Asking the same question in a couple of different ways helps to prepare the students for taking quizzes and tests.
Posing thought provoking questions will stimulate students to search deeper for answers and will stimulate students to "wonder' and to participate in the question & answer exchanges.
Lawrence, I like your suggestion of using crossword puzzles to serve as a review. I have encouraged my students to do crosswords to help them to learn terminology -- definitions, as well as spelling!
I use questioning sessions to stimulate discussion and to help the students "put it all together" so they can "see" or assess their level of understanding or identify areas they might need to review further to do well for the "graded activities".
On a side note, I would like to comment that I do not wholly agree with the answer to the quiz for the question relating to what to do when an instructor is asked something they do not know the answer. While I agree that it is important to admit that I do not know an answer, but I don't think I should automatically say "I will be the one to find the answer", I think it is okay to redirect it back to the student and have the student research and report back to the class. (Now, perhaps I was simply reading into the quiz question because I also do understand it might have been meant to show that it is okay to admit if I don't know something and show that I am willing to look it up.)
Hi Emil - Thanks for your post to the forum and for sharing some good examples of the importance of questioning.Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Questioning can be used as learning tools because of the following:
1. Repeating the lesson information
2. Reinforce the main concepts
3. Clarify the main concepts
I agree completely and have used this with great
success.
I ask questions to find out what the students do or don't understand about the subject matter. Then I can decide what material I need to spend more time covering. I also ask students to ask me any questions they do not understand or need more clarification on.
If when you as an instructor ask the students questions and they are unable to answer even after rewording the question it help me to know that I am not making myself clear or that I need to introduce the materials in a different way or style. It is all very useful feedback as an instructor.
Hi Angela - Thanks for sharing great examples of and uses for questioning. Susan
As an instructor, questioning sessions allow for me to check for content understanding and knowledge retention. A student may not want to admit they don't "get" a concept openly, but they may be willing to answer a question which can help the instructor assess their level of understanding. Questioning sessions are also great times to further expand on a difficult concept and relate that concept to student life experineces.
Hi Lynn- Thanks for your post to the forum. I also teach Ethics and agree that the discussions can be awesome! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
IT BRINGS THE STUDENT INTO THE CIRCLE OF INSTRUCTION
I find that no matter who answers the question at hand, that the entire class is able to receive some insight from that student's comments. For instance, one of my favorite classes to teach is Law & Ethics. You can imagine the discussions that may come out of that subject! If I have 20 students in the class, I will usually have 20 different perspectives on the question being asked. This helps with critical thinking skills, which is necessity for any profession the students are training for.
Definitely, questioning the students is the best way to get a feedback about their progress, that is why it is a very important learning tool, also you can diagnose how the students are.
Hi Kanidrus - What you describe is an interactive process that encourages our students to take an active role in their learning - great work! Susan
Hi Latasha - facilitating discussions with students is great strategy! Susan
taking a couple topics making questions and having the class discuss them encourages them to really understand from other points of veiws that are correct but just worded differently.
I ask questions as I go through an objective in the lesson to make sure the students are grasping the subject matter. I reconise that most students are afraid of testing so I use games where students answer questions on their own the team gets points. The more students realise they are an asset to their team they build confidence in the subject matter.
Questioning sessions require the students to think outside the box. Questioning sessions allows students to apply what has been taught to real life situations. Questioning sessions also allows students to experience their classmates thoughts and opinions.
