Using a broad open ended question allows students to enter into a great discussion. Asking narrow questions only get you narrow answers
Hi Kent, Thanks for your post to the forum. Students do better retain what they are learning when the understand its relevance. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
As an online instructor, I like to ask students to share a life experience that is similar to the lesson. I also like to have students share an article find that is relevant to the lesson material. I also have a special thread where students can ask a question.
Hi Vincent, Thanks for your post to the forum. As engaging as the "Game" format is, I would expect an hour to be the maximum that students would be active and participating. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Just last night I used a family feud like approach to a full course overview. I worked great for about an hour. The students were very engaged in learning as well as building some team skills.
As a new teacher, I am in the process of learning this, and it's not that easy. However, I am excited about learning how to be a better teacher by stimulating the class more. Questions that pull all students into the discussion makes for a much better learning outcome.
Mary
Hi Jane, Thanks for your post to the forum. Also a good example of combining delivery options!
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Mariann, I agree and find this especially effective if the pattern of questioning is a regular part of classroom routine.
Susan Polick
I used a comparison or contrast questioning strategy in order to involved students. For example, after showing a film, I asked students if they believed that animals had just as many rights as human beings.
I have used many differing techniques, but the old tried and true of rotating from student to student in a sequential order will sometimes give those reluctant students an opportunity to look ahead in the material and think about what their response will be thereby making it easier for them to respond. This works better with material that everyone has and has spent time in preparation with, but this way they are each contributing and participating which is important.
Hi Christopher, Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree that trust is essential! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
My students get to know very quickly that they can trust me not to embarass them if they have made a good effort through listening and completing their work. They also know that they will all be asked to contribute to show they have absorbed the material. This trust and fairness leads to more open discussions.
Hi Michael, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, students do tend to prepare if they know they will be called upon. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
what I like to do is when they are working on they study's I tell them that I will be calling on people individually so that tends to motivate them to really study and answer the questions
I like to start off with previous taught informational questions, and build too new material questions. This is my building block for some more challenging questions.
I like to use open ended questions. That usually gets the students in a class discussion.
Before we get started for the day i will ask a question keeping it relevant to the topic at hand or to be discussed, just to get the atmosphere right. sometimes the students do not realize we are already into our lesson.
Hi Matthew, You are using excellent questioning!
Susan Polick
I like to call what I do " bread crumbs' I engage the class with questions about the material by hitting the subject pertaining to the question without actually giving the answer making them engage me with questions and thoughts. I'll reinforce their responses in a positive manner and then combined all the correct responses and ideas into the actual answer so all the students get a more detailed answer then just a cut and dry response.
I liked the idea of using lots of think time for students when pausing for a response to a question being asked. It shows that someone is thinking.
