ROBERT,
Absolutely. Many times when I need to use time to get my information over, I use closed questions. Open questions can lead to great discussions but we need to curb these discussions at times.
Judy Mohammed
Open questions are the way to go if you want to insure the understanding of a topic.
But are there times when closed questions are best. Let’s say I’m teaching a seminar I have 2 hours to get 3 basic principles across to my audience or I want to teach students the basic of operating a machine and I want to stress safety . Are closed questions the way to go?
Benjamin,
I use questioning in all of my classes and I find that it leads to more critical thinking.
Judy Mohammed
I do. While in law school, I was forced to learn via the Socratic Method. While I do not subject my undergraduate students to that torture, I do realize that questioning in general does assist the students in reinforcing the concepts that we discuss in class.
Benjamin,
These are good examples. Your class seems ideal for interaction with active discussions. Do you use questioning often?
Judy Mohammed
Closed: How many States must vote in the affirmative to ratify a Constitutional Amendment?
Open: Why does the Constitution require a super-majority of States to ratify an Amendment before it becomes part of the Constitution?
Philip,
These are good examples. Do you use open ended question often?
Judy Mohammed
I teach college Ethics and most of the book deals with philisophical etchics such as Kant's use of Pure Reason or Hume's concept of feelings and emotions. An example of a closed question would be to identify which philosopher believes that pure reason is ethically viable. My open ended question would probably ask students to compare the philosophical beliefs of Hume and Kant and perhaps offer their opinion of what their philosophical approach to life is.
Andre,
These are great examples. Do you use questioning often in classes?
Judy Mohammed
Richard,
Is this question open or closed?
Judy Mohammed
Show me how Vida is used as a diagnostic tool with a Volvo?
I would ask "What does Positive Fuel Trim mean in regards to the air/fuel ratio?...what is the computer doing when it displays a positive number?" and to "open it up", I would add "What would be some causes of the fuel trim moving in this direction?"
Jeff,
Good examples! Do you usually use questioning in your classes?
Judy Mohammed
Matthew,
Great mix! Open questions lead to more discussions and sometimes you do not have enough time to accommodate these.
Judy Mohammed
Closed:
Do the brake pads pass or fail for inspection?
Open:
why do the pass or fail for inpsection?
I tend to try to mix between closed and open questions to be able to get a healthy variety. However, I do notice that it usually depends on the material being taught. If it is material that requires more direct answers, I tend to have more closed questions (Name me a French speaking island in the Caribbean?). However, if it is a more broad topic within the material, open questions can help just as well (Why do you think the French settled those islands?).
Marybeth,
These are good samples. Do you use questions often in your classes?
Judy Mohammed
Closed Question: How often are residents given a complete bath in a Long Term Care Facility?
Open Question: Why are complete baths not given on a daily basis in a Long Term Care Facility?
Marilyn,
This is true. Students appreciate having active interaction rather than listening to lectures.
Judy Mohammed
I also think open-ended questions can be quite beneficial to the students because very often the class discussion is expanded. Students may also be encouraged to become more engaged in discussing the topic and expressing their ideas.
