Teaching by Direct Instruction (DI) is one of the most common approaches in education. DI is also the method used when you were a learner: a concept is taught, then you are provided with a series of problems to solve.
Learners who do not grasp the concepts are provided with reinforcement and variations (ie. the teacher repeating themselves ad nausea). If the learner still does not succeed they are referred to a learning center or tutor. If this intervention is not successful, the learner inevitably fails the course and potentially the program.
What if the problem is direct instruction? We tacitly accept this approach as being the standard. What if we are wrong? This is where Productive Failure (PF) provides a fascinating alternative.
In 2012 I attended a conference where Manu Kapur gave a presentation on the value of Productive Failure and learning. By placing problem solving prior to instruction, learners advance in basic knowledge, conceptual understanding, and knowledge transfer. Several studies by Kapur reinforce the efficacy of this approach: Link
On several occasions I have experimented this approach in a lesson. I found it to be effective in creating an anchoring system for learners to embed initial concepts.