Failing Forward: Building Resilience as a TA (Online)

Failure is an inevitable and normal experience in teaching and learning that can cause discomfort among students and remains stigmatized. With a generative understanding of the role of failure in learning, we know that it provides opportunities for students to build resilience. This workshop will support participants in developing tools, mindsets, and practical strategies to help students learn through failure as well as reflect on their own experiences with failure as educators.  Drawing on interdisciplinary research, we will explore how to create supportive “error climates,” foster student reflection and resilience, and design low-stakes opportunities for productive failure. Participants will engage in reflective activities that model “productive failure” and practice reframing failure as a learning opportunity. Educational technologies that promote self-regulation and reflection will be introduced. Participants will leave the workshop with a concrete “Failing Forward Plan” to implement in their next tutorial, lab, or lesson along with a plan for reflection.