Designed-to-Fail: Using Structured Failure in Laboratory Courses as a Tool for Nature of Science Education

Abstract

Laboratory courses are foundational in STEM education, traditionally reinforcing a linear view of scientific inquiry through the validation of pre-tested hypotheses. This perspective tends to overlook the iterative, tentative, and unpredictable nature of scientific research. To address this, we developed the “Designed-to-Fail Laboratory” (DtFL), an interdisciplinary pilot course that strategically employs structured experimental failures to foster student engagement with fundamental principles of Nature of Science (NOS). The DtFL relates inquiry-based learning with failure, challenging students to confront and reflect on failure as an intrinsic component of scientific practice. Using a mixed-methods approach with pre/post-surveys and student learning diaries, we evaluated the course’s impact on fostering NOS understanding and student engagement. Qualitative analyses revealed heightened cognitive and emotional engagement with NOS dimensions, including its empirical, tentative, and subjective aspects. Survey scores showed no statistically significant changes, underscoring the complexity of capturing nuanced shifts in NOS understanding. In their learning diaries, students highlighted the DtFL’s value in reshaping their perceptions of failure, promoting resilience, and bridging theory with authentic scientific inquiry. Our findings suggest that the DtFL provides a novel framework for integrating failure into laboratory pedagogy, and an opportunity for students to gain insights into NOS while fostering critical thinking and scientific literacy.