Questioning Workshop

8/9/2019 Questioning Workshop

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Questioning


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Why do we need questions?


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They need these thinking skills to score well on increasingly toughschool tests, but more importantly, they need these skills to scorewell on the increasingly baffling tests of life . . .

Why do we need

questions?

how to vote?how to work?how to love?

how to honor?how to respect?

how to invent?how to understand?

how to grow?how to adapt?how to sing?

how to pass it on?


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Smart questions are essential technologyfor those who venture onto the

information highway. Without strongquestioning skills, you are just apassenger on someone elses tour bus.

You may be on the highway.. but someoneelse is doing the driving.

Why do we need

questions?


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Activity 1: Curly questions!


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Curly Questions!


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Curly Questions!


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Curly Questions!


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Curly Questions!


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Now sort your questionsinto groups...


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What sort of questions are

there?


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Factual questions have only one correct answer, like "What did

you have for breakfast this morning?"

Factual questions


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Factual questions have only one correct answer, like "What did

you have for breakfast this morning?"

Factual questions usually make the best inquiry-based projects,as long as they are answerable and have room forexploration.

Factual questions


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Interpretive questions have more than one answer, butthey still must be supported with evidence.

Interpretive questions


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For example, depending on their interpretations, people canhave different, equally valid answers to "Why did Ahabchase Moby Dick?"



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For example, depending on their interpretations, people canhave different, equally valid answers to "Why did Ahabchase Moby Dick?"

Interpretive questions are effective for starting class discussions,for stimulating oral and written language exercises and,sometimes, for leading to good inquiry-based learningprojects.



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Evaluative questions ask for some kind of opinion, belief or pointof view, so they have no wrong answers.

Evaluative questions


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Nonetheless, the answers do depend on prior knowledge andexperience, so they are good ways to lead discussions (e.g.,"What would be a good place to take the kids on a field trip?")and explore books or other artistic works (e.g., "Do you agreewith Ahab's views on whales?").



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Nonetheless, the answers do depend on prior knowledge andexperience, so they are good ways to lead discussions (e.g.,"What would be a good place to take the kids on a field trip?")and explore books or other artistic works (e.g., "Do you agreewith Ahab's views on whales?").

They rarely make for good inquiry-based projects because theyare internally focused, but they can be a great way to connectwith and elicit interaction from young or shy students (e.g.,"Who's your favorite Pokemon?")



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A closed question is one in which there are a limited number ofacceptable answers, most of which will usually be anticipated by theinstructor.

Open & Closed

Questions


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A closed question is one in which there are a limited number ofacceptable answers, most of which will usually be anticipated by theinstructor.

Open & Closed

Questions

For example, "What is a definition for 'adjective'?" requires thatstudents give some characteristics of adjectives and their function.While students may put the answer in their own words, correctanswers will be easily judged and anticipated based on a ratherlimited set of characteristics and functions of adjectives.


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Open & Closed

QuestionsAn open question is one in which there are many acceptableanswers, most of which will not be anticipated by the instructor.


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Open & Closed

QuestionsAn open question is one in which there are many acceptableanswers, most of which will not be anticipated by the instructor.

For example, "What is an example of an adjective?" requires onlythat students name "any adjective." The teacher may only judge ananswer as incorrect if another part of speech or a totally unrelatedanswer is given. Although the specific answer may not be anticipatedthe instructor usually does have criteria for judging whether aparticular answer is acceptable or unacceptable.


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www.20q.net
http://www.20q.net/http://www.20q.net/


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Activity 2: The QuestionGame


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Try playing The Question Game with your kids. To start, twoparticipants decide on a topic to question. One person starts withan open-ended question, then the other person responds with a

related open-ended question. This goes back and forth as long asthey can continue without making a statement or repeating aprevious question.

The Question Game


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The Question Game

For example, the topic might be an object in the room, such as alight bulb:A: Why is it important to have light?

B: Where does light come from?

A: How does light help people?B: Where is light used?

A: What would happen if there were no light?

Try asking a question and going around the room, each personasking a question based on the one before.


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Ok...back to the questions


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Why? is the favorite question of four-year-olds. It is thebasic tool for figuring stuff out (constructivist learning).

Why does the sun fall each day?Why does the rain fall?

Why do some people throw garbage out their carwindows?

Why do some people steal?Why do some people treat their children badly?

Why can't I ask more questions in school?

Why?


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How?How? is the inventor's favorite question. How is the tool which fixesthe broken furnace and changes the way we get cash from a bank.How inspires the software folks to keep sending us upgrades and

hardware folks to create faster chips.

How could things be made better?This question is the basis for problem-solving and synthesis. Usingquestions to pull and change things around until a new, better

version emerges.


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This question requires thoughtful decision-making - a reasonedchoice based upon explicit (clearly stated) criteria and evidence.

Which?Which? is the most important question of all because it

determines who we become.Which school or trade will I pick for myself?

Which path will I follow?


