The Innovation Show Manu Kapur: The Science of Productive Failure & The Four A’s of Learning
Sep 18, 2025
Manu Kapur, a learning scientist and author of *Productive Failure*, joins to discuss how failure can drive deeper learning. He unveils the Basic Knowledge Fallacy and debates direct instruction versus discovery learning. The conversation highlights the Four A’s of Learning: Activation, Awareness, Affect, and Assembly. Manu emphasizes the benefits of variability and struggle in learning, revealing how pretesting and embracing difficulties can enhance adaptability and retention. This engaging dialogue transforms perspectives on teaching and learning.
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Learning Path Shapes Understanding
- How you learn basic knowledge shapes how deeply you understand and transfer it.
- Two groups can score equally on basics yet differ widely in conceptual depth and transfer.
Sports Training As A Learning Metaphor
- Aidan compares sports training to learning: do practice right or regret wasted time.
- He argues committing to deep practice makes learning stick and pay off later.
Combine Generation With Later Instruction
- Design constrained problem tasks that let learners generate multiple (but not complete) solutions before teaching.
- Then follow with targeted instruction that connects learners' attempts to expert knowledge.
