Pedagogy

Introduction: The Business of Failure in Education

In recent years, phrases like "fail fast" and "fail forward" have permeated the business world, particularly within startups and the tech industry. The idea is that failure is not only inevitable but necessary for innovation and long-term success. Yet, as we discussed in our previous blog post, failure—especially when framed improperly—can be discouraging for students. So how do we take the best aspects of this philosophy and apply them to education without alienating learners?

We are writing a series of blogs to respond to the growing movement in business and education (dare we say celebration) of “failing fast,” “failing forward,” or “failing forward fast.”