It is amazing how competition gets all the juices flowing!
Excellent David! This teaches students not to leap at the first answer that comes to mind, but to dig down deeper using critical reasoning skills to arrive at the BEST answer.
I like that idea...
Many times the roll of questions lead off the subject. Which is OK if you can bring it back on target
I like to use a building block system, both with individual students and with groups. I start with simple questions and concepts letting the answers lead to more complex ones. If a student is shy or doesn't have as complete an understanding as I would like, this process tends to draw them out.
One thing I do every two weeks is "What are 10 things about the chapter that was easy to learn or hard to learn. This does help me with the way I instructed the material
I usually ask the class what can you tell me about this certain subject. It gives me an idea of what they have retained about the subject matter. It can start with one student answering, I acknowledge that student and then ask, who can tell me something different? It seems to work out pretty well.
Using a question bank I make it a contest. Front row / back row...
12 students 50 questions. I pass out the 50 questions, give them 15 mins to research, 45 mins for the game. They all come to gether
After taking this unit I told my students that I was trying to get them to find the answers and would be trying to answer their questions with leading questions, since ultimately they are the ones who will have to figure the problems out.
It takes a bit longer to get to a solution but they have seemed to be enjoying it. I think that a side benefit is that they really feel like I am interested in them learning the material.
I try to have atleast 5 questions on a certin subject area in case that things get a bit slow in the respone dept, some times they just need a little nudge in the right diretion to get the question answered and then let it open for debate as to why the answer is correct or not. either way I find it promotes class involvement without alinating the original student that was asked.
I will often try to get my students to work the problem out backwards. Teaching wood work they usually have a good idea of the finished project, it is how to get the desired piece out of the board that stumps them. I will ask them about how the individual pieces relate to the whole and then get them to define the boundaries of the individual pieces. Then I can begin to ask the questions about the specific operations to create the pieces.
I find that they often want me to just give them a step by step instruction. Getting them to ask the right questions is almost as hard as asking them the right questions!
It also let's you know if they understood your question.
It's also a great exercise in teamwork for your students. Great work Stephen!
Sometimes I use trouble shooting questions
that involve multiple answers or steps to
reach the correct answer. Usually it takes
more than one student to arrive at the complete
and correct answer so several students must
usually become involved in the answer and
may have to ask additional questions to arrive
at the right answer which again involves
more students.
A method that has been effective for me in the past is to ask studnets put the question in their own words and then answer the question they have just asked. THis allows me see if they were tryly understanding the material.
On the first day of class explain your course expectations to the students. Further explain that one of the tools you have to help them achieve a thorough subject matter understanding is asking them questions. Explain "what's in it for them"; the benefits of using this tool. Give them examples on how you will do this and reemphasize the benefits to them. It's important to get their buy in on this concept.
Asking students to consider what questions they would like to ask each other. This enables them to critically think and phrase questions in their own words.
Hi Stephen - What you are describing is called "Critical Thinking" and is really excellent to use with your students. This organization has many resources for faculty to use with your students.I encourage you to take a look at what they offer.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/starting/higher_ed.cfm
When students answer questions partially
or incorrectly, asking questions about
their answer or the original question to
lead them to the correct answer helps them
figure the answer out themselves, and
teaches them how to think about a problem
so they can figure them out themselves
when I am not around.
Well, I usually give them a multiple choice and fill in the blank. In regards of the discussion, usually I openly asked them to give me their own opinion to the discussion before I give the right answer, or I used the example that closest answetr from the student point of view.
I feel this way I got them ready at times to answer to my question, and for themselves initiate the answer before I finalized the right answer.
I think using personal scenarios is a good method for questioning--and sharing personal experiences in your career reinforces the subject matter.
