Learning from errors

Author(s):

Eveline WuttkeJanosch M. TuerlingMaxi LinkChristof NägeleAlexander BaumgartnerMartin GartmeierMindnich AnjaJuergen SeifriedFrancisco J. Guzmán-Muñoz Aiso Heinze Johannes Bauer Helmut Heid Hans Gruber Katharina Lorenzer

Conference:

ECER 2009

Network:

27. Didactics - Learning and Teaching

Format:

Symposium

Session Information

27 SES 10 B, Learning From Errors (Part 1)

Symposium. Continued in 27 SES 11 B.

Time:

2009-09-30

14:45-16:15

Room:

NIG, HS 2G

Chair:

Ana Luisa Oliveira Pires

Discussant:

Eveline Wuttke

Contribution

While there seems to be a tacit agreement that mistakes are often the best teachers we do not have enough scientific evidence that this is really true and that people actually learn from errors. On the one hand we have evidence suggesting that it is possible to learn from errors (Mindnich, Wuttke & Seifried 2008) but on the other hand findings suggest that it does not necessarily happen but is – among other things - dependent on peoples’ genetic disposition (Klein, Neumann, Reuter, Hennig & von Cramon, 2007) and the way teachers or superiors deal with errors (error avoidance vs. positive view on errors; Spychiger et al. 1998). As far as recent research is concerned there is some evidence that the concept of negative knowledge (to know how things do not work, to know how things are not and to know what one does not know) is useful in describing the process of learning from errors (vgl. Oser & Spychiger 2005; Parviaeinen & Eriksson 2006, Gartmeier et al. 2008). According to this theory learning processes would result from negative experience (vgl. Parviainen & Erkisson 2006, 143: “We seek knowledge because we do not know something and we are aware of this ignorance.”). To give this potential a chance to actually develop, the environment of people (schools, teachers, peers, superiors etc.) need to have a positive view on errors and to give sufficient and helpful support so learners can realize what went wrong and can learn new strategies to solve problems. The symposium aims to clarify questions that are connected with the way how people learn from errors and the way people deal with errors in the learning situation. Objectives are: 1) To establish a theoretical basis to explain the process of learning from errors. 2) To describe how the theory of negative knowledge can be used to explain how primary school teachers learn from their mistakes. 3) To analyze the process of learning from errors by analyzing the role of reflections. 4) To find out about teachers attitude towards mistakes and to see how they deal with them. 5) To describe under what conditions learning from errors can happen at workplaces 6) To raise the question if it might not be better to learn without mistakes The presentations will approach these questions from various angles (learning at schools, universities and companies) by establishing a sound theoretical basis and providing empirical results.

Method

Various methods are used to shed light on the questions shown above. Because there is yet no precise theory of how learning from errors can be characterised one presentation will show how inferential theory (Minnameier 2005) can be applied to explain this process. Findings from empirical quantitative studies (e.g. using questionnaires to register the error climate at schools and in companies, Wuttke et al.; Seifried et al.) and qualitative analysis of videographed classroom lessons (Wuttke et al.) or reflection processes of primary school teachers (Gartmeier et al.) will deal with the question if there is a process that can be called “learning from errors” and how teachers/trainers deal with errors. Bauer and Heinze employ an experimental laboratory-design to investigate the effect of a learning strategy intervention on students’ ways of reflecting errors in a given sequence of mathematical problem solving and on their performance in an achievement test.

Expected Outcomes

The different approaches in different domains will clarify the process of learning from errors and the views of teachers and trainers on the use of errors in learning processes. Expected results are: • Link: An error theory in terms of inferential processes. • Gartmeier et al. will show how negative knowledge results from error-making and reflection. • Bauer et al. demonstrate the importance of reflection. • Wuttke et al.: Findings so far suggest that the error climate is generally good but that teachers do not really know how to use errors constructively for subsequent learning processes. • Seifried et al. will show how trainers think about learning from errors. • Nägele will show that the error-culture is so be seen in relation to the job design, (social) support in the company and personnel characteristics of the learner. • Guzman will show the role of feedback in learning from errors.

