Productive Failure: Unlocking Deeper Learning Through the Science of Failing - Hardcover

by Manu Kapur (Author)

Design for and turn your failures into meaningful learning experiences

Written by a leading global expert on human cognition, productive failure, and learning methods, Productive Failure shows you how to design the experience of failing. Research shows that repeated experiences of intriguing, constructive failure can help students (and our own children, and anyone else we lead) develop creativity and learn more deeply. When carefully curated, failure can become a signal for learning, not the noise detracting from it. The result? Learners gain a lifelong readiness to push themselves outside of their comfort zones, using setbacks as launchpads for learning and innovation.

The evidence-based principles in this book are powerful, not only in formal schooling contexts, but also for anyone taking charge of and designing their own lifelong learning. From learning a new language or skill to setting up goals that push you past your limits, this book unpacks the science of Productive Failure and describes design principles--and specific strategies built upon them--that let you harness Productive Failure for your own benefit.

• Learn and understand the science of failure
• Apply the research-based Productive Failure framework in classrooms, teams, groups, and organizational settings
• Learn techniques like retrieval practice, generative problem-solving, motivational hacking, culture building, and so on to deepen learning experiences
• Reach new levels of critical thinking, innovation, and success by making failure the norm, not the exception, and learning how to cope with it

This fascinating and actionable book is a must for educators, parents, managers, leaders, and anyone who needs to help others (or themselves) learn how to learn.

Front Jacket

If learning from failure can be powerful, then why wait for failure to happen? Why not intentionally design for it, and harness it for deep learning and growth? In Productive Failure, learning scientist Manu Kapur delivers a startlingly insightful discussion of how to do this.

The book offers evidence-based principles that demonstrate how to deliberately design for and transform failure into a deep learning signal, generating in learners a lifelong readiness to push themselves outside their comfort zones and use setbacks as launchpads for development and innovation. The techniques taught within are revolutionary not just within formal schooling and work contexts, but for anyone taking charge of and designing their own lifelong learning.

Productive Failure unpacks the science of Kapur's theory and describes design principles and strategies you can benefit from immediately. You'll learn to apply the book's techniques in classrooms, teams, groups, and organizational settings as it walks you through retrieval practice, generative problem-solving, motivational hacking, culture building, and more. You'll also reach new levels of critical thinking, innovation, and success by making failure the norm, rather than the exception, and learning how to harness it.

Perfect for educators, parents, business leaders, managers, and executives, Productive Failure is also a can't-miss resource for entrepreneurs, founders, lifelong learners, and anyone else who wants to help themselves or others to learn better, faster, and more productively.

Back Jacket

Praise for PRODUCTIVE FAILURE

"Productive Failure perfectly defines the power and science of learning from failure; a must-read for anyone looking to transform their game, not just in sport, but in all walks of life."
--KAPIL DEV, India's first Cricket World Cup Winning Captain

"A stunning book that goes to the heart of deep learning, both in theory and in practice. An eye-opener about powerful ways to achieve mastery learning through exploration and conceptual play. I was totally entranced on reading this incredibly mind-shaping book both as a teacher and then later, as a research director. A must-read for everyone interested in learning and growth!"
-- JOHN SEELY BROWN, former chief scientist, Xerox Corporation, and director, Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), author, and learning innovation guru

"This book speaks to me as a leader, civil engineer, academic, researcher, educator, sportswoman, volunteer, and fundraiser that we learn considerably more from our failures than our successes. Manu makes it truly productive and impactful, in stimulating deep learning and understanding, and in promoting critical thinking. It has universal appeal. It is life-changing. I wish I had known much more, and earlier, in my career!"
-- PROFESSOR DAME SARAH SPRINGMAN, FREng, former rector, ETH Zurich and Principal, St Hilda's College, Oxford