Designed-to-Fail: Using Structured Failure in Laboratory Courses as a Tool for Nature of Science Education

Guardado en:

Bibliografiske detaljer
Udgivet i:	Education Sciences vol. 15, no. 9 (2025), p. 1115-1145
Hovedforfatter:	Hazal, Kutluk
Andre forfattere:	Jaworski, David, Zheng Huawei, Krajka Victor, Constantinou Iordania
Udgivet:	MDPI AG
Fag:	Pedagogy Students Instructional design Laboratories Cognitive ability Inquiry method Cognition & reasoning COVID-19 Science education Knowledge Medical research Learning Mixed methods research STEM education Qualitative research Academic Failure Critical Thinking Diaries Influence of Technology Active Learning Reflection Educational Methods Negative Attitudes Learning Processes Failure Revision (Written Composition) Scientific Research Experiments Student Participation Science Instruction Creativity Cultural Context Science Laboratories Learner Engagement Scientific Principles Inquiry Educational Strategies
Online adgang:	Citation/Abstract Full Text + Graphics Full Text - PDF
Tags:	Tilføj Tag Ingen Tags, Vær først til at tagge denne postø!

Beskrivelse
Resumen:	Laboratory courses are foundational in STEM education, traditionally reinforcing a linear view of scientific inquiry through the validation of pre-tested hypotheses. This perspective tends to overlook the iterative, tentative, and unpredictable nature of scientific research. To address this, we developed the “Designed-to-Fail Laboratory” (DtFL), an interdisciplinary pilot course that strategically employs structured experimental failures to foster student engagement with fundamental principles of Nature of Science (NOS). The DtFL relates inquiry-based learning with failure, challenging students to confront and reflect on failure as an intrinsic component of scientific practice. Using a mixed-methods approach with pre/post-surveys and student learning diaries, we evaluated the course’s impact on fostering NOS understanding and student engagement. Qualitative analyses revealed heightened cognitive and emotional engagement with NOS dimensions, including its empirical, tentative, and subjective aspects. Survey scores showed no statistically significant changes, underscoring the complexity of capturing nuanced shifts in NOS understanding. In their learning diaries, students highlighted the DtFL’s value in reshaping their perceptions of failure, promoting resilience, and bridging theory with authentic scientific inquiry. Our findings suggest that the DtFL provides a novel framework for integrating failure into laboratory pedagogy, and an opportunity for students to gain insights into NOS while fostering critical thinking and scientific literacy.
ISSN:	2227-7102 2076-3344
DOI:	10.3390/educsci15091115
Fuente:	Education Database