Teaching Students to Formulate Their Own High Quality

Teaching Students to Formulate Their Own High Quality Questions

Question Formulation Technique Goal of Session: to offer you a proven, easy to use method for involving students in generating high quality questions. Assumptions: • Students need to & can learn to formulate their own questions • Educators can easily teach the skill as part of their regular practice • Questions stimulate new ways to think/new paths to follow

The State of Questioning in Your Classroom Find a partner by turning to your right and ask them: • How do you currently help students to formulate quality questions that build knowledge? Share your answers with the large group

Teaching Students to Formulate Their Own High Quality Questions DID SOCRATES GET IT RIGHT? https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=_Jdczds. YBNA

STEP 1 RULES FOR PRODUCING QUESTIONS § Ask as many questions as you can § Do not stop to discuss, judge or answer the questions § Write down every question exactly as it is stated § Change any statement into a question What might be difficult about following these rules?

STEP 2 Introduce Q Focus QFocus: Student generated questions stimulate learning. www. rightquestion. org

STEP 3 PRODUCE YOUR QUESTIONS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Divide into small groups of 3 -5 Identify note-taker Use newsprint to write down questions Ask questions about the QFocus. Make sure to follow the rules (See Step 1) List and number your questions. QFocus: Student generated questions stimulate learning. www. rightquestion. org

STEP 4 CATEGORIZING THE QUESTIONS You might have these two kinds of questions in your list: • Closed-ended questions: Can be answered with “yes” or “no” or with one word. • Open-ended questions: Require an explanation and cannot be answered with yes” or “no” or with one word. www. rightquestion. org

STEP 4…continued CATEGORIZING THE QUESTIONS IMPROVE YOUR QUESTIONS BY… a. Review Questions, then mark open-ended questions with a O and closed-ended with a C b. Name advantages of asking open-ended questions. c. Name disadvantages of asking open-ended questions. d. Review your list of questions and change one closed-ended question into an open-ended and vice-versa. Write your new questions below your current list of questions. www. rightquestion. org

STEP 5 PRIORITIZE YOUR QUESTIONS • Choose three questions from your list that most interest your group and your group considers to be most important. • Keep in mind the QFocus. • Mark each priority question with an “X” • Decide your reasons for selecting those three questions • Report the numbers of your priority questions and where the questions are located in the sequence of your list. www. rightquestion. org

STEP 6 SHARE & REPORT YOUR QUESTIONS • The questions you changed from closed to open-ended and from open-ended to closed. Read each question as originally written and how it was changed • Your three priority questions • Your rationale for selecting those three • The numbers and location of your priority questions www. rightquestion. org

STEP 7 NEXT STEPS • How are you going to use your three priority questions? www. rightquestion. org

REFLECT 1. What did you learn? 2. What value does the QFT have? 3. How can you use the QFT? www. rightquestion. org

USES of QFT 1. Introduction of a new subject/concept 2. Reaction to text, object or video: Reaction to text, object or video example of organizational brochure/vision 2. Preparation for upcoming assignment/project: example of analytical writing assignment exploring…”Natural Born talent determines success in life. ” www. rightquestion. org

Teaching Students to Formulate Their Own High Quality Questions REFERENCES Rothstein, D. , Santana, L. (2011). Make Just One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions. Cambridge, MA. Harvard Education Press. www. rightquestion. org

RIGHT QUESTION INSTITUTE offers access to free resources and networking http: //rightquestion. org/join-educators-network/ www. rightquestion. org

Thanks for Your Participation! Dave Wells, Wells Instructional Designer & Adjunct Instructor wellsd@palmbeachstate. edu 561 -868 -3958

www. rightquestion. org