some of the best are questions I know they will hear from customers in the feild.
Identifying and addressing poorly written test questions and asking sstudent why they are poor questions, why the correct question was chosen as correct, what they would choose and why.
Hi Nancy - Do you find that you have diverse skill levels in your computer classes? If so, how do you handle that? This is a problem we see a lot. Students who are quite proficient in class with beginners. Thanks for your post to the forum! Susan
Always have positive reinforcement and remind them that there is no DUMB question. This creates a comfort zone for all students and helps them engage and learn easier.
First and most inportant is ask questions that are clear and simple. 0pen ended, so that other students in class may participate. Give each student a chance to reply and let other students contribute to the students answwer.
Hi Richard - Yes, open-ended questions can refer to questions that have multiple "right" answers but more often it refers to questions that really have no "right" answer at all. They are just used to get discussions started. Best wishes- Susan
Hi Robb - Excellent point - this really helps students to recognize the relevance. Susan
Hi Jamison- Thanks for your post to the forum. It's true that students (and everyone else!) dislike being wrong, especially in public. As you mention open-ended questions gets students participating by eliminating that fear. Best wishes- Susan
Do you mean questions with more than one answer so the student has ample opportunity to be right?
I agree! I teach physics and it is amazing how students understand a subject taught when it can be applied right before their eyes. Really cements the topic into their brain.
Taking the time to get to know something about your students, one can use the background or area of interest of a student to place the question in their venue and bring forth responses ....or additional questions. For example, "how can we (examine/conclude) if it happens in the middle of a NASCAR race?".....or, related to size of family, employer, culture, etc.
Relating to student's world, and allowing it to be applied from thier perspective.
Try to have open ended questions or questions with no right or wrong answer so they don't worry about being wrong.
Generally after showing the students a new technique you can have them personalize it. Such as "How might you use this?"
I like to use, "What if . . " questions. I place a situation before the students so they can apply what I have just taught. In this manner I can evaluate how my instruction is understood.
I teach mathematics and use questions to both evaluate students knowledge and as transitional tools into the next topic. The latter consists on usually on applications in there respective field which inturn transistion and sparks an interest in the next topic.
I use open ended questions most of the time.
I also walk around the room in order to make the students feel comfortable about answering.
I also give many real life experiences to the class that help relate to the material. This makes the students more likely to participate
more readily.
I do like to ask open ended questions or questions in the "what would you do" format so the students have to think about what they would do as a Massage therapist and than discuss why they would do what they would.
Hi Rod - excellent point! In our Hardware Technology class we have "teardown machines" and each has been set up with a different scenario i.e. some problem that the students have to troubleshoot for and then repair. Of course the instructor has the master list of the machines and the problem each has. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
What if scenarios are great in Information Technology because part of what we have to do is play "what if?" What if a server crashes, what if a building burns down and so on. This helps us create disaster planning skills
Rod
HI Nicole - When we assign homework but give no feedback or other further use of the assignments students can feel that they are doing "busy-work". When they know that will be asked questions about their work it motivates them to do a better job preparing the work. Best wishes- Susan
