Learning Through Student Mistakes, Part 2: How Deliberate Errors Can Improve Problem Solving and Knowledge Transfer
October 22, 2024 October 23, 2024In Part 1 of this blog series, we explored the benefits of making mistakes as part of the learning process and how this applies to note-taking. While student mistakes have traditionally been viewed as something to avoid, modern research shows that embracing errors—especially when done deliberately—can significantly boost student engagement and retention.
Building on that idea, new research by Yap and Wong (2024) has revealed how deliberately making and correcting errors can have even more profound effects on student learning, particularly in the realm of problem-solving and transferring knowledge to more complex tasks. In this post, we’ll delve into how structured mistake-driven learning enhances student engagement and dramatically improves their ability to transfer what they’ve learned to new and more difficult problems.
Why Deliberate Errors Matter for Problem Solving
One of the most fascinating findings from Yap and Wong’s (2024) study is that students who were guided to deliberately make and then correct errors during mathematical problem-solving outperformed those who engaged in errorless practice. The difference wasn’t just in their ability to solve familiar problems; the students who made deliberate errors could better transfer their learned skills to tackle novel and more complex problems.
This finding highlights the critical role that mistakes play in problem-solving. When students are allowed to make errors in a low-stakes environment, they are required to engage more deeply with the material, think critically, and ultimately refine their problem-solving skills. The process of correcting these errors further solidifies their understanding of both the procedure and the underlying concepts, making it easier to apply these skills to unfamiliar situations.
Deliberate Errors vs. Errorless Practice: A Surprising Outcome
Yap and Wong’s (2024) study compared two groups of students: one group practiced solving math problems error-free, while the other group was encouraged to deliberately make procedural errors and correct them. Despite the intuitive assumption that error-free practice would lead to better results, the research showed that students who made deliberate mistakes performed better on complex problem-solving tasks (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Test Performance and Metacognitive Predictions
(A) The mean transfer test scores across question types and learning conditions; the total possible score for the transfer test was 10.
(B) Participants’ predictions of their test performance (i.e., their metacognitive judgments of learning). Error bars indicate SEs.
Why did this happen? Deliberately making mistakes activates a deeper level of cognitive processing. When students make an error, they are forced to analyze what went wrong and figure out how to fix it. This process of reflection and correction creates stronger mental models of how the concept or procedure works, allowing students to apply their learning more flexibly in different contexts.
The Power of Errors in Knowledge Transfer
Perhaps the most important takeaway from Yap and Wong’s (2024) study is how deliberate errors enhance knowledge transfer—one of the biggest challenges in education. Knowledge transfer occurs when students can apply what they’ve learned in one context to a new, often more complex, situation. For example, a student may learn how to solve a basic math equation in class, but the true test is whether they can apply that knowledge to solve real-world problems that require adaptation and creativity.
The study demonstrated that students who practiced by making and correcting errors were significantly better at transferring their problem-solving skills to new and complex scenarios. This was especially evident when students were presented with word problems or scenarios that required them to adapt the learned mathematical procedures to unfamiliar contexts.
Additional examples of using mistake-driven learning to improve knowledge transfer could include:
- Engaging students in debates or discussions where they intentionally present flawed arguments or counterfactual scenarios. By analyzing and refuting these errors, individuals can strengthen their ability to evaluate information, identify logical fallacies, and construct well-reasoned arguments.
- Providing students with intentionally flawed hypotheses. They would develop a deeper understanding of scientific inquiry and critical thinking by designing experiments to test these hypotheses and identifying their reasoning or methodology errors.
- Intentionally making mistakes in the practice of grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary. By recognizing and correcting errors, learners develop a deeper understanding of language rules and can more effectively apply them in new situations.
How to Implement Deliberate Error-Making in the Classroom
So how can teachers use this approach in the classroom? The key is to create a structured environment where making mistakes is accepted and encouraged as part of the learning process. Here are some strategies to implement deliberate error-making in your teaching:
- Create Low-Stakes Practice Opportunities: Allow students to make errors during practice exercises focusing on learning rather than grades. Encourage them to deliberately introduce errors and then guide them through the correction process.
