Hi Marianne, Thanks for sharing a good idea for increasing student participation! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I have used the technique of providing a hard-copy list of "study questions" prior to introducing a new topic. The complete list is provided to all students - I then divide the list among individuals, (if the group is small)or groups. Time is provided to research the resource material - then each person or group shares the answers they found with the entire group. This creates discussion among all the participants especially when the answers aren't complete or totally correct.
Questioning sessions can be beneficial because the people involved would see problems and solutions from different points of view and bring better clarity to a situation.
Help students interact with class discution
I believe that question sessions invoke thought in those who would not ask questions to start. It helps students see the topic from a different point of view.
Questioning sessions can be learning tools in several way.
A series of questions can form a road-map for the students leading them to a deeper understanding of the material.
Correctly asked, questions may invite personal involvement of the student with the material.
Listening to the student responses and lack of responses can point the instructor in more fruitful directions.
Hi Lamarr, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, if questioning sessions are managed effectively in a non-threatening manner, students will be more likely to want to participate.
Susan Polick
It allows for the generation of many possibilities in answering a question. It allows for greater participation on the part of the class. It allows for a sharing of ideas and an accepting attitude of the students.
Questioning sessions help to break the ice in a classroom discussion. Usually I have students who are shy, and when they see that there is an open forum for questions and answers they gain the courage to become more involved. It also helps student retain the information discussed, and leave them with a feeling of being involved on the course content.
Hi Jason - Thanks for sharing examples of good practices in questioning!
Susan Polick
Once a topic has been introduced and resources made available to students, questioning can then be used as a teaching tool. The instructor can start with questions and responses that are somewhat familiar to get things rolling. Next the instructor can start to use questions that build on current knowledge but are just beyond what students know. This will cause them to ponder then turn to their resources for the answers. This process can continue until the objectives are met for the lesson.
In the Importance of Questioning session: The text notes that an effective way of developing concept-principle learning is through questioning. So questioning by the learners and the instructors can build the knowledge chain that will help the student link together the information that will build the principles for their fundamental knowledge for their professional field.
Using questioning techniques helps the instructor know how the students are receiving and understanding the information. It helps them know which areas are the most important and how to prepare themselves for the final assessment. I am constantly asked if there is going to be a review for the final test and I never really know how to respond to that other than to say that each day is a review and pertinent to the final outcome of the instruction. I usually begin a class with questions from the students and some of my own about the previous days material as I believe repetition is one of the most important aspects of instruction. My line of questioning is geared toward having the students think on the level of leadership where they are in the position of making important decisions in their chosen field.
Hi Julie, That's a great way to get students to play an active role in questioning.
Susan Polick
I like to use a flash card that I pass out at the begining of class. Each student writes down 3 questions based on the information. The next day I use each of these cards as the lead for the questioning session
Hi Tammy, Yes, using both modalities reinforces the message! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
When preparing for lecture I have found that if I take 10 key points and incorporate those into my power point presentation in question form students tend to respond more frequently. I feel if they not only hear me ask the question but can also see it in print on the screen they tend to be more aware of what it is I am asking.
Hi Larry, Thanks for your post to the forum. Perhaps pairing this student with another who is adept at hand-on?
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Even though technology has altered information exchange with smart phones, phone 'Apps', and tablets etc, the need to use written language and basic math skills has not gone away. We still need to digest instructions from technical manuals as well as glean knowledge and form opinions from many sources of written text. The need to author comprehensible documents and reports for others to understand is equally important.
Question. I have a student that will readily give up on hands-on tasks. Academically he does very well but any hands-on tasks, after limited feeble attempts, are readily dismissed with "Well, that's why I'can't do this stuff". I was unsure how to respond, nor what plan of action to take for the future. Thanks
To reinforce student engagement by going back and forth with appropriate follow up questions. To allow students to ask additional questions to increase their knowledge or to improve clarification - something that is not always possible in a "lecture" type format.
