Productive Failure: A Path to Higher Self Esteem
The traditional teaching methodology focuses firstly on the theoretical approach to each problem and through guidance reaches the proper solution. Productive failure reverses the procedure. The students are encouraged to experiment on possible solutions and are subsequently given explanations for the solution. During this process the students discover and share their abilities and weaknesses and in a group context learn to cooperate under a common goal. The problems chosen provide students the opportunity to actively participate in a key aspect of productive failure – the activation of prior knowledge. Although students' use of prior knowledge may turn out to be incorrect, this first step is a critical “lever” for them to develop self-awareness. Recent studies indicate that this method has significant advantages for a deeper understanding of problem solving and the acquisition of knowledge.