Asking the Right Questions in Class

ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS IN CLASS

Teachers should be liberal in their use of questions while teaching.

Numerous research studies have found a correlation between questioning and student learning. Questions serve a variety of purposes:

* They can be used to discover what students already know

* They can be used to determine what students have learned

* They can be used to gain attention

* They provide variation while teaching

* They can be directed at problem students to get them back on task

* They cause students to think

Levels of Questions: Questions are typically divided into two levels: Higher Order and Lower Order. The higher order questions call for responses from students that require synthesis, analysis and evaluation. Lower order questions require students to provide answers that demonstrate basic knowledge and comprehension (see Unit 1 Developing Higher-Order Thinking Skills for a review of the levels of the cognitive domain). It is desirable to ask both higher order and lower order questions. Research finds professors tend to ask only lower order questions.

Types of Questions: There are several systems for classifying questions. One system classifies questions as convergent or divergent. Convergent questions have a single or limited number of correct answers. Convergent questions typically involve the recall of facts or application of knowledge to a specific situation. Examples of convergent questions are:

What is the chemical formula for photosynthesis?

What are signs of nitrogen deficiency in plants?

Which breeds of livestock would be best adapted for South Texas?

In some classification schemes, convergent questions are called closed

questions.

Divergent questions have many correct answers or even unknown answers. They are often used to get students to think or solve problems. Examples of Divergent questions are:

What do you think will happen to family farms over the next ten years If you were the Secretary of Agriculture, what three things would you do first?

For an agribusiness to be successful, what business principles must be

followed?

Teachers typically asked convergent questions five times more often than

they ask divergent questions. Both types of questions are valuable in the

classroom. In some classification schemes, divergent questions are called

open questions.

A probing question is one in which the teacher asks the student to provide additional information, clarify a response or justify an answer. Teachers should get into the practice of asking probing questions as this causes students to develop higher order thinking skills. Even if a student response to a question is correct, it is appropriate to follow-up with a probing question.

One teaching skill not discussed in Module A of this lesson is cueing. When a student is asked a question and cannot respond, it is ok to provide a hint or clue to help the student. This is called cueing.

Steps in Asking Questions

There is a correct way and incorrect way to ask a question. A novice teacher may throw out a question or two to the class, get no response, and then decide not to use questioning as a part of the teaching repertoire. The problem was in the way the question was asked. In using questions the following sequence is recommended:

1.Ask the question. The question should be clearly stated and correctly

phrased. If all you get are blank looks after asking a question, it may be

because the question is poorly worded. When teachers come up with questions on the spur of the moment, they may not be the greatest example of precise wording. It isn't a bad idea to write down 2-3 questions you might want to ask and place those in your lecture notes.

2.Pause. After the question is asked, the teacher should pause for several

seconds. This allows time for students to formulate a response. The longer the pause, the better the response will be. Research shows the average pause time after a question is asked is eight-tenths of a second. This is inadequate. Research shows the quality of the response is improved if more time is allowed for students to think.

3.Call on a student by name. There are two things that generally happen

when a teacher asks a question, but doesn't call on a specific student to

respond.

A. No one will respond. Broadcast questions such as "Does anybody know..." or "Who knows..." rarely invoke a response; especially early in the semester. After rapport has been established, a professor may be able to

ask this type of question. A specific student should be called on to answer the question.

B. One or two students may dominate the class if no one is called on to

respond. Every time a question is posed, the same couple of students will

answer. This is not desirable.

There are some people who are reluctant to call on a student by name

because they might embarrass the student if the student doesn't answer the question correctly. As long as the professor doesn't lambaste the student for not knowing the answer and makes it a habit to call on all students in the class as a matter of course instead of singling out a few, this isn't a major problem.

The reason the questioning process starts with stating the question instead of identifying a student to answer is because this will cause all the students to have to think of the answer. If the teacher calls on a student and then asks the question, the other students tend to relax.

4.Acknowledge the answer, probe or redirect the question. The manner in

which the teacher reacts to a student response to a question depends up the time available and the goals trying to be accomplished. The simplest

response is to say "That is correct" or "That isn't quite right" or

something to that effect. The student response should beacknowledged but a master teacher will build upon the student response whether it correct or incorrect. A master teacher will probe further (Why do you believe that to be true? Are you sure? Why did you respond that way?) or redirect the question to another student (Do you agree? What do you think?). The question may be redirected to 3-4 other students. Even if the original response was correct, it is not a bad idea to bounce the same question off of several students. Probing and redirecting the question promotes a deeper level of understanding and thinking.

5.State the correct response. Before a question is left, the teacher should

emphasize the correct answer.


