Being an online teacher, I try my best to explain the topic. I normally get no questions. What should I do to motivate the listeners to ask questions?
Being an online teacher, I try my best to explain the topic. I normally get no questions. What should I do to motivate the listeners to ask questions?
The best way to get students involved is to ask open ended questions. Often times a students don't want to fully explain their answers. By asking open ended questions it gives the students a chance to speak up in the classroom.
Student participation is critical to effective listening. If a student is not engaged in the lecture material the likelyhood that they may "drift off" and lose focus increases.
One questioning technique i use in my classroom is to let the students know the night before what topic will be discussed in lecture tomorrow.
For example we may be discussing "emulsifiers in baking". I ask the students make a list of 5 things they know about the topic of emulsifiers and be ready to list them tomorrow.
When we begin class the next day I will kick off the questioning session by writing the given topic on the board.
I will ask the entire to group to raise their hands to tell me one thing they have learned about "emulsifiers". I then call on a student (NOT the first one with their hand up) to list ONE answer to the question. I will then write their response on the board.
After the first person has gone, I take more responses. Since the students have had time to prepare more than one answer to your question, they are now more likely to participate and feel confident about the material. They may also learn new things about the topic that they did not discover in their own research.
Try to give everyone a chance to participate.
It is important to praise the correct responses and more importantly do not criticize the wrong answers, try to find a postitive spin and reward them for trying and ask someone else to elaborate.
I like using open-ended questions and also playing devil's advocate to get them talking and questioning the material.
I would ask them to tell me a specific cooking techniques on a dish that we are preparing during my demo to the students. And also by expending why this technique is used compared to another technique. What are the benefit of using this technique instead of another one.
I like to sometimes divide the class and play a game similar to Jeopardy to review for a test or quiz. Students enjoy the change in class structure. I usually play the game until everyone participates.
Hi Geni - Your questioning technique is very effective - well done! Susan
I try to ask questions that relate the subject matter back to the students and their daily lives. How do certain things impact them, how would they feel if...etc. I start broad to get more students interacting at the beginning of class and as the session progresses, I ask more pointed questions specific to the topic for that evening. I find that once I have interactions in the beginning of class, students are more receptive to answering questions throughout the class.
I'll ask questions appropriate to the lesson being learned. When someone is answering a question and is wrong, I'll re-phrase the question or ask them why they thought that was the answer, they generally will re-think their answer and correct themselves or someone else will speak up. It will become classroom discussion.
I facilitate an associate’s level Humanities course at a career focused college. The students want to cook not take academic courses. Therefore, I have learned that when I want to get the students to understand a question that they are struggling finding an answer, I then ask a question, that relates the original question, to the art of cooking to show the relevance. The light bulb seems to go off more often.
Hi Chris- Thanks for your post to the forum. I have never really understood how something as simple as a little piece of candy can have such an effect. Maybe it's the natural competitive instinct that so many of us have.Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Daniel- That's a great way to get more participation in questioning! Susan
When questioning students for understanding, I will often time state that there is more than one correct answer. I will then ask who can give me one correct answer; after I get an answer I will ask who can provide another answer, and so on until we have thoroughly covered the topic. For example, when I question students about identifying the quality of a product such as fish or chicken I will ask them to identify at least 5 signs that indicate quality. Additionally I will ask them to come to the demonstration table and point out the aspect of quality they are identifying on an actual fish or chicken.
There are different techniques an instructor can use to get students to ask questions. The instructor can ask some questions, the instructor can select a student to ask a question, there can be team building excersises, where students ask other students questions, you can create open ended questions or much more narroer questions rwesulting in a simple "yes" or a "no" answer. Mitchell Becker
On test review days, I use candy as a reinforcer for students who answer questions. It's amazing how much more willing my students are to participate when they are immediately rewarded for their participation. I have found that after I have used this method, students are more likely to speak up in the next class, even when candy isn't used. I guess the candy gets them motivated to speak- then once they've done it it's no longer scary to them.
Hi Joshua- Yes, it does take practice to get used to "wait-time". The "Silence" can seem like forever! Best wishes - Susan
Student participation in questioning sessions provides for the students to be encouraged to participate. By showing that you support your students participation you encourage them to share thoughts and ideas with the class.
Questioning techniqes seem to be the hardest technique for new instructors to pick up and understand. I use questioning for several purposes. I use them to see if sudents comprehend the lesson in certain parts before continuing on. Also, i use questions to ask more in depth questions making the students think more. But definatly you need to give the students some time to think before you call on a student which is were new insrtuctors tend to be quick on. They are affraid of the silence.
This can be a tough one. I tell them day one that we will have a lot of Q and A's and I expect everyone to partisapate. I ask a lot of students questions, have them ask each other questions, play jepordy sometimes, and also give them little teasers so make them think. Also I ask them hard questions so it makes them think and ask questions to eachother and to the instructor.
