were also the most likely to fail.)

I know this isn't the kind of moral you were asking for, but it says a lot to me about the complexity of both failure and learning.

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