- Reflect on Mistakes: After making an error, have students reflect on what went wrong and why. This reflection is critical to helping them understand the underlying concepts and procedures.
- Incorporate Error Correction: Make error correction a central part of the learning activity. Whether students correct their own mistakes or discuss common errors as a class, fixing mistakes helps reinforce the right approach.
- Promote a Growth Mindset: Help students understand that mistakes are a natural and valuable part of learning. By framing errors as learning opportunities rather than failures, you can foster a classroom culture where students feel comfortable taking risks and learning from their experiences.
The Metacognitive Challenge: Why Students May Not See the Benefit
Interestingly, one of the unexpected findings from Yap and Wong’s study is that students often fail to recognize how much they benefit from deliberate error-making. Despite performing better on complex tasks, many students predicted they would have done better with errorless practice. This suggests a metacognitive challenge: students are often unaware of how beneficial mistake-driven learning can be.
This is further highlighted when considering retrieval practice, another high-impact cognitive learning strategy. Retrieval, or testing, inherently involves the possibility of errors. This discomfort of erring often leads students to gravitate towards the perceived comfort and familiarity of rereading. However, errors through testing expose knowledge gaps, prompting students to actively address them and build a deeper, more durable understanding of the material.
To overcome this, teachers can help students become more aware of their learning processes by encouraging reflection after error correction. Have students compare their initial predictions about their performance with their actual results. This helps students see the value of making mistakes and improves their self-awareness and self-regulated learning strategies.
Conclusion: Embrace Mistake-Driven Learning to Boost Engagement and Retention
The research by Yap and Wong (2024) provides compelling evidence that deliberately making and correcting errors during problem-solving can significantly enhance student engagement, retention, and, most importantly, knowledge transfer. By embracing mistakes as part of the learning process, teachers can help students build stronger problem-solving skills and increase their ability to apply their learning to new and more complex challenges.
Ultimately, it’s not just about getting the right answer—it’s about the learning that happens along the way.
What’s Next
To successfully implement deliberate error-making in your teaching or school strategy, consider reflecting on the following questions and take actionable steps to foster a culture where mistakes are a powerful learning tool.
Questions to Ask:
- How do I currently address mistakes in my classroom or school?
Reflect on how mistakes are treated—whether ignored, corrected, or used as teaching moments. - Do my students feel comfortable making mistakes?
Evaluate whether your classroom or school culture encourages students to take risks without fear of failure. - How can I design activities that incorporate deliberate error-making?
Think about opportunities within your curriculum to allow students to intentionally make and correct errors. - Am I providing enough guidance during error correction?
Assess whether your feedback is specific enough to help students understand where they went wrong and how to improve. - How can I help students see mistakes as part of the learning process?
Consider ways to shift student mindsets from seeing mistakes as failures to viewing them as opportunities for growth. - Am I using mistakes to promote critical thinking and problem-solving?
Ask yourself if you are leveraging mistakes to challenge students and deepen their understanding of concepts. - How can I measure the effectiveness of deliberate error-making in my classroom or school?
Reflect on the methods you can use to track student progress and the impact of integrating error-making into learning.
Actions to Take
- Create a classroom or school culture where mistakes are valued. Encourage teachers and students to embrace mistakes as part of learning, making it clear that errors are expected and useful.
- Introduce deliberate error-making in low-stakes activities. Design practice exercises or assignments where students are allowed—and even encouraged—to make errors and work through corrections.
- Model error correction as a learning tool. Demonstrate how to correct mistakes effectively, either by walking through common errors as a class or sharing examples from past student work.
- Provide specific, constructive feedback on student errors. Ensure feedback is detailed enough for students to understand what went wrong and how to fix it, turning mistakes into actionable learning moments.
- Encourage self-reflection after error correction. Ask students to reflect on what they learned from correcting their mistakes, helping them internalize the process.
- Regularly assess and adjust your approach. Continuously evaluate how deliberate error-making affects student engagement and learning outcomes, and make adjustments based on what works best in your context.