- University of Oregon Teaching Effectiveness Program

Checking Students' Understanding of the Material

Ask students to write a "minute paper." Davis, Wood, and Wilson (1983) describe a Berkeley physics professor who, in the late 70s , developed this technique, which can be used in any discipline. At the end of a class period, ask your students to write for a minute or two on the following two questions: "What is the most significant thing you learned today?" and "What question is uppermost in your mind at the end of today's class?" The resulting minute papers, submitted anonymously, will enable you to evaluate how well you have conveyed the material and how to structure topics for the next class meeting. Angelo (1991) and Mosteller (1989) describe a Harvard statistics professor who asks students "What was the 'muddiest point' in my lecture today?"

Ask students to list key concepts or ideas. At the conclusion of a series of lectures or readings about a particular topic, ask students to write short phrases summarizing the three to five key concepts or main ideas about the topic. You can review these lists to verify whether your students have grasped the important ideas. Students can also use their lists to review for exams. You may want to initiate a class discussion that asks students to compare and contrast their entries or define and apply the concepts. (Source: Angelo and Cross, 1988)

Ask students whether they are understanding you or not. But avoid the generic "Any questions?" Instead ask, "How many are following me?" or "How many are with me on this point?" Also refrain from posing general questions that might put students on the spot: "Who is lost?"

Have students briefly paraphrase a lecture or a reading assignment. At the beginning of the class period, you can request oral or written paraphrases and then judge whether students have understood the assigned reading or the last lecture. Or you can request paraphrases at the end of the period to check on whether students understood the material you presented.

Ask students to provide a closing summary. At the end of a class session, ask students, individually or in pairs, to write a very brief summary of the main ideas you covered in class. Have students turn in their summaries--making sure they understand this is not a quiz. Or at the beginning of class, ask students to summarize the main ideas from the previous class or the reading and to write one question they expect to be answered during class.

Encourage students to form study groups. Invite representatives of the study groups to meet with you to discuss any difficulties with the subject matter. Study groups provide students with opportunities to learn from one another, and some students may find it easier to seek assistance as a group rather than as individuals.

Have students turn in class notes as an assignment. Before a midterm or final exam, require students to turn in their lecture notes, course assignments, homework, and quizzes accompanied by a detailed table of contents. You will be able to get a sense of how well students are understanding the material and to identify who is having trouble in the class and needs help. Students will find that compiling a good set of detailed notes and a table of contents will help them study for the exam. Make sure you let your students know, early in the course, that this will be required.

Encourage graduate student instructors to give you comments about the course. If you have GSIs, they can be a valuable source of information on how the course is progressing and whether students are learning the material. Most student complaints eventually find their way to a GSI. Ask GSIs to give you brief written reports on any problems the students may be having in the course (for example, have them list the one or two things that caused students the most difficulty in class last week). (Source: Davis, 1988)

Creating a Positive Classroom Environment

What an instructor does in the first few class sessions sets the tone for the rest of the semester. We know from research on teaching that students learn best in student-centered classrooms where they are actively involved not only with the subject matter but also with their classmates and their teachers. Teacher-centered courses, which emphasize formal lectures and note taking, questions held until the end of class, and little student participation in learning activities, do not seem to promote as much learning as classrooms in which students have a voice. Although students may be reluctant at first to take part in learning activities, most of them report that they remember material best when they engage with it during class, not just during private study time. What can teachers do to create an environment in which students are willing to be active participants?

BE SENSITIVE TO INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES. One essential characteristic of effective teaching is that it be responsive to the individual needs of students. There are simply too many differences among students for a teacher to be able to teach all of them the same thing at the same time. However, quality teaching entails being sensitive to individual differences in preferred learning styles by varying the rate, amount, nature or content of the instruction given. Teachers who alter instruction to accommodate individual differences send the message that they want to reach all of their students all of the time. Students are much more likely to participate actively in learning activities when they know that their teacher has carefully considered their needs.


During one of the first few class meetings, tell your students that you will incorporate a variety of teaching approaches toward the subject matter; then, keep your commitment throughout the course. Ask your students to suggest new methods of learning material and to give feedback on the methods you implement. Students will respect you when they know that they have a voice in how they learn, not just what they learn.

LEARN STUDENTS' NAMES. Calling students by name signifies a positive relationship between teachers and students. Students who recognize that their teachers think of them as individuals with individual needs will feel more comfortable in class and be more responsive in discussions.


Ask your students to introduce themselves the first day and have them state their names whenever they speak during the first few class sessions. Write a few notes about students to remind you of their names and interests. Encourage your students to learn classmates' names as well and to use them in class discussions.

