Not All Questions are Created Equal!

"The art and science of asking questions is the sources of all knowledge."

 ~ Thomas Berger

Questions are such a common, everyday occurrence that I think we rarely take time to consider their significance. A question might roll of your tongue as simple as "what's for dinner?" or as complicated as "how does a Selenium deficiency in the soil affect late-corn in South-Eastern Pennsylvania." We ask questions all the time, to our peers, to our mentors, even in our own heads. The multitude of questions that we ask daily are not the same, and they are not created equal!

"We get wise by asking questions, and even if these are not answered, we get wise for a well-packed question carries its answer on its back as a snail carries its shell"

 ~ James Stephens

For educators, asking questions is akin to breathing. "Johnny, would you please help Susie clean up the materials, "Jane, where are your safety glasses" and "class, who can tell me four different cow breeds." So since we ask questions all the time, why do we need to talk about them? 

Well, there are different types of questions. According to the Center for Teaching Excellence at Cornell University they are Solicitations (which require a direct response,) Rhetorical Questions (which stimulate thinking without requiring a direct response,) and Low Risk Questions (which have no right/wrong answer and help initiate discussion). It is very important to PLAN out questions. This allows the instructor to have more time to thoughtfully consider, do I want to start a conversation, gage students understanding, try to get students to see another viewpoint, etc. The intention of a question may alter how and when the question(s) are asked. Simple yes/no questions won't spark a conversation. Also, rhetorical questions might not allow one to truly gauge students' learning if there is no response. It is also important to avoid loaded or conversely vague questions. 

I truly believe that if we as educators want to create an environment where students feel comfortable and safe, having appropriate and well thought out questions can help. By scaffoding easier to more difficult questions, students will feel more comfortable answering. Also, by being very clear when asking questions, students will have less anxiety for answering (or being called on) to answer questions. This might also motivate them to ask more questions themselves. 

Effective Teaching Techniques (Dyer J. E.) also had some helpful hints for relaying questions. 

1) Call on students to answer a question AFTER stating the question. This ensures that are listening and paying attention

2) Similarly, don't follow a pattern when calling on students to answer a question. This might make some not pay attention at all becuase it's not their turn, or be so nervous for their turn they don't hear other questions and answers etc. 

3) THIS WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME:

- “Try to avoid repeating all student responses. Teacher repetition causes students to learn to listen to you, not their fellow students.” Wow, this is pretty mind blowing to me

Also, one of the comments from my last lesson in AEE 412 lab was instead of saying correct, or great job to a students after answering a question, is to have a Power Clap (etc.) This shows the students that not only do we all appreciate and respect your response, but that it's not just the teacher who thinks so! Be having the students involved in recognizing someone doing something well, it can boost confidence, make students feel valued, and create a postive classroom environment. While this Dyer paper discussed ways to answer questions, it did not truly capture different ways to encourage/congradulate the students after sharing.

So, yeah, questions are not all created equal.

“Questions can do more than measure what students know. Appropriately challenging, engaging, and effective questions stimulate peer discussion and encourage students to explore and refine their understanding of key concepts.”

~ Cornell University Center for Teaching Excellence