Beginning a Question and Answer period with easy questions directed at specific individuals (Either through naming individuals or direct eye contact) that are then reinforced with positive praise will be seen by other students. Students who want to get noticed will jump on the chance to begin answering questions while students who are not actively seeking to answer questions will realize that the act of answering questions is, "Okay." Those students that are not actively answering will be more likely to participate without the fear of looking foolish to their peers.
It is also very important to never use the word, "No," when responding to answers. More creative responses can include, "There is more to this, anyone want to contribute?"
Giving personal experience relavant to the topic where you questioned things yourself
Getting students to make question and answer games is always fun. The love competition and its a fun way of learning.
Hi Louis, Thanks for sharing some great advice for questioning!Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Anticipate student questions so one is prepared to further discussion during class. Start questions at outset more broadley and pose more focused questions as discussion build.
Hi Joseph, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, demonstrating relevance is a real plus! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Teaching in a design school weekly critiques allow students to participate easily. Sharing their opinions on a design and then reinforcing why they have that opinion showcases their learning.
A questioning technique I like to use is to ask the students how the information from the class will be used in a work related setting. This technique allows the students to discuss how the information will be useful to them once they leave the classroom.
Hi Kali, Thanks for your post to the forum. Having students work in groups is a good way to increase participation! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career,
Susan Polick
I think this is a great idea and I'm anxious to try it out in my classroom! My classes combine theory and clinical and since they meet in the evenings, each session is several hours long. I think introducing the "post-it note question" idea would be a great way to end a teaching session before a break. The questions could pertain to the theory, 'hands-on' activity or both. I think it would be fun, once the students return from break, to share what the questions were along with the correct answers. As was suggested in another forum response, some of these 'student-questions' could end up in a quiz as well. Perhaps that would give students confidence in their ability to formulate questions and put them at ease in asking them in the future.
Deviding students into groups and assigning the group one of my prepared questions to find the answer to and then addressing answers as a whole.
Hi Christopher, Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree - having a visual aid to discuss makes speaking in class easier.
Susan Polick
I like to have a visual aid when asking questions to the class. When there is something they can see and touch, it usually helps bring them out of thier shell, so to speak.
Hi Colette, Yes, the more we can demonstrate the relevance of what they are learning, the more engaged our students are. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
By introducing a case study that they may encounter or already have encountered in their clinic time gets my students to participate. When they know this might happen in their every day work situations they tend to be very interested.
To pose a situation or circumstance to elicit a response that they can identify with.
Thank you for sharing this. I will be using this is my class.
Hi Bart, Thanks for your post to the forum. Helping students to understand the relevance of what they are studying definitely improves learning outcomes. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Question Techniques applied are drawing questions from a hat. This way students prepare in advance and are ready for discussion.
One technique I have found to be effective is the use of hypothetical questions that encourage the students to place themselves in a situation that revolves around the topic being discussed. This tehniques is used when exploring case studies on grand strategy. The students normally respond well to this type of questioning and assist in spurring class discussion.
