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Educators need to know how to ask proper questions. Questioning techniques are vitally important in order to motivate learners, encourage critical thinking and encourage discussion amongst learners. There are different types of questions used for enticing different types of responses from learners which we will soon talk about.
First let us look at the APPLE questioning technique:
Ask the Question: Questions should be prepared in your lesson plan in advance.
Pause: Let the learners think about what you are asking. Give the learners 3-5 seconds in order to respond.
Pick: Pick on a learner by name to answer the question. Do not always pick on the first learner in that raised his hand. You may also pick on someone that hasn’t raised his hand in order to force participation.
Listen: Listen to the answer, make eye contact with the learner, provide effect words when the answer is provided. Mix your effect words, noting sounds more phony than an instructor that always says “very good” whenever a learner answers a question.
Expound and Explain the learner’s answer. Generate a dialog based on the learner’s response. If the learner’s response was incorrect, redirect the question back to the other learners. “That’s an interesting response, but not the one I was looking for, can anyone else provide a different answer?”
There are many different types of questions. Depending on the response and outcome the instructor want, dictates the type of question the instructor should utilize.
Factual Recall: Use this type of question when you want the learner to state specific information. For instance: “What is the distance of the Moon from the Earth?” The question is straight and to the point.
Interest-Arousing: This a good type of question to get learners back into the topic. Maybe the learners have drifted off and interest in the subject is not want the instructor wants it to be. “If you were to going to the Moon from the Earth, how long would you be away from home?” The wording of this type of question makes it personal to the learners, it arouses their interest.
Canvassing: A canvassing question is a good way to put a question out to the whole class and encourage discussion amongst the learners. “How many of you would go to the Moon?”
Thought-Provoking: This type of question generally asks a higher cognitive domain question that encourages higher learning. For instance “How fast would one need to travel to get to the Moon in two days?” This question asks math and physics, while still obtaining the factual recall question of the distance to the Moon.
Leading: A leading question is just that, it leads the learners into the answer. “The Moon isn’t too far for space travel based on current technological trends, is it?” The learner can assume the answer is no based on the wording of the question. Instructors need to be careful when using these questions and they are best suited with a follow up question such as “Was the Moon considered to far based on 1966 technological abilities?”
Do not ask questions such as “Can anyone tell me the distance to the Moon?” Or “Does anyone know what the distance to the Moon is?” The answer the learner will give you is “yes I can tell you.” Or “Yes I know the distance.”
Questioning is a very powerful technique that instructors need to properly utilize. Instructors can rapidly change questions and techniques based on learner comprehension and motivation. Computer based questioning cannot accomplish this as a good instructor can.
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