About us

We’re an interdisciplinary team of researchers examining failure’s role in education.

The Failure: Learning in Progress (FLIP) project began as an exploration of the role of pedagogical failure as a part of learning in introductory biology courses. Science textbooks seem to be a catalogue of successes in science. Noticeably absent are the stories of learning through failure, which is core to the scientific process. This realization led to the design and implementation of “Failure: Learning In Progress” pedagogical tools, case studies, and learning guides in the context of science. 

It quickly became apparent that learning through failure is a process not limited to the sciences alone. Experimentation, struggle, failure, and reflection are fundamental to learning as a whole, regardless of discipline. In sum, failure is essential to learning itself. 

The FLIP Project examines pedagogical struggle and failure utilizing an equity-focused approach. The team is particularly interested in exploring how the opportunities and consequences of failure fall unevenly in the lives of first-generation, international, Indigenous, and racialized students. Since its inception in 2018 this project has been conducting original studies, publishing research articles, and developing open education resources for instructors and students alike. 

In recent years, teachers, researchers, and administrators in higher education have recognized the value of pedagogical failure. Post-secondary institutions have increasingly called on students to “embrace risk” and “learn from failure,” often while highlighting the benefits and opportunities that risk taking or “productive failure” present. However, the language of grit, resiliency, and opportunity within discussions of pedagogical failure is not matched with a systemic commitment to building new or expanding existing resources and supports for students experiencing struggle and failure on the road of learning.  

Meet the Team

We are an interdisciplinary team of faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate research assistants, and undergraduate students based at the University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University. Our diverse backgrounds, research, and teaching interests span the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences to make for a cross-disciplinary and multi-focal analysis of failure and learning in higher education. Scroll down to meet our team. 

Dr. Fiona Rawle profile picture

Dr. Fiona Rawle

Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga

Dr. Nicole Laliberté profile picture

Dr. Nicole Laliberté

Associate Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga

Dr. Mairi Cowan profile picture

Dr. Mairi Cowan

Associate Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga

Dr. Ken Derry profile picture

Dr. Ken Derry

Associate Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga

Dr. Dan Guadagnolo profile picture

Dr. Dan Guadagnolo

Assistant Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga

Jackie Goodman profile picture

Jackie Goodman

Manager, Orientation, Transition and Engagement, University of Toronto Mississauga

Dr. Jennifer Ross profile picture

Dr. Jennifer Ross

Assistant Professor, Woodsworth College / Transitional Year Programme, University of Toronto

Abby Eastman profile picture

Abby Eastman

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto

Christina Makkar profile picture

Christina Makkar

University of Toronto Mississauga

Dr. Krystal Nunes profile picture

Dr. Krystal Nunes

Assistant Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University

Ashley Mutasa profile picture

Ashley Mutasa

University of Toronto Mississauga

Sebastian Rodriguez profile picture

Sebastian Rodriguez

Visualization & Design; Faculty of Information, University of Toronto

Collaborators

Lawrence Chen profile picture

Lawrence Chen

Professor, McGill University

Patrick Maher profile picture

Patrick Maher

Professor, Nipissing University

Erin Vearncombe profile picture

Erin Vearncombe

Assistant Professor, University of Toronto

Erin Whitteck profile picture

Erin Whitteck

Science Engagement Lead, Bayer

Tingting Zhu profile picture

Tingting Zhu

Assistant Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga

Former Post-Docs & Research Assistants

Yasmin Abdellatiff profile picture

Yasmin Abdellatiff

University of Toronto Mississauga

Megan Anderson profile picture

Megan Anderson

University of Toronto Mississauga

Esther Baffour profile picture

Esther Baffour

University of Toronto Mississauga

Angela Bakaj profile picture

Angela Bakaj

University of Toronto Mississauga

Terence Coltess profile picture

Terence Coltess

University of Toronto Mississauga

Laura Crupi profile picture

Laura Crupi

University of Toronto Mississauga

Dr. Maria Dasios profile picture

Dr. Maria Dasios

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Toronto Mississauga

Pooja Dey profile picture

Pooja Dey

Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Sherry Du profile picture

Sherry Du

Murray Lab, University of Toronto Mississauga

Zainab Farrukh profile picture

Zainab Farrukh

University of Toronto Mississauga

Sara Khan profile picture

Sara Khan

University of Toronto Mississauga

Harleen Kundan profile picture

Harleen Kundan

University of Toronto Mississauga

Kelly Li profile picture

Kelly Li

University of Toronto

Shirley Liu profile picture

Shirley Liu

University of Toronto Mississauga

Rini Lukose profile picture

Rini Lukose

University of Toronto Mississauga

Matthew Mandrozos profile picture

Matthew Mandrozos

University of Toronto Mississauga

Zainab Mansoor profile picture

Zainab Mansoor

University of Toronto Mississauga

Ida Marchese profile picture

Ida Marchese

University of Toronto Mississauga

Klea Mosho profile picture

Klea Mosho

University of Toronto Mississauga

Mohammed Majd Mourad profile picture

Mohammed Majd Mourad

University of Toronto Mississauga

Inis Muhametaj profile picture

Inis Muhametaj

University of Toronto Mississauga

Brendan Newton profile picture

Brendan Newton

University of Toronto Mississauga

Riya Philip profile picture

Riya Philip

Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Mel Ramsammy profile picture

Mel Ramsammy

University of Toronto Mississauga

Fatima Tasabehji profile picture

Fatima Tasabehji

University of Toronto Mississauga

Emily Tjan profile picture

Emily Tjan

Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto

Loridee De Villa profile picture

Loridee De Villa

University of Toronto Mississauga

Meghan Ward profile picture

Meghan Ward

Trent University