Hi Karen - Thanks for your post to the forum. Linking the concepts that your students are studying to current events is excellent! It helps them to understand the relevance of what they are learning. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Annmarie- Thanks for your post to the forum. The application assessment that you describe is very appropriate for the discipline that you are teaching. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I teach medical imaging, and like to give case studies and ask questions based on images. These aren't really open ended questions. I want to make sure they know what they are seeing, and to provide a differental diagnosis.
I definately ask for the students opinion on the questions but I also, to get the ball rolling discussthings that may be happening in the news. I am constantly reading or watching the news for anything that may pertain to my subject and then bring back the information to class and get a discussion started based on what I heard.
i usually introduce a personal experience to draw them into the discussion. then i ask them to share.
HI Walter - Thanks for your post to the forum which shared a great idea to get the more shy students participating. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Peter - thanks for your post to the forum. Playing the role of "facilitator" for class discussions is something we all need to do more, I think! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Thomas - Thanks for your post to the forum. Good questioning technique can be hard to learn for new instructors. As you mention, encouragement plays a major role! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Michael- Thanks for your post to the forum. Personalizing questions to students is an excellent strategy! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I start with open-ended questions that usually begin with the words; what, how and why. I also try to personalize the questions and relate them to real world experiences. This gives me the opportunity to see what a student considers important.
I use open ended questions for allow the students to participate in the discussions, as this allows them to come up with a more variety of answers and not just a yes or no answer. It is one way to get them to answer and expand on their answers.
Susan Sandmann
I use openended questions. However, I usually know or have learned the background of my students enough that I will tailor that question to provoke an answer and then follow up with my follow-on questions that narrow answers to the lesson content.
Hi Wania - Thanks for your post to the forum. Greatidea for improving critical thinking skills! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career! Susan
Well, I have found that questions like, "what are your thoughts on this....", or I would ask other students for their opinion on a particular question asked in class by their peers.
I find this leads to a friendly debate in class which ends in an open ended discussion.
The most effective technique for me has been to consistently express the validity of responses through encouragement regardless of whether or not they are necessarily correct.
Hi Kilberly- Thanks for your post to the forum and for sharing some great ideas! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
One of the techniques I use is "competition search" I offer a difficult question which typically requires online research. What I have discovered is that some of my quietest students often are first to arrive at the answer. This creates confidence in them and creates respect among their peers.
Some questioning techniques I have used were to have students research information and interview eachother to draw in a debate then after we all discuss the topics and Q/A they came up with. It helps them think and learn how to use their own minds as well trust their own thinking process. Also it helps them learn how to use critical thinking when analyzing information.
I ask them how they can relate the topic to real life. What would they do in any given sitituations. Sometime, I give points for each question they ask. Let them pick from a stack and see what the points are worth. Like the duck game at a Fair.
Hi Desryee- Thanks for your post to the forum. Students do love to relate the concepts that they are learning to current events. The payoff is that it really increases their retention of those concepts. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
