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Teachers, have you ever thrown out a question to your class and received only silence as a reply? It happens to everyone, but to some more than others. In this presentation we identify questioning strategies that lead to lively discussions and compare to those that leave the class in silence.
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?How to ask
QUESTIO
NS
to stimulate discussion
uncertainty of the question Before posing a
question to students,
consider the question’s level of uncertainty.
1 right answer
uncertainty of the question A question with
only one right answer has no
uncertainty.
Too broad
1 right answer
uncertainty of the question A question with
an infinite number of acceptable
answers is totally uncertain.
Too broad
1 right answer
Just right
uncertainty of the question
What happens when we pose a question that has no uncertainty at
all?
What is the square root
of 4?
Quá dễ
It’s two sir.
Q: What is the square root of 4?
Quá dễQ: What is the square root of 4?
Is there any other answer?
It’s two sir.
Quá dễQ: What is the square root of 4?
Questions that have only one right answer don’t stimulate discussion.
Let’s look at a few more examples of zero uncertainty
questions.
Who is the president of our school?
Who is the president of our school?
SATA supports a maximum of how many drives?
Who is the president of our school?
SATA supports a maximum of how many drives?
How many habits does Steven Covey describe in his book?
1 right answer
Who is the president of our school?
SATA supports a maximum of how many drives?
How many habits does Steven Covey describe in his book?
Now let’s see what happens when
there’s too much uncertainty.
What must one do in order to get a
job?
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
We must wear clothes, of
course.
What must one do in order to get a job?
And comb our hair
too!
We must wear clothes, of
course.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
We should slip a $20 bill to the head of human
resources.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
We should slip a $20 bill to the head of human
resources.
Or we should ask our dad to
introduce us to his friends.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
Go to the temple and offer prayers!
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
I have no idea what answer the teacher
wants us to say.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
I think it’s better to just keep
quiet.
Let’s study that exchange in more detail.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
We must wear clothes, of
course.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
We must wear clothes, of
course.
The student’s answer is correct but it
sounds silly, and even disrespectful.
Why?
This dot represents the space of all answers discussed in the literature.
The teacher tends to think inside this small, finite space
because he has studied the literature.
The green dot represents the set
of all correct answers to the
question.
Students minds operate in this
space.
“What must one do in order to get a
job?”
To merely give a correct answer to this question is
not sufficient because answers too far outside the teacher’s intended
context will be perceived as rude or inappropriate.
In addition to formulating a correct answer, the student must also guess the context within which the teacher intends for the students to
think.?
The context guessing problem is usually much harder than the problem of simply formulating a
correct answer.?
Now, let’s see how the students handle the context guessing problem.
What must one do in order to get a
job?
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
Let’s assume this is a computer science
course.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
He’s probably thinking something about real-world programming
skills.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
No, that’s too easy. This teacher likes us to think outside the box.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
It’s probably something related to
computers but slightly counter-intuitive.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
Maybe he’s thinking of IT communication
skills?
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
Maybe this is an aside that doesn’t relate to
computers at all.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
Well, we need to be able to provide value
for our potential employer.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
That idea is too vague. He’s probably looking for something
specific.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
These students are having trouble identifying the
context.
Quá dễ
What must one do in order to get a job?
In this situation, students won’t
volunteer to answer the question.
Let’s see some more examples of
questions that are too broad.
Too broad
What is unique about our university?
Too broad
What is unique about our university?
In the movie Star Wars, what does the main character do?
Too broad
What is unique about our university?
In the movie Star Wars, what does the main character do?
In the future, how will computers develop?
The hope of providing a
definitive answer
is the force that motivates students to discuss.
What is the best colour for website
design?
What is the best colour for website
design?
Students have no hope of answering this question definitively.
As a result, they will not attempt to answer at all.
The the level of uncertainty
determines the amount of time a class will spend discussing the
question.
One correct answer:Less than one minute
of discussion
Infinitely many answers:
discussion is inconclusive
One correct answer:Less than one minute
of discussion
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
Useful for quick review of a previous
lesson.
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
Useful for quick review of a previous
lesson.
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
Useful for more in-
depth discussion.
Useful for quick review of a previous
lesson.
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
Useful for more in-
depth discussion.
Students will not attempt to answer
1. What is the algorithmic complexity of insertion sort?
2. What’s the difference between int and float?
3. What does judging mean in the Meyers-briggs personality test?
4. What are the notes in the first inversion of a D Major chord?
5. What are the locations of the three dan tian?
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
This type of question is useful for checking students’ understanding of a previous lesson.
