Questioning Styles and Students' Learning: Four case studies

A study of the relationships between students' questioning and learning styles is being conducted on data collected in two university semesters with a sample of 300 students. This report discusses the results of case studies looking in depth at four of the students. These were involved in further data collection through written and oral questions, interviews and classroom observation experiments. The main aim is to unravel the interrogative bases of the students' learning by looking at the quality and quantity of questions they ask. This means that among other characteristics, the nature and the deliberative or spontaneous use of questions by the four students were investigated. It was possible to distinguish question‐askers by tallying their questions. Their learning styles were characterised using Kolb's Learning Styles Inventory. The study also allowed for snapshots of how particular learners shape questions. Looking at the way in which these questioning styles fit with their orientations to learning, and how this drives learning, informs what teaching might best then ensue.     

Training chemistry students to ask research questions

In previous studies, science students have been trained to ask more and better questions through intensive instruction apart from the ongoing academic program. Cognitive strategies (such as questioning) are developed best, however, within the framework of an academic subject. In the current study, questioning skills were taught to high school chemistry students in the context of their laboratory experiments. Since both intellectual development and questioning skills are causally related to problem solving, the effect of intellectual development on the learning of questioning skills also was investigated. The Piagetian model of intellectual development was chosen for its demonstrated effects on many important aspects of science instruction. The number and quality of student research questions was measured by the Science Inquiry Assessment Instrument. The student's level of intellectual development was measured by the Classroom Test of Formal Operations. The twelve-week experimental treatment involved printed lessons which taught students to ask research questions in response to unanticipated observations in their regularly scheduled laboratory experiments. The pretest exaggerated the effect of this treatment. This effect, however, was significant among unpretested students, accounting for 14% of the post-test score variance. The level of intellectual development has no effect on these post-test scores. These important questioning skills can be acquired within the framework of the regularly scheduled classroom activities by high school chemistry students, irrespective of their level of Piagetian intellectual development.     

Metacognition in chemical education: question posing in the case-based computerized learning environment

Posing questions about an article might improve one’s knowledge—a cognitive function, or monitor one’s thought processes—a metacognitive function. This study focuses on guided question posing while using a metacognitive strategy by 12th grade honors chemistry students. We investigated the ways by which the metacognitive strategy affected students’ skills to pose complex questions and to analyze them according to a specially designed taxonomy. Our learning unit, Case-based computerized laboratories, emphasizes learning through chemical case studies, accompanied by tasks, that call for posing questions to which the answer cannot be found in the text. Teachers equipped their students with a metacognitive strategy for assessing the quality of their own questions and characterizing them according to a three-component taxonomy: content, thinking level, and chemistry understanding levels. The participants were 793 experimental and 138 comparison chemistry students. Research instruments included interviews and case-based-questionnaires. Interviews with students revealed that using the metacognitive strategy the students had been taught, they were capable of analyzing the questions they generated with the taxonomy. The questionnaires showed that students significantly improved their question posing skill, as well as the complexity level of the questions they posed. A significant difference was found in favor of the experimental group students. Stimulating students to generate complex questions with a metacognitive strategy in mind enabled them to be aware of their own cognitive process and to self-regulate it with respect to the learning task.     

The role of students’ questions in aligning teaching,learning and assessment: a case study from undergraduate sciences

The quality of teaching and learning has been one of the major concerns of foundation chemistry disciplines for science and engineering undergraduates at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. Student‐centred approaches are being continuously developed, exploring ways of stimulating active and meaningful student learning by encouraging questioning by students. The development of questioning competences is regarded as fundamental, particularly in science education. In order to reinforce adequate alignment with teaching strategies, a new assessment method was implemented during the academic year of 2004–2005. This study is mainly aimed at exploring the use and integration of students’ questions as alternative assessment tools. Written formative and summative problem‐based cases were designed for these purposes. The questions raised by students during those assignments were analysed according to their cognitive level, relationship and orientation to the problem posed, herein considered to be quality indicators for learners’ questions. The findings suggest a deep engagement of students within these situations along the year, supporting the use of these alternative assessment tools as a way of fostering students’ questioning capability. Results also reveal that it is possible to achieve, with students’ questions placed at the centre of these processes, alignment between teaching, learning and assessment.     

Reinventing Natural Selection

Although many research studies report students’ Lamarckian misconceptions, only a few studies present learning and teaching strategies that focus on the successful development of the concept of natural selection. The learning and teaching strategy for upper secondary students (aged 15–16) presented in this study conducted in The Netherlands is based on the idea of guided reinvention, rather than on the conceptual change strategy. In guided reinvention, students reinvent the concept of natural selection by answering a sequence of questions based on the logical nature of Darwin’s theory. The results show that few Lamarckian explanations for evolution were recorded in the study and that the majority of the students developed a Darwinian or neo‐Darwinian conception. The status of Lamarckian misconceptions is challenged.     

