Questioning for LearningWhat are your questions for?

Purpose Revisit an important everyday teaching behaviour Examine what questions are used for now Students’ ways of knowing Question categories and effects on student

engagement and learning

Mindful about questions the questions you use and the effects on student engagement and learning

Q?

To find out what students know

To clarify what students mean (or think)

To stretch students beyond their present understanding

To prompt them to think deeper, further…

To encourage them to justify what they think

What do you use questions for?

Generate new understandings from existing knowledge

Improve critical thinking Improve problem solving Become aware of learning

needs Arouse curiosity

What can questions do for learners?

A Meaningful Interlude

Three domains of learning Cognitive (knowledge and

intellectual skills) Psychomotor (physical skills) Affective (feelings and attitudes)

Bloom’s Taxonomy

(Lake, 2004)

Closed Questions requiring a single correct answer (Lake, 2005)

Diagnostic What do you know?

Open Questions requiring the learner to combine pieces of

information and formulate an answer (Lake, 2005)

Exploratory How do you know (it)?

Question types

1. Recall and understand information2. Application of recalled knowledge in a new context3. Problem analysis and creating solutions

What kind of questions elicit thinking at the different levels?

Bloom’s simplified

Memory Recall: What is normal blood pressure for a healthy 80-year-old male?” define-identify-list-name

Comprehension: How would you differentiate between an urticarial and vasculitic rash?” Compare/contrast- explain- give an example of…

Application (apply knowledge to new problem – extrapolation) Would it be appropriate to prescribe an anti depressant in this lady’s case? calculate-decide- predict-solve

Questions at different levels

Analysis (looking at parts of the problem) “What are the benefits and risks of prescribing a diuretic for a

patient with her condition?” analyse-distinguish-does the evidence support-

summarize-select

Synthesis (learner has to assemble a solution/answer) Develop a treatment plan for this patient . . ..” create-compose-construct-design-develop-plan-propose

Evaluation (make judgements) How do you think the patient has responded to….? appraise-assess-critique-evaluate-judge-support

Questions at different levels

Checking knowledge (does the student know/understand?) Describe how a diuretic drug works to reduce

blood pressure

Clarifying (helps the student to organise his/her thinking) What kind of exercise were you thinking

about when you said . . .?”

Questions x purpose

Extension (Stretch the students beyond their answer)

You are correct, but what if this patient had diabetes?”

Prompting (supporting the student who gives a weak answer)

How might her Phx of gastrojejunostomy influence treatment success?”

Justification (does student really understand therapeutic rationale, pathophysiology etc?)

What are the features in the patient’s medical history that led you to your conclusion?”

Questions x purpose

Ensure safe environment Start with closed questions to check prior

knowledge and move on to open questions to stimulate higher order thinking

If you have time plan some questions that stimulate thinking at higher levels Stick to lower level questions if embarrassment

likely Save higher order and more speculative questions

for debriefing and reflection in a safe environment

Do no harm!

Wait 10 seconds for an answer Pick respondents at random Follow up wrong answer with a lower

level or exploratory question Avoid giving cues to the answer in your

questions Avoid situations in which students

have to guess what’s in your head

Student engagement

Be mindful of the question strategies that you use Use them to:

Diagnose knowledge and understanding Challenge prior knowledge and assumptions

Probe thinking Justify responses Extend from specific to alternative / general

Elaborate i.e. create new links and relationships Support the student’s construction of knowledge

Create an environment where students feel safe to perform their knowledge!

So……..