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
In order to inspire longer discussions with more lasting impact, we must ask broader questions.
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
Let’s look at some examples.
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
esteem
social
safety
physiological
self-actualisatio
n
According to
Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs,needs on the lower levels
must be satisfied before an individual can feel strong motivation to satisfy the needs at a higher level.
Here’s an example from a business
communication skills course.
esteem
social
safety
physiological
self-actualisatio
n
According to
Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs,needs on the lower levels
must be satisfied before an individual can feel strong motivation to satisfy the needs at a higher level.
esteem
social
safety
physiological
self-actualisatio
n
For example:Humans who are struggling
to find food for survival (physiological need) are not strongly motivated to seek
recognition as scientific researchers (esteem level
need).
esteem
social
safety
physiological
self-actualisatio
n
For example:Humans who are struggling
to find food for survival (physiological need) are not strongly motivated to seek
recognition as scientific researchers (esteem level
need). Now, let’s write some
questions pertaining to this lesson.
Question:
What type of needs are in the foundation level of Maslow’s hierarchy?
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
Question:
What type of needs are in the foundation level of Maslow’s hierarchy?
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
This type of question is sufficient for less than one minute of discussion.
In wartime we often hear stories of soldiers who bravely risk their lives for their comrades and country.
Are these stories an example of a contradiction to Maslow’s theory or an indication that our understanding of the theory is incomplete?
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
Too broad
15 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes
1 minute
The question on the previous slide points out an apparent contradiction in the material of the previous day’s lesson and asks students to give their personal opinion.
This is a typical strategy for eliciting more enthusiastic student participation.
Difficulty level
Too easy OKToo hard
Too easy(everyone
knows)
Quá dễHow many key
points were there in yesterday’s
lesson?
Quá dễHow many key
points were there in yesterday’s
lesson?
In the video we just watched, what did the
main character do?
Quá dễHow many key
points were there in yesterday’s
lesson?
In the video we just watched, what did the
main character do?
Why do we need computers?
Why do we need
computers?
Quá dễWhy do we need computers?
Why is he asking such an easy question?
Quá dễWhy do we need computers?
Why is he asking such an easy question?
It’s probably a trick question.
Quá dễWhy do we need computers?
What does he mean by that?
Quá dễWhy do we need computers?
What does he mean by that?
I think it’s better to just keep silent.
Too hard(no one knows)
Who is the CEO of Fujitsu
corporation?
Who is the CEO of Fujitsu
corporation?
When was the first telephone manufactured?
Who is the CEO of Fujitsu
corporation?
When was the first telephone manufactured?
What’s the maximum
number of cells in an excel
spreadsheet?
In what year was the world’s first financial audit
conducted?
Quá dễ
In what year was the world’s first financial audit conducted?
How should I know?
Quá dễ
1282? 1555? What’s the point
of guessing random
numbers?
In what year was the world’s first financial audit conducted?
Quá dễIt’s probably better to just keep quiet.
In what year was the world’s first financial audit conducted?
Difficulty
Students are motivated by the
feeling of accomplishment
that comes from giving a correct answer.
Difficulty
Why do computers have mice?
Students get no sense of accomplishment from
answering easy questions.
Difficulty
Why do computers have mice?
They also avoid questions that are
too hard.
How many keys are on a
Dvorak keyboard?
Difficulty
To get students to discuss, ask for their opinion on open questions that are neither too easy nor too
hard.
Are touch screens going to replace mice in
the future?
1+1 = ?
Too easy and not broad enough
hardeasy
broad
1 answer
Who is the leader of the national bank of Australia?
Too hard, too specific
hardeasy
broad
1 answer
What does MS Excel do?
Too easy, too broad
hardeasy
broad
1 answer
How should we carry out a tax audit of a
fortune 500 company?
Too hard, too broad
hardeasy
broad
1 answer
To easy
hardeasy
broad
1 answer
Give examples of English-speaking countries.
To broad
hardeasy
broad
1 answer
How do we debug runtime
errors?
Discussions happen in this middle area.
hardeasy
broad
1 answer
The quickest way to start a real discussion
is to ask about a subject that’s
controversial.
Ask students for their opinion.
Invite them to disagree with the experts.
Opinion Questions:
• A and B are both right but which is better?
• A and B are both bad but which is less bad?
• Some experts believe A. Are they correct?
• Person A took action B. Was that good or bad?
(!)