MAKE SURE THAT THE CLASSROOM IS SET UP IN A WAY THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO A POSITIVE CLIMATE. Asking students to come to the front of the room so that they are close to each other encourages more participation than an arrangement with students scattered around the classroom. For a small discussion section, it may be useful to arrange chairs in a circle or a U shape.


Feel free to change the seating arrangement in your classroom according to the method of instruction you are using. Your students will be less likely to become bored if you show them that your classroom is not a static but a changing environment. Having them switch seats can make them interact with more of their classmates. However, do not experiment with the seating arrangement so often that your students feel uncomfortable.

TELL STUDENTS WHAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS. Most students feel anxious when they are not certain what behaviors teachers expect from them. When teachers clearly and consistently communicate their expectations for student behavior, they help to ease student anxiety.


Tell your students that you expect them to come to class prepared, to ask questions and to discuss the material on a daily basis. Work out a system for holding your students responsible for class participation, include a section in your syllabus about how you will evaluate their participation, and consistently follow the rules you established. Encourage your students to help develop ground rules for discussion and include these guidelines in your syllabus. Ground rules may include:

0. No personal attacks

0. one person talks at a time

0. everyone has a right to his or her opinion.

See "Proposed Ground Rules for Discussion" by L. Cannon.

COME BEFORE AND STAY AFTER CLASS TO TALK TO STUDENTS. This time can allow the teacher to build individual relationships with students. These small contacts can create more personal climate. Students may feel more comfortable asking questions, expressing their concerns, or seeing you about difficulties on an individual basis.


Tell your students in advance if you have to rush off to another class directly after the one(s) you teach so that they will not feel snubbed if you do not have time to answer their questions after class. Be sure to tell them when and where they can reach you to ask you additional questions.

CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENT PARTICIPATION. Teachers can foster a safe climate by insuring that:

They never ridicule a student's questions or remarks. It takes only one or two instances of "That's a stupid comment. Haven't you prepared for class?" to discourage participation.

You can disagree with a student without attacking him or her personally (e.g., "As I see it ...."). Remember always to dignify learners' responses by restating their valid points or crediting the thoughtfulness of their contributions.

They confront students who attack other students. (e.g., "John, state what you think rather than attacking another student.").

When you confront students who treat their classmates disrespectfully, you model for your students proper classroom etiquette. Your students will take you more seriously if they know you enforce the rules you include in your syllabus.

One way to encourage participation is to reinforce appropriate student behavior both verbally and non-verbally.

Make frequent eye contact with your students. Move around the room often and offer words of praise such as "good" or "interesting" to students who are participating. Refer to student contributions in your remarks with phrases such as "As Sally said..." or "Would anyone like to respond to Joe's point?" Write student responses on the board, a flipchart, or a transparency, and include them in your handouts as often as possible to acknowledge contributions. Use student points in your remarks (e.g., "As Mike pointed out...").

0.

BEGIN TEACHING THE SUBJECT MATTER THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS. Because your class roster is not stable the first day of class, it is tempting to do little more than administrative housekeeping. Remember, however, if you do not take the subject matter seriously, neither will your students. If you want a classroom where students come to work diligently, you need to begin teaching the content the first day of class. Let the first day set the tone for the rest of the semester. Let the first class set the tone for the weeks to follow by enlisting student interest, inviting their participation, and beginning to build a sense of community.

Tips for Managing the Classroom Environment

1. Start class on time, sending a message that being there is important. If a student arrives late several days in a row, say something before it becomes a habit.

2. End class on time. If you begin letting students out early, they will begin routinely packing up their backpacks before class is over; if you go over time on a regular basis your students will become resentful.

3. Announce your office hours and keep them faithfully. Being accessible can prevent many problems.

4 . Set policies at the beginning of the course. In particular, make sure attendance and grading policies are clear, preferably in writing.

5. Be conscious of signs of racial or sexual harassment, whether by you, towards you, or towards other members of the class. Make it clear by your wordsand actions that put-downs or derogatory comments about any groups for whatever reason are simply not acceptable.

6. Refer students with psychological, emotional, academic, or financial trouble to the appropriate counselors. You can be sympathetic and supportive, but becoming a student's counselor can cause problems.

7. When acting as a teaching assistant, involve yourself only to the extent that you are expected to be involved. If the professor you are assisting is in charge of determining grades and you receive complaints about grades, have the students deal with the professor. Do not foster a "me against you" attitude, and do not side with the students against the professor.

- These tips are adapted from those provided by the Center for Teaching Effectiveness at Pennsylvania State University.