That’s a Good That’s a Good Question!Question!

… … the role and importance of the role and importance of questions in the classroomquestions in the classroom

Some preliminaries…Some preliminaries… Could you make a lens from ice and use it Could you make a lens from ice and use it

to burn some tinder?to burn some tinder? Can a flame cast a shadow?Can a flame cast a shadow? Can you magnify without a lens?Can you magnify without a lens? What are the colours of the rainbow?What are the colours of the rainbow? How many different ways can you think of How many different ways can you think of

to show that white light consists of a to show that white light consists of a “rainbow” of colours?“rainbow” of colours?

He summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.

Mark 7:14-15

What questions “tell us”What questions “tell us”

The questions you ask reveal what The questions you ask reveal what you value in a curriculum!you value in a curriculum!

Restricting yourself to “fact based Restricting yourself to “fact based questions” should be avoidedquestions” should be avoided

“A good question may mean the difference between constraining thinking and

encouraging new ideas, and between recalling trivial facts and constructing

meaning”Moyer & Milewicz, JMTE 5: 293-315,2002

Girl number twenty,” said Mr Gradgrind, squarely pointing with his square forefinger, “I don’t know that girl. Who is that girl?”“Sissy Jupe, sir,” explained number twenty, blushing, standing up and curtsying.“Sissy is not a name,” said Mr Gradgrind. “Don’t call yourself Sissy. Call yourself Cecilia.”“It’s father as calls me Sissy, sir,” returned the young girl, in a trembling voice and with another curtsey.“Then he as no business to do it,” said Mr Gradgrind. “Tell him he mustn’t. Cecilia Jupe. Let me see. What is your father?”“He belongs to the horse-riding, if you please, sir.” Mr Gradgrind frowned, and waved off the objectionable calling with his hand.“We don’t want to know anything about that here. You mustn’t tell us about that here. Your father breaks horses, don’t he?”“If you please, sir, when they can get any to break, they do break horses in the ring, sir.”“You mustn’t tell us about the ring here …

Very well then … Give me your definition of a horse.”(Sissy Jupe thrown into the greatest alarm by this demand.)“Girl number twenty unable to define a horse! … Girl number twenty possessed of no facts, in reference to one of the commonest of animals!” …The square finger, moving here and there, lighted suddenly on Bitzer …“Bitzer,” said Thomas Gradgrind. “Your definition of a horse.”“Quadruped. Graminivorous. Forty teeth, namely twenty-four grinders, four eye-teeth, and twelve incisive. Sheds coat in the spring; in marshy countries, sheds hoofs too. Hoofs hard but requiring to be shod with iron. Age known by marks in mouth.” …

“Now girl number twenty,” said Mr Gradgrind, “you know what a horse is.”

Hard TimesHard TimesCharles Dickens, 1854

Ways of Classifying Knowing Ways of Classifying Knowing and Questioningand Questioning

Blooms Taxonomy…Blooms Taxonomy…

KnowledgeKnowledge ComprehensioComprehensionn

ApplicationApplication AnalysisAnalysis SynthesisSynthesis EvaluationEvaluation

Who?Who?

What?What?

Where?Where?

Why?Why?

How many?How many?

When? …When? …

Explain whyExplain why

Give an Give an example ofexample of

What would What would happen if?happen if?

What would What would happen if?happen if?

How could How could you use this you use this

to?to?

What are What are the main the main concepts concepts

here?here?

Which of Which of these these

explains the explains the case best case best and why?and why?

How could you How could you show that?show that?

What evidence What evidence would you need would you need to …?to …?

Design an Design an experiment experiment to…to…

What is What is wrong with wrong with this this explanation?explanation?

Which is the Which is the best answer?best answer?

Adapted from Bloom 1954

Stimulate Create attitude

Reinforce

Control

Arouse

Encourage

Blosser’s Schema*…Blosser’s Schema*…

Questions can be:Questions can be: Closed...limited number of acceptable Closed...limited number of acceptable

responses responses Open...greater number of acceptable Open...greater number of acceptable

responses responses Managerial...facilitate classroom operations Managerial...facilitate classroom operations Rhetorical...re-emphasize, reinforce a point Rhetorical...re-emphasize, reinforce a point

*an excellent resource on questioning in science lessons is on the National Association for Research

in Science Teacher (NARST) web-site.

Other considerations…Other considerations…Don’t be afraid toDon’t be afraid to

Ask Challenging Questions avoid creating a dependence on “simple-answer” questions pique the curiosity of students – especially the more capable

Ask Well-Crafted, Open-Ended Questions make it clear what you are asking – use appropriate vocabulary and grammatical

construction

Ask Uncluttered Questions avoid adding “layers” of sub-questions

Learn to Wait use wait-time!! (link to some UTube examples…)

Presentation Prepare overhead or written version of “essential questions”

In-class task (time In-class task (time permitting)permitting)

Here is a sample of questions that I wrote Here is a sample of questions that I wrote (rather hurriedly) for the Grade 11 Ontario (rather hurriedly) for the Grade 11 Ontario physics text I am currently writing. Quickly physics text I am currently writing. Quickly scan these and assess how many are: scan these and assess how many are:

knowledgeknowledge comprehensiocomprehensionn

analysisanalysis

applicationapplication synthesissynthesis evaluationevaluation