The Department of Agricultural Education
The University of Arizona
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The Department of Agricultural Education
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"One important part of instruction in any course should accordingly be to get students to raise questions about the subject under discussion. It would be one excellent practice to require the class to formulate questions about each lesson." --Judd
What are the purposes of questions? --aid to study --aid to planning --focuses attention --fosters interest --encourages response --encourages independent thinking --emphasis --test knowledge and understanding
FUNCTIONS OF QUESTIONS
Stimulate Learning by Questions to: -reveal the need to know -explore the benefits or advantage of knowing -provoke desire to know -promote the acceptance of knowledge offered -evoke willingness to work to seek knowledge
Requirements for Teachers
Study Questions
What are the kinds of questions?
Types of Questions Recall Questions --specifies facts, principles or generalizations who what when where
Types of Questions Comprehension Questions --to indicate an understanding of something how why compare give
Types of Questions Analysis Questions --require students to separate data in order to discover hidden meaning relationships or basic structure assumptions motives implications identification of issues
Types of Questions Evaluation Questions --provide opportunity for students to make judgments, opinions, personal reactions, and criticisms based upon the student’s criteria should could would in your opinion
Effective teaching practices which correlate positively with student achievement. 1 Effective teachers phrase questions clearly. Many teachers tend to ask questions that contain two or three different questions, which confuses and frustrates students. 2. Effective teachers encourage students to respond in some way to each question. Simply stated, students who do not respond to questions do not register achievement gains. This means it's important to play with the question, lingering over it and encouraging response before getting to the "right" answer. 3. Effective teachers balance responses from volunteering and non-volunteering students. This practice gets at the persistent problem of only a few students participating. 4. Effective teachers probe student responses for clarification or support for a point of view or to stimulate thinking. These probes may serve to add emphasis and focus to answers, thereby increasing their impact on learning. 5. Effective teachers acknowledge current responses from students and are specific and discriminating in their acknowledgements or praise. Adapted from: Teaching Professor: October; 1994. Reference for study: Wilen, WA. & C/egg, A.A. (1986). "Effective Questions and Questioning: A Research Review. H Theory and Research in Social Education, Spring 1986, pp. 153-161. The Art Of Questioning Generally, it is most effective to move from simple to more complex questions, that is, questions that require more thought. Discussion leaders often find it helpful to vary the type and level of question. 1. Exploratory questions probe facts and basic knowledge. "What kind of research evidence exists to support the role of questioning in the adult learning process?" 2. Challenge questions examine assumptions, conclusions, and interpretations. "After reading this passage, what other conclusions could be drawn?" 3. Relational questions ask for comparisons of themes, ideas, or issues. "How can knowing how to take notes assist a student in developing effective reading strategies?" 4. Diagnostic questions probe motives and causes. "Why do most college freshman drop out in their first semester?" 5. Action questions call for a conclusion or action. "What can be done to increase retention to graduate?"
THE TEACHER AS A PROFESSIONAL QUESTION MAKER by John R. Crunkilton Associate Professor Program of Agricultural Education How many times do you ask your students a question during a 50 minute period? Probably more than you realize. Without a doubt, questioning is one of the most important techniques used by the teacher and probably the most used. And regardless of which other teaching techniques are used, questioning is involved all the time. Have you ever stopped to analyze this teaching technique and what is involved in constructing a good question? The first step is to consider the types of questions which may be asked. Below are four basic types: Recall Questions Which type of question you choose to use should depend upon the reason you are asking the questions. Furthermore, critical thinking is an essential part of our teaching and questioning is on of your major tools to encourage and provide for the cognitive development of your students. If you want students to merely recall information where only one answer is correct, then your questions need to be tailored as such. If you want students to analyze a situation, then another type of question is needed. Let's take a deeper look at the four basic types of questions which were identified earlier. RECALL QUESTIONS: Questions which students are to answer with specific facts, principles, or generalizations. For example, dates, events, persons, places, principles or other facts. In constructing questions where this information is desired, the teacher should begin the question with who, what, when, or where. Teachers should not use this question to an excess because this represents a lower level of thinkL1g .This type of questioning; can be used to guide students to a higher level of intellectual thinking. Examples of recall questions would be: Who is the National FFA President? COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS : Questions which students are to answer indicating
an understanding of something. This question demands manipulation of data
through interpretation, summarization, example and definition. Interpretations
require the student to show likenesses, differences, or comparisons.
Summarizations require a student to restate ideas in his/her own words. Examples
call for an illustration of the ideas being discussed. Definitions provide the
opportunity for Compare the operating costs of gasoline and
diesel engines. ANALYSIS QUESTIONS: Questions designed to require students to separate data for the purpose of discovering hidden meaning, relationships, or basic structure . Furthermore, this questions should be used to seek out underlying relationships and organizational patterns. Key words to use must suggest analysis and these are assumptions, motives, implications, or identification of issues. Analysis questions must be considered in light of established criteria. Examples of questions are: How are plant diseases related to environmental
conditions in the green house? EVALUATION QUESTIONS: Questions which provide the opportunity for students to make judgments, opinions, personal reactions, and criticisms based upon the students' own criteria. When using this question, there is no right or wrong answer, but the student is expected to defend his/her answer, and this serves as a basis to judge or evaluate the students' response. Evaluation questions involve an intellectual and emotional aspect of the student, thus at times, responses may be highly biased. Key words to use are should, could, would, or in your opinion. Examples of evaluation questions are: Should the FFA go on a two- week summer trip? In summary, the next time you prepare to ask a question, give some thought as to why you are asking the question and then, to how you need to state the question. Effective questioning takes practice and the teacher may find the need to write out the questions until he/she develops the ability to ask sound questions. In your opinion, how effective is your questioning?
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Copyright © 2000 Department of Agricultural Education. All rights reserved.
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