References

Bauer, J., & Mulder, R. H. (2008): Conceptualising learning from errors at work: A literature review. In S. Billett, C. Harteis, & A. Eteläpelto (Hrsg.), Emerging perspectives on learning through work. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. Beck, K. (2005): Ergebnisse und Desiderate zur Lehr-Lern-Forschung in der kaufmännischen Berufsausbildung. Zeitschrift für Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik, 101, 533-556. Caspary, R. (Ed.) (2008): Nur wer Fehler macht, kommt weiter. Freiburg/Breisgau: Herder. Gartmeier, M., Bauer, J., Gruber, H. & Heid, H. (2008): Negative knowledge: Understanding professional learning and expertise. Vocations and Learning, 1, 87-103. Klein, T., Neumann, J., Reuter, M., Hennig, J. & von Cramon, D.Y. (2007). Genetically Determined Differences in Learning from Errors. Science, 318, 1642-1645. Mindnich, A., Wuttke, E. & Seifried, J. (2008): Aus Fehlern wird man klug? Eine Pilotstudie zur Typisierung von Fehlern und Fehlersituationen. In: Lankes, E.-M. (Hrsg.): Pädagogische Professionalität als Gegenstand empirischer Forschung. Münster u. a.: Waxmann, 153-163. Minnameier, G. (2005): Wissen und inferentielles Denken – Zur Analyse und Gestaltung von Lehr-Lern-Prozessen. Frankfurt/Main: Lang. Oser, F./Spychiger, M. (2005): Lernen ist schmerzhaft – Zur Theorie des Negativen Wissens und zur Praxis de Fehlerkultur. Weinheim: Beltz. Parviainen, J., & Eriksson, M. (2006): Negative knowledge, expertise and organisations. International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, 2, 140–153. Shulman, L. S. (1987): Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform. Harvard Educational Research, 57, 1-22. Spychiger, M., Mahler, F., Hascher, T. & Oser, F. (1998). Fehlerkultur aus der Sicht von Schülerinnen und Schülern. Der Fragebogen S-UFS: Entwicklung und erste Ergebnisse. (Schriftenreihe zum Projekt „Lernen Menschen aus Fehlern? Zur Entwicklung einer Fehlerkultur in der Schule“, Nr. 4). Pädagogisches Institut der Universität Freiburg/Schweiz. Spychiger, M. (2006): Editorial: Fehlerkultur – Indiz für eine konstruktivistische Auffassung des Lernens. In: Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Bildungswissenschaften. 28 (1), pp. 5-20. Tynjälä, P: (2008): Perspectives into learning at the workplace. In: Educational Research Review, 3, 130-154. Ullsperger, M. (2008). Subtile Lehrmeister. In: Gehirn&Geist, 4/2008, pp. 36-41. van Dyck, C., Frese, M., Baer, M., & Sonnentag, S. (2005): Organizational error management culture and its impact on performance: A two-study replication. In: Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 1228–1240.

Author Information

Eveline Wuttke

Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt

Wirtschaftspädagogik

Frankfurt

Janosch M. Tuerling

University of Konstanz

Business and Economics Education

Konstanz

Maxi Link

RWTH Aachen

Institut für Erziehungswissenschaft

Aachen

Christof Nägele

Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training SFIVET

Zollikofen / Bern

Alexander Baumgartner

University of Konstanz

Konstanz

Martin Gartmeier

University of Regensburg

Institute of Educational Science

Regensburg

Mindnich Anja

Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt, Germany

Juergen Seifried

University of Konstanz

Konstanz

Francisco J. Guzmán-Muñoz

Department of Experimental and Work Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

Aiso Heinze

Leibniz Institute for Science Education, Kiel, Germany

Johannes Bauer

Leibniz Institute for Science Education, Kiel, Germany

Helmut Heid

University of Regensburg, Germany

Hans Gruber

University of Regensburg, Germany

Katharina Lorenzer

University of Regensburg, Germany

Company Learning Services

Augsburg

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