Learning from mistakes

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Learning from mistakes is to be seen as a special case of experience-based learning . This means actions that are carried out as a result of an error event, e.g. B. Error analysis, root cause research or search for ways to correct errors. Learning from mistakes is scientifically investigated on the assumption that dealing with the wrong thing improves knowledge of the right thing and the ability to act correctly, i.e. the repetition of mistakes can be prevented.

Learning from mistakes is studied by several scientific disciplines. So the deal pedagogy and psychology with fault-based learning in academic and professional contexts. The medical and nursing analyze u. a. from the point of view of patient safety , possibilities for error prevention and learning from errors in a clinical context. A related research area is that of error management in business administration .

Types of errors

The differentiation between types of errors is intended to identify the associated learning potential. A much-quoted classification comes from James Reason:

  • Slips and lapses are careless or careless mistakes , in which the actor has the necessary knowledge and skills to avoid the mistake, but nevertheless
    • he cannot think of what is necessary to carry out an action, e.g. B. through inattentiveness or hectic, so that negligence occurs
    • he thinks “It will be fine”, estimates the probability of failure to be low and accepts it.
  • Knowledge and rule-based errors, on the other hand, because an actor makes incorrect assumptions or bases an action on incorrect cause-and-effect considerations. Knowledge- and rule-based errors are helpful from a pedagogical point of view, as they enable an actor to gain insight into deficits and weaknesses of his knowledge or his procedures in certain situations.
  • Misconception : The person concerned makes a wrong conclusion .

Error culture and learning from mistakes

The error culture of the respective context is considered to be the relevant variable for learning from mistakes . This describes the way in which social systems deal with errors, the risk of errors and the consequences of errors. It is assumed that the attitudes and procedures existing in a social system in dealing with errors have a major influence on how each individual employee deals with errors. Do people, e.g. B. the employees of a company, fear of negative consequences, if they make a mistake, they are more inclined to cover up the mistake. As a result, informal learning , i.e. learning from context, can only take place very poorly. From a pedagogical point of view, it is desirable to have an error culture in which it is possible to admit errors and to discuss them openly and to improve workflows in order to prevent errors.

One example is the Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU). It investigates marine accidents on an object-specific and expert basis. Here, the causes that led to the marine casualty should be determined without any consequences for those involved.

Learning from mistakes and negative knowledge

Negative knowledge, a special form of empirical knowledge, is knowing what is wrong or how certain problems cannot be solved. It is assumed that learning from mistakes is often associated with insights into the falseness of one's own assumptions or patterns of action, which are expressed in negative knowledge. Negative knowledge thus represents a result of learning from mistakes that fulfills valuable functions in various respects: With the help of negative knowledge, the above-described “negative repetition effect” of learning from mistakes can be explained - who knows exactly what one does not know in a certain situation is allowed to do, can specifically avoid certain mistakes. Typically, negative knowledge refers to typical as well as very serious errors.

Targeted flaws as teaching material

Finding mistakes as a task enlivens lessons:

  • Newspaper report high-speed drivers : “A few years ago one in ten drivers drove too fast, today it is only one in five. But five percent is too many, and controls continue to be carried out and the fast drivers have to pay. "
  • Three Skat brothers in the inn eat for 30 marks. The waiter brings the 30 marks to the landlord. He says: "There are good regulars, there are five marks here, give them back." The waiter thinks 'Five through three is not possible', gives each guest one mark back and keeps two for himself. So each guest has paid nine marks, makes 27, the waiter has two, makes 29. Where did the thirtieth mark go?

See also

literature

  • Wolfgang Althof (Ed.): Worlds of Errors. About making mistakes and learning from mistakes. Leske and Budrich, Opladen 1999, ISBN 3-8100-2343-4 .
  • J. Bauer: Learning from errors at work: Studies on nurses' engagement in error-related learning activities. Dissertation, University of Regensburg 2008. (online at: opus-bayern.de )
  • PO Chott: Approaches to the development of an 'error culture'. In: Learning Opportunities. 39 (7th year) 2004, pp. 53-56.
  • AC Edmondson: Learning from mistakes is easier said than done: group and organizational influences on the detection and correction of human error. In: Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 32, 1996, pp. 5-28.
  • M. Gartmeier, J. Bauer, H. Gruber, H. Heid: Negative knowledge: Understanding professional learning and expertise. In: Vocations and Learning. 1, 2008, pp. 87-103.
  • C. Harteis, J. Bauer, H. Gruber: The culture of learning from mistakes: How employees handle mistakes in everyday work. In: International Journal of Educational Research. 47, 2008, pp. 223-231.
  • W. Kuhn (Ed.): Learning from mistakes. In: Practice of the natural sciences. 52, (1/2003) pp. 3-30.
  • B. Kriegesmann, T. Kley, M. Schwering: Creative errors and heroic failures: capturing their innovative potential. In: Journal of Business Strategy. 26, 2005, pp. 57-64.
  • CE Meurier, CA Vincent, DG Parmar: Learning from errors in nursing practice. In: Journal of Advanced Nursing. 26, 1997, pp. 111-119.
  • F. Oser, M. Spychiger: Learning is painful. Beltz, Weinheim 2005, ISBN 3-407-25373-7 .
  • JT Reason: Human Error: Psychological Risk Factors and Modern Technology. Spektrum, Akad. Verlag, Heidelberg et al. 1994, ISBN 3-86025-098-1 .
  • Elke M. Schüttelkopf: Success strategy error culture. How organizations increase their performance through professional handling of errors. In: Gabriele Ebner, Peter Heimerl, Elke M. Schüttelkopf: Fehler.Lernen.Unternehmen. How you perceive and shape the error culture and learning maturity of your organization. Frankfurt am Main / Berlin / Bern / Bruxelles / New York / Oxford / Vienna 2008, ISBN 978-3-631-57744-8 , pp. 151-314.
  • Elke M. Schüttelkopf: Learning from mistakes: How to learn from damage. Freiburg 2013, ISBN 978-3-648-04595-4 .
  • Martin Weingardt: Mistakes set us apart . Transdisciplinary basics of the theory and productivity of error in school and the world of work. Klinkhardt, Bad Heilbrunn 2004, ISBN 3-7815-1276-2 .
  • Eveline Wuttke, Jürgen Seifried (Eds.): Learning from Errors at School and at Work. Budrich, Opladen et al. 2012, ISBN 978-3-86649-415-2 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Wilfried Herget in the radio show Curiosity is enough - The feature in WDR 5 on August 18, 2014 ( memento of the original from November 29, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Minute 16, accessed November 14, 2014 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / podcast-ww.wdr.de
  2. ^ Eitelfritz Wegner (1905–1974), innkeeper in Potsdam, hotelier in Berum