I have found when I make a correction on a students work most will just except the correction and move on. So I ask them what they think went wrong, show them the mistake made and the proper way to perform the task so that they can learn from there mistakes. After doing this a few times the students will start engaging me to seek out the proper answers/procedures when a mistake is made and ultimately feel accomplished even after making a mistake.
Hi Matthew- Thanks for your post to the forum. You make a great point- our students will learn and become what we model.Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.Susan
I have readily discovered that, as instructors, our behavior is often modeled very closely by our students. This occurs in many areas from attitude, expressions, attire, and so on. By presenting a very inquisitive style of teaching (by always asking many follow-up questions) my students begin to model this behavior as well which sets them up for successes in other courses and encourages self-directed life-long learning.
Insightful, prepared questioning techniques delivered within a non-judging environment stimulate students and teachers to think with more width and depth on a subject.
This continual cycling of critical thinking and respectful communication leads to expansion of knowledge, understanding, innovation and application of concepts.
Hi Warren- I agree one of the results of questioning is that students have to think through information to formulate answers which forces them to apply what they are learning.Best wishes -Susan
It invites them to own the material in a unique way--assuming they are not shut down by the instructor or another student. Questioning forces application--even if this is only mentally--which is a major stepping stone in learning.
Hi Joanna - I think that the more appropriate tactic to develop self-directed learners is to ask your students to generate their own questions to bring to the class. Best wishes - Susan
I understand how asking questions can help students become self directed learners. My question, is, to really enforce or encourage this (self directed learning) it is really a matter of keeping up on asking appropriate questions. Do the more questions posed better enable a student become a self directed learner?
HI Lawrence - Thanks for your post to the forum! I especially liked your description of effective questioning techniques. Best wishes - Susan
At the end of class we gather around a discuss what we have learned that day. I ask the questions and then they take turns answering. This also helps before a test.
Students become self-directed learners when they understand what they know and do not know (meta learning). Good questioning techniques set the baseline for non-threatening communication that includes teacher to student, student to teacher, and student to student questioning.
Thanks Marcia - I appreciate the info and will check it out! Susan
Hi Susan;
Breeze chat is available through Adobe. It used to be called something different and our university pays to subscribe. You can probably find it on any of the Adobe acrobat sites.
I wish they would enable video conferencing too. That would be neat as I have been on radio show with my skpye.com All of that helps the visual auditory learning styles too!
Marcia
If students are asked questions about the process that I am using during a demonstration they will think about the same outcomes when it is time for them to replicate what I have showed them.
Thanks Marcia - I will have to investigate that - it sounds really effective! Susan
I use questioning to pin point where I want to lead the students on a topic
HI Susan;
Thanks for responding. I lecture through a Breeze chat format, and use power point for visuals. Students can both hear and see but they can only type in questions. It's a really good way to bring in the auditory learner and you can open the screen and surf websites as well as do power point. Thank you, Marcia
Hi Marcia- How are you lecturing online? Is it via text or are you using video/audio? I agree, it is important that as online instructors we make every effort to encourage our students to be as engaged and participating as if they were in a face-2-face classroom. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career! Susan
When lecturing online I frequently use questions that are relevant to the topic to encourage critical thinking and use praise for the student's involvement. On the long term it encourages students to think critically about the subject.
HI Caren - This is active learning at its finest! Thanks for your post! Susan
