In a recent article for The Conversation, Melissa Gallina (McMaster University), Akalya Kandiah (McMaster), and John Maclachlan (McMaster) argue that students need more space to fail without experiencing serious consequences. The authors explain that currently, students are caught between messages celebrating failure and systems that punish failure. Additionally, they note the impact of failure on student financial aid and retention. The authors encourage institutions to teach students how to fail “well” by taking steps such as rethinking assessments, coordinating support services, and considering the factors that shape which groups of student can afford to fail. “Mistakes happen,” write the authors. “Learning from them should be a requirement for students, not a privilege.”