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How do I know which

question to use?


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One way is to use Blooms taxonomy to refer to "lower-level" and"higher-level" questions.

Lower level questions are those at the knowledge, comprehension,and simple application levels of the taxonomy.

Higher-level questions are those requiring complex application(e.g., analysis, synthesis, and evaluation skills).

How do I know which

question to use?


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How do I know which

question to use?Usually questions at the lower levels are appropriate for:

"1."evaluating students' preparation and comprehension."2."diagnosing students' strengths and weaknesses."3."reviewing and/or summarizing content.


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How do I know which

question to use?Questions at higher levels of the taxonomy are usually mostappropriate for:

"1."encouraging students to think more deeply and critically."2."problem solving."3."encouraging discussions."4."stimulating students to seek information on their own.


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In general, start questions with"how," "what," which,"where,"

"why" or "when."

How do I help my students

ask better questions?


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ask better questions?Make sure everyone is prepared. This could mean that everyone

has received the hand-outs or that you've read aloud the storyyou want to talk about.

Know your purpose. Is the goal to arrive at a decision or merelyto brainstorm possible ideas that you'll follow up on later?

Opinions should always be supported with evidence. If you're

discussing a book, for example, ask follow-up questions aboutwhy the student believes what she does.

Leaders only ask questions; they do not answer them.


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CRITICAL QUESTIONS

CCONSEQUENCES

CONSISTENCY

What are the consequences of believing this?

How consistent is the information?

A

ASSUMPTIONS

ACCURACY

What assumptions have been made here?

How accurate is the data / information?

MMEANING

MAIN POINTS

What is the meaning of this?

What is the main point here?

PPREJUDICE

POINT OF VIEW

What prejudice is being shown here?

What other points of view could be expressed?

EEVIDENCE

EXAMPLES

What evidence is given to support the claims?

What examples are given to back up claims?

RRELEVANCE

RELIABILITY

How relevant are the claims?

How reliable is the source, writer, information?

C.A.M.P.E.R


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CAMPER for the Internet

CRITICAL QUESTIONS

CCONSEQUENCES

CONSISTENCY

CURRENCY

What is the consequences of me believing all of this as it is presented?How consistent is the information compared to other sources?Is there a bibliography?Does the site link to other sources of information about my topic?How current is the information and is the site updated regularly?

AASSUMPTIONS

ACCURACY

AUTHORSHIP

AUDIENCE

What assumptions have been made here?How accurate is the information?Who is theauthor? What are the author's credentials?Who is the intended audience?

MMEANING

MAIN POINTS

What are the main points here?What isn't here?

PPREJUDICE

POINT OF VIEW

PROVIDER

PURPOSE

Who is the provider of the information - is the site edu / com. / org /gov?What is the author's point of view or bias? What is the other point of view?

What is the purpose of the site - inform/persuade/explain?

EEVIDENCE

EXAMPLES

What is the evidence to support the claim?

What examples are provided?

R

RELEVANCE

RELIABILITY

How relevant is this site to my research/key questions?

Is the site reliable - easy to navigate, clear and quick to download?


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ask better questions?Care about each question you ask. Avoid generic questions and

prepare some good questions in advance.

Maintain a high energy level and enthusiasm. It's contagious!

Spontaneous interpretive questions are an important part of alldiscussions. Preparing questions in advance will actually lead tobetter spontaneous questions as well.

All good questions always lead to more questions. Be aware ofpractical and logistical issues, such as time limits, but neversquelch enthusiasm when kids are on a roll.


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ask better questions?

Whenever possible and appropriate, use techniques like mappingto provide a conceptual, visual structure to the ideas you'rehearing.

Let people see you writing their thoughts and ideas on the map.
http://www.youthlearn.org/learning/teaching/mapping.asphttp://www.youthlearn.org/learning/teaching/mapping.asp


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The Classroom Climate


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The attitude of teacher toward questions.

Are they viewed as digressions, annoyances, to be hurried through,to be answered correctly, to show what students do not know?

Or are they tools for the job of learning, toys for playful minds, fullof puns, answers for other questions, an indication of powerful

thinking, a celebration of curiosity?

Are they answered with care, given special place in discussions,written without answers, given without requirements, extended with

more questions?

Classroom climate


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The Question Matrix


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The Question Matrix

What is it?

A visual tool to assist students and teachers devise a

range of questions around a topic or idea.


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The Question Matrix

How is it organised?

It is a matrix of 36 question starters that:are based on Blooms taxonomy

encourage a range of questioning from simple recallthrough to predictive and imaginative questions.Become more open moving down the chart.


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The Question MatrixWhere can it be used?

Within curriculum areas (eg: devising questions to

respond to text)Across curriculum areas (eg: developing integrated

units)

For specific skill development (eg: group skills)To allow for independent study and pupilinvolvement in their own learning

In conjunction with other tools to develop thinking

skills


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The question matrix


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Questioning Workshop

Documents

Transcript of Questioning Workshop