The effectiveness of two methods for teaching a constraint-seeking questioning strategy to students with learning disabilities

This study investigated the relative effectiveness of two methods of teaching an efficient questioning strategy to students with learning disabilities. The methods compared were (a) cognitive modeling alone in the use of constraint-seeking questions, and (b) cognitive modeling and verbalization in the use of constraint-seeking questions, involving explicit and consistent instruction and feedback. Sixty subjects with learning disabilities were assigned randomly to one of these two conditions (n = 30 in each group). A pretreatment and posttreatment design was employed, with the criterion variable being number of questions required to obtain the correct answers to two 20 questions games. Results indicated that both groups showed significant reductions from pretreatment to posttreatment in the number of questions required. The two methods of instruction did not differ significantly in effectiveness.     

School visits to natural history museums: Teaching or enriching?

This article describes a 3‐year study of school visits to four natural history museums and addresses the research agenda with regard to out‐of‐school learning. More specifically, the findings focus on the process of learning in museums. Comprehensive data collection allowed for an analysis of patterns of guided visits, the way the scientific content was conveyed to students, and the extent and types of social interactions thus enabled. Observations of 42 guided visits (grades 3–11) indicates that the main visitation pattern consisted of guide‐centered and task‐oriented activity. Analysis of questions asked by museum guides reveals that most of these questions required mainly lower‐order thinking skills. A common questioning pattern was to ask rhetorical questions as a means of carrying on the lecture. Detailed analysis of the scientific vocabulary used by the guides indicates that they used much scientific jargon, with limited explanation. There was only limited social mediation provided by teachers and museum guides. A minority of teachers were involved in the activities or in helping the guide to clarify or in helping the students to understand the explanations. The overall data indicate limited opportunities for meaningful learning, suggesting that the museums should shift from the traditional knowledge‐transmission model of teaching to a more socioculturally contextualized model. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 747–769, 2007     

The role of questioning in writing tutorials: a critical approach to student-centered learning in peer tutorials in higher education

ABSTRACT

Peer tutoring in higher education aims to enhance student learning, and confidence. In writing centres, peer writing tutors use critical questioning to make the tutorial sessions student-focused and productive. The nature of questions influences the outcomes of the tutorials, yet research has not devoted sufficient time to unpacking what form this questioning takes, and the potential value for students and tutors. This paper explores the kinds of questions asked, the challenges posed to students and tutors, and implications for the learning process. Tutors’ experiences during tutorials and their reflections in written reports are used to unpack and explore questioning in tutorials. The paper highlights questioning as relevant in writing centre spaces due to its central role in shaping student learning about writing. The findings have relevance for peer tutoring in higher education generally, and indicate the importance of peer tutors learning to use questions to engage effectively with students.     

Improving teacher questioning in science using ICAP theory

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the efficacy of professional development in changing two middle school science teachers’ questioning to include more questions that require deeper student responses. The professional development was based on ICAP theory which proposes a framework for identifying cognitive engagement based on what is required of students. ICAP hypothesizes that Interactive and Constructive questions, such as those requiring inferential thought and collaboration, lead to deeper thinking and therefore stronger learning gains than questions that are more Active, Passive. Teacher questioning before and after the PD showed a marked improvement in increasing the number of questions that required students to make inferences about the materials. Student gain scores from tests on the lesson’s content suggests a positive relationship between constructive questions and student learning. This paper also details a coding scheme based on ICAP that can be used to provide feedback on teachers’ questioning.     

Who’s asking the questions in classrooms? Exploring teacher practice and student engagement in generating engaging and intellectually challenging questions

Student engagement that leads to enhanced learning outcomes involves three interdependent facets: behaviour, emotion and cognition. As such, learning activities that encourage deep learning and the intellectual challenging of minds should provide opportunities for reasoning and critical and creative thinking. An approach that resonates strongly with student engagement involves fostering student voice in the classroom, and the generation and utilization of students’ questions is one means of achieving this. Implicit in this approach is the need for both teachers and students to pose questions that engage and intellectually challenge thinking. In this pilot case study, eight volunteer teachers from one school chose to investigate their own practice by either focusing on their own questioning skills to foster student engagement in the classroom or, on how they could support their students to generate intellectually challenging questions that lead to increasing student voice, engagement and deeper learning in the classroom. Key findings were that who does the questioning is not an either-or dichotomy, and that significant pedagogical shifting requires a long-term focus. This shift is influenced by teachers’ commitment to using questioning as a pedagogical approach for enhancing student learning.     

例谈“三闻三学”课堂教学模式

问题教学法是指以问题为中心进行发展性教学的方法,“三问三学”是问题教学法的一种校本化操作模式。“三问三学”即是将课堂教学过程分为“以问导学”、“自问促学”和“设问测学”三个环节,旨在以问题为栽体,以思维为核心,更好地整合课堂,提高学生参与度。     

Using Prompt Fading to Teach Self‐Questioning to Fifth Graders with LD: Effects on Reading Comprehension

Students with LD who struggle with reading comprehension can benefit from instruction on how to read strategically. One strategy that has been demonstrated to increase reading comprehension is self‐questioning. In this study, two fifth graders with LD were taught to self‐generate questions using a prompt fading procedure. The participants were provided with expository reading passages with embedded questions. As each participant demonstrated proficiency with answering the embedded questions correctly, the embedded questions were systematically faded and replaced with a prompt for the students to generate their own questions. A multiple baseline across participants design demonstrated that the self‐questioning intervention resulted in improvements in reading comprehension for both students. Additionally, the students demonstrated evidence of maintenance and generalization of reading comprehension outcomes.     

课堂教学提问引发的思考

课堂提问是教师在课堂教学中不可缺少的教学手段,更是化学教学中学生自主学习,合作探究新知的前提。教师提出问题的质量直接影响学生学习知识、提升能力的效果。在课堂教学中有些教师的课堂提问仍存在着这样或那样的问题,这值得高度重视并认真分析解决。     

论教师处理学生提问的策略

儿童是天真活泼又古灵精怪的,他们的脑海里储存着各种各样的问题。一堂优质课堂,必然将学生作为课堂的主体,充分尊重学生立场。笔者就"质疑直击要点——因势利导组织探究;提问别出心裁——引发创新思维;质疑挑战威望——发扬批判精神;质疑价值甚微式提问——审时度势堵漏截流;提问延展课外——倡导研究学习"五个方面谈谈自己的想法。     

初中数学教师课堂提问存在的问题及其对策

当前数学教师的课堂提问中仍存在着提问频繁且提问时间过长、提问方式不当、学生机械性回答较多、提问过程中学生参与度较低等现象。针对这些现象,教师可通过减少低效提问、增加高效提问;针对不同类型的问题引导学生采取不同的回答方式;鼓励学生积极参与课堂提问;根据不同的提问类型采取不同的等候策略等一系列的方法,以提高课堂教学提问的质量。     

Student Role Play in the World Forum: Analyses of an Arctic Adventure Learning Apprenticeship*

This study analyzes new forms of student social interaction and dialogue within asynchronous communications of six middle schools and six high schools participating in the World School for Adventure Learning. In the World Forum component of the World School, students discussed, questioned, and debated with Arctic explorers, researchers, World Forum mentors, and peers about environmental issues while assuming identities of famous people. One of the three key tasks, Flash Points, generated more lengthy dialogue than other techniques (i.e., Arctic Alerts and Questions to Explorers). Analysis of the forms of learning assistance provided to students indicated that mentor electronic interactions with students typically involved feedback, questioning, and cognitive structuring of the lesson or activity; however, minimal task structuring, direct instruction, and modeling of how to interact occurred. Whereas most student questions to explorers about envir onmental issues or expedition activities were lower-level knowledge and comprehension queries, many also were at the evaluation level. Despite the restricted assistance and limited student questioning, student role-taking activities within their environmental discussions enhanced the degree of perspective-taking exhibited in their conversations. Examining these interaction patterns, forms of mentor assistance, levels of questioning, and degrees of perspective-taking provides new insights into the impact of electronic communication on student learning when role playing, though many questions remain.     

Using student-generated questions for student-centred assessment

In small groups, medical students were involved in generating questions to contribute to an online item bank. This study sought to support collaborative question‐writing and enhance students’ metacognitive abilities, in particular, their ability to self‐regulate learning and moderate understanding of subject material. The study focused on supporting students to write questions requiring higher order cognitive processes. End‐of‐year formal examinations comprised 25% student‐generated questions (SGQs), while mid‐year examination items were completely unseen. Data were gathered from repeated administration of a questionnaire and from examination results. No statistically significant changes were identified in self‐rated monitoring of understanding and regulation of learning. The activity of generating questions supported students to work collaboratively in developing questions and answers. The bank of questions was appreciated by students as a source of revision material, even though it was not strongly focused on higher order processes. Based on scores, it would appear that many students chose to memorise the question bank as a ‘high‐yield’ strategy for mark inflation, paradoxically favouring surface rather than deep learning. The study has not identified directly improvements in metacognitive capacity and this is an area for further investigation. Continual refinement of the study method will be undertaken, with an emphasis on education of students in developing questions addressing higher order cognitive processes. Although students may have memorised the questions and answers, there is no evidence that they do not understand the information.     

Using Mind Maps to Make Student Questioning Effective: Learning Outcomes of a Principle-Based Scenario for Teacher Guidance

Research in Science Education - Student questioning is an important learning strategy, but rare in many classrooms, because teachers have concerns if these questions contribute to attaining...     

浅谈语文课堂教学中的提问艺术

语文教学活动的实际开展过程中,教师要想更好地引发学生的思考,使学生能够始终跟随教师的思路进行探索,高质量的提问必不可少。这就要求语文教师在实际进行课堂提问的过程中能够讲求相应的提问艺术,如此,提问才能真正起到激发学生学习兴趣、提升课堂吸引力、启发学生思维、降低学生课堂知识学习难度的作用。本文就针对相关问题进行了相应探索。