Hi Andre, Thanks for sharing great examples of questions to encourage critical thinking!
Susan Polick
I've often paused during a lecture topic to ask a question to the effect of "What do you think would happen if....?". If this doesnt elicit a response, I'll add an experience that I once had where I was posed with a concern related to the topic when I was in the industry. I will often follow this up with "How could I confirm...?" or "What would a logical course of action be?"/ "what should be the next step?" (for example) and I've found that this gets the students thinking, and hence participating.
Hi Sonya, Thanks for your post to the forum. I love to use scenarios/case studies in my classes. It requires students to use critical thinking skills which aids in retention of what they are learning. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Kerry, Thanks for your post to the forum. I'm glad that you have found some useful ideas from this course! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I teach very objective material with multiple answers that require the students to think. I give them several senarios and let them come up with differnt pathways for decision making.
This is an area I need to work on for myself. Sometimes I do ask the wrong question and I do get that deer in the headlights look from students. I want to be able to engage the students in the active learning process and using the questioning techniques will help me do that better.
I liked the ideas this class is sugesting, I will give these strategies a try in the classroom. Most of the time I ask about what the topic of the lecture includes.
Hi Rochelle, Excellent point! Students do enjoy relating what they are learning to their own previous experience. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Holly, Thanks for your post to the forum. You are encouraging your students to use critical skills that will benefit them in their careers. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Some questioning techniques I have used in the past and which have proven quite successful in delivering course content is when I ask thought provoking questions relevant to the topic and ask them personal experiences in line with the topic at hand. That way the students can relate fairly easily to the topic and ensure better understanding and retention of concepts as well.
I try to ask more "why" questions that are open ended and apply student responses back to things that make them more relevant to what they need to know in the clinical setting. I also like to use small group discussions to respond to some answers and let each group expand upon the answers from other group members.
Hi Chad, Thanks for your post to the forum. Our new instructors usually find learning to facilitate questioning a challenging task but also learn that it is an essential skill. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I perfer to use direct, yet open ended, questions to get the class involved. If class participation is still limited I will redirect the question in a ttenpt to draw in more students.
I have try to make a game out of questions by rewarding the students with points,this seems to encourage as well making it fun to learn.
I have always had questions in reserve incase my students need some motivation or examples to get going on asking questions.
I find that walking around the classroom while lecturing, and knowing the names of the students help. This keeps the students attention on the instructor, and calling the student by name will engage the student to respond.
Hi Anthony, Thanks for your post to the forum. You are working to increase participation - Excellent! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
when a student answers the question, I probe the room to see if the rest of the class thinks they are correct or have another answer.
I love this idea! It helps all students. Some may not even realize that they too need to ask certain questions. Plus, I'd make the other student's try to answer it (with supervision from myself that the Questioning student gets the right answer)!
Hi William, Students do like knowing what to expect and so having a Jeopardy game at the end of a topic keeps them engaged as they work through the topic. Nice! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
