How to Ask Online Discussion Questions

How To Ask Online Discussion QuestionsLearning ObjectivesUpon completion of this lesson you will be able to:o Identify the benefits of structured discussion

questionso List examples of various types of questionso Identify strategies to assist in preparing

questions

Prerequisite KnowledgeYou are expected to have had:o Exposure to online learningo Exposure to quality writing techniques

Estimated TimeThis lesson will take approximately 30 minutes to complete

Introduction

Discussion questioning is defined as:o Instructional cues or stimuli that convey to online participants the content necessary

to be a learner and directions for what they are to do and how it is to be done.

In order to stimulate ongoing discussions it is necessary to compose discussion questions that encourage responses, which go beyond simply repeating points made by other classmates. This can be done through disagreeing, framing counterarguments, or providing examples. The quality of online discussions is directly related to the depth and complexity of the arguments raised. Quality discussions lead to better learning outcomes, improvements in writing skills, and better problem solving abilities.

Through the use of online questions and strategies you can expect the following benefits:

o Deeper and more reflective student responseso Improved participation and accountability (everyone has an opportunity to participate

and be heard)o An easily accessible record of the discussion thought process

Types of QuestionsWell defined questions and their appropriate use cannot only help you understand

content on a basic level, but can also guide you and other students in critically thinking about content.

Actively engaging in critical thinking is at the heart of the questioning process. There are two basic types of critical thinking strategies:

(click on links below for detailed information)o Enhancing the focus of ideaso Extending patterns of thought

However, in doing this you must be careful to refrain from judgment and remain neutral when searching for solutions or new ideas. By encouraging multiple points of view you will create a discussion that challenges one-sided thought processes through the use of alternate points of view.

Types of Questions Cont.Discussions can be organized around the following types of

questions:Click the words below to view detailed information on each type of question.

Exploratory Challenge

Relational Hypothetical

Cause-and-Effect Summary and Synthesis

Evaluation Thought Provoking

Click to Proceed through slideshow

ExploratoryEncourage learning and extraction of

facts and development of basic knowledge. Make sure students aren’t asked to compare or relate material, simply ask them to recall or restate. For example, “What research evidence supports the theory that effective programs impose structure and limit learner control?”

Back To Types Of Questions Cont.

Challenge

Examine assumptions, conclusions, and interpretations. For example, “How else might we account for the findings of this research?”

Back To Types Of Questions Cont.

RelationalPrompt comparisons of themes, ideas or

issues. Form questions to target relationships among concepts, ideas, and information. For example, “Compare the benefits and challenges of asynchronous and synchronous learning. Which type of learning do you think promotes more effective group learning?”

Back To Types Of Questions Cont.

HypotheticalAsk participants to consider how changing the

circumstances of a case might alter the outcome. Frame questions by presenting problems that approximate real life situations, which would require participants to draw on their knowledge and experience to come up with plausible scenarios. For example, “How might this course have been more effective if it used video conferencing instead of audio conferencing?”

Back To Types Of Questions Cont.

Cause-and-EffectProvoke participants to explore cause-

and-effect linkages between ideas, actions or events. These kinds of questions encourage participants to investigate conventional wisdom and are fundamental to developing critical thinking. For example, “If internet access were free, would we have a digital divide?”

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Summary and SynthesisInvite participants to summarize or synthesize

what has been discussed in the readings. These questions call on participants to identify key ideas from the course material and think about them in ways that encourage creative and original thinking. For example, “What are the one or two most important ideas that emerged from this discussion? What do you understand better as a result of this module’s discussion?”

Back To Types Of Questions Cont.

Thought Provoking

Frame these questions when you want others to translate information, extrapolate ideas, or interpret information. Develop questions prompted by omissions, contradictions, ambiguities, unsupported assumptions, or unacknowledged ethical dilemmas within the reading material. For example, “Do you think that women have more challenges with distance education technology than men? Why or why not?”

Back To Types Of Questions Cont.

Evaluation

Draw out factual answers, test recall, or recognize critical information without asking for comparisons, relating material or making any inductive or deductive conclusions. For example, “According to the author, when were women granted the right to vote?”

Back To Types Of Questions Cont.

In order to enhance the focus you should identify central and divergent themes within the content being discussed. Key issues and/or covering areas that were not already discussed or need to be discussed further should be focused on.

Back To Types Of Questions

Deepening discussions, or extending patterns of thought, can be done by:

o Questioning assumptionso Exploring opinionso Trying to understand another’s

perspective

Back To Types Of Questions

Discussion StrategiesIn addition to various types of questions there are three useful strategies available to you for crafting your discussion questions.

Click links below to proceed to helpful strategies for starting your discussions

Illustrative Quotes

Opening Statements

Opinions

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Illustrative Quotes

Ask students to find one or two quotes they think illustrates the main idea of reading material

Ask students to choose passages they found hard to understand for interpretations

Post a number of questions relating to a chapter or section

Back To Discussion Strategies

Opening Statements

Start the discussion with a strongly worded statement, which will likely challenge assumptions

Play devil’s advocate and come up with evidence and rationales that are outside the usual frame of reference

Back To Discussion Strategies

Opinions

Make a statement based on your thoughts and justify it with research or text excerpts

Ask students to identify what parts of an assignment or reading is most confusing to them

Back To Discussion Strategies

Tips for Designing Online Questions

Here are several tips, based on other learner’s experiences, that may help in designing your questions for online discussions:Ensure your question is clearly statedTry to post brief, to-the-point questionsExpect diverse responses when working with diverse groups of learnersHumor and sarcasm often are mistaken online, try to avoid them!

Conclusion

In this lesson you have learned about:Various benefits of composing structured discussion questionsVarious types of questionsVarious strategies used to assist you in preparing questions

You are now ready to use what you have learned to compose quality, engaging questions.

Credits

Credits

Author:Lara Brown

 This learning object was created for course ADLDSP 767 Program

Planning & Implementation.University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeInstructor: Simone Conceicao

Copyright © 2005