Engineering Practice: Persist Through and Learn From Failure

Engineers understand that failure plays a prominent role in engineering, providing opportunities for learning and improving designs. They persist through failure and recognize that solutions can always be improved.

“I Didn’t Think It Would Be So Hard!”

A pair of 4th grade students, Alanna and Felix, work in the Improve Phase of the Engineering Design Process as they try to reach a specific target distance with their rescue shuttles. Watch & Reflect:

Reflection Questions

The class admits that the activity is hard, but they “try again” when they don’t succeed the first time. They frame failure as a part of engineering and the Engineering Design Process. They do not see failure as part of their identity—they are not the failure; the attempt was. 

  1. Ask to see their design and have them point out what parts of it worked well.
  2. Were there other ideas you imagined that you might try next?
  3. What can you learn from your test results?

Related Practices: Work Effectively in Teams, Innovate to Design Solutions, Envision Multiple Solutions
Featured Unit: Engineering Rescue Shuttles