The Art and Science of The Art and Science of QuestioningQuestioning

An essential skill for effective An essential skill for effective inquiry teaching and learninginquiry teaching and learning

The Making of a Scientist:The Making of a Scientist:Richard FeynmanRichard Feynman

I don't have to know an answer. I don't have to know an answer. I don't feel frightenedI don't feel frightened

by not knowing things, by not knowing things, by being lost in the mysterious universe by being lost in the mysterious universe

without having any purpose, without having any purpose, which is the way it really is, which is the way it really is, as far as I can tell, possibly. as far as I can tell, possibly.

It doesn't frighten me.It doesn't frighten me.

-Richard Feynman-Richard Feynman

The world looks so The world looks so different after learning different after learning

science.science.

-Richard Feynman-Richard Feynman

I learned very early the I learned very early the difference between difference between

knowing the name of knowing the name of something and know something and know

something.something.-Richard Feynman-Richard Feynman

Why Is Questioning Important?Why Is Questioning Important?Causes learners . . .Causes learners . . . • to think in different ways.to think in different ways.• to test their own ideas. (CLASS FOCUS QUESTION)to test their own ideas. (CLASS FOCUS QUESTION)• to transfer their ideas from one situation to another.to transfer their ideas from one situation to another.• to discuss words they use to describe their ideas. to discuss words they use to describe their ideas.

(DATA OBSERVATIONS)(DATA OBSERVATIONS)• to extend the range of evidence available to learners to extend the range of evidence available to learners

(NEXT STEP NEW QUESTIONS)(NEXT STEP NEW QUESTIONS)• to explain their ideas. (HYPOTHESIS AND to explain their ideas. (HYPOTHESIS AND

CONCLUSION)CONCLUSION)

Research indicates that Research indicates that questioning is valuable questioning is valuable

in enabling students to think in in enabling students to think in different ways and different ways and

to develop ways of learning.to develop ways of learning.

-Dr. Larry Lowery-Dr. Larry Lowery

The art of raising The art of raising challenging questions challenging questions

is easily as important as is easily as important as the art of giving clear answers.the art of giving clear answers.

-Jerome Bruner-Jerome Bruner

True dialogue occurs when True dialogue occurs when teachers ask questions teachers ask questions

to which they do not presume to which they do not presume to already know the correct to already know the correct

answer.answer.

-J. Lemke-J. Lemke

Blosser’s Types of QuestionsBlosser’s Types of Questions

Source:Source:Blosser, Patricia E. (2000). Blosser, Patricia E. (2000). How to Ask the Right Questions. How to Ask the Right Questions.

Arlington VA: NSTAArlington VA: NSTA

Blosser’s Types of QuestionsBlosser’s Types of Questions

OPENOPEN (Divergent)(Divergent)

--To pre-assess --To pre-assess --To promote --To promote discussion or discussion or student interactionstudent interaction--To cause --To cause students to think students to think in different waysin different ways

CLOSEDCLOSED

(Convergent)(Convergent)

-To assess -To assess retention of retention of informationinformation

-To focus -To focus thinking on a thinking on a particular pointparticular point

Blosser’s Types of QuestionsBlosser’s Types of Questions

RHETORICALRHETORICAL To emphasize a To emphasize a

point or reinforce point or reinforce an idea or an idea or statementstatement

MANAGERIALMANAGERIAL

To keep the To keep the classroom classroom operations operations movingmoving

--The crayfish has two --The crayfish has two pincers, right?pincers, right?--Last week we said that a --Last week we said that a scientist notebook is a scientist notebook is a place to do one’s thinking, place to do one’s thinking, okay?okay?

--Will you turn to --Will you turn to page 6, please?page 6, please?--Who needs more --Who needs more time to finish the time to finish the drawing?drawing?

The nature of each question The nature of each question shapes one’s response to it.shapes one’s response to it.

Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy is used to Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy is used to plan effective questioning.plan effective questioning.

Cognitive Processes:Cognitive Processes: CreatingCreating EvaluatingEvaluating AnalyzingAnalyzing ApplyingApplying UnderstandingUnderstanding RememberingRemembering

About Revised Bloom’s TaxonomyAbout Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy

What is RBT?What is RBT? A classification of different ways of thinkingA classification of different ways of thinking Ways of thinking ranked from lower to higher Ways of thinking ranked from lower to higher

orderorder When was RBT developed?When was RBT developed?

Developed in the 1956 by Benjamin Bloom. For six Developed in the 1956 by Benjamin Bloom. For six years in 1990’s Lorin Anderson (former student of years in 1990’s Lorin Anderson (former student of Bloom) revisited the taxonomy and made changes.Bloom) revisited the taxonomy and made changes.

Original Terms New TermsOriginal Terms New Terms

EvaluationEvaluation

SynthesisSynthesis

AnalysisAnalysis

ApplicationApplication

ComprehensionComprehension

KnowledgeKnowledge

•CreatingCreating

•EvaluatingEvaluating

•AnalyzingAnalyzing

•ApplyingApplying

•UnderstandingUnderstanding

•RememberingRemembering

What kinds of questions were What kinds of questions were planned for teachers planned for teachers by the developers of by the developers of

teacher guides?teacher guides?

More Categories of QuestionsMore Categories of QuestionsUsed in FOSS Science KitsUsed in FOSS Science Kits

NARROWNARROW• