I like to ask questions of my students that will require them to go out and research on their own to answer. Kind of a hands on approach. In the clinical field, I try to use questions as a motivator for the students to go out on the patient floors and interact with staff and patients to find the answer. Topics they are already going to have to deal with, I'm just giving it more purpose. Then when we reconvene for postconference, those original questions become a conversation with some real experiences to draw from. It is at this point I can point out to them that in their career, they should be ever directing themselves to learn. It is and should be an ongoing process.
Hi James, Thanks for your post to the forum. That's when we become "facilitators" as our student practice "active learning".
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
When students start to respond to other students' replies, the students start to become more self-directed in their learning. The focus becomes more on the learning and less on the faculty as a provider of knowledge.
It can "light the path" for them; acting as a guide in their learning task.
Questions cause students to use their resources, If they dont immediately know the answer, it will give them opportunity to read it up there by broadining there knowledge.
Hi Alex, Good point - there are always the "Class Experts" who answer immediately and that shuts down the rest of the students. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I have found that when most of the same students answer questions, I tend to now look at others for their opinion of the issue at hand, otherwise others will never have an opportunity to explore other possible answers.
Hi John, Thanks for your post to the forum. Giving students a competitive assignment is always effective! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I first try to come up with a difficult question I know they can grasp from the text. Then I ask them to help me solve the mystery to this question I do not know. I have noticed that most of the students will dive in to be the first to find the mystery answer. It really gets the interest level up on the lesson at hand.
Hi Jill, Thanks for your post to the forum. That is an excellent strategy! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
After a group review of a case study, I request my student to come up with one or two questions about something that came to their minds during the review that was either left out or seemed incorrect or both. This build up their critical thinking skills.
Hi Elizabeth, Although learning to use effective questioning can be difficult at first, as you state, it produces "life-long learning results"! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career! Susan
Susan Polick
If you ask questions that help students to think (such as Socratic method questions), they may begin to pursue their own paths of knowledge, or to make connections between ideas. Open ended questions at the beginning of a lecture can engage the students. Closed questions at the end can cement knowledge. Life-long learning results from learning to ask good questions.
Hi Kristi, Thanks for your post to the forum. Encouraging students to utilize critical thinking skills through questioning is so important! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
The use of questioning allows student to not only memorize and retain the answer to said question, but it also allows them to think and analyze it which in turn allows them to be able to apply the question and answer to future questions or events.
Hi Michael, Thanks for your post to the forum. I find that new instructors often struggle with learning to facilitate questioning, but it is an essential skill in teaching! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I appreciate this as I find myself in that situation at times, a confidence builder is what you want to achieve
Questioning can pique a student's curiosity about a topic and show the student that it is OK to question and that the discovery process for answers can be fun and rewarding.
Hi Deborah, Thanks for your post to the forum. That is indeed something we should all strive for. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I want the students to ask themselves "Am I the best I can be?" "Can I push myself more to acheive my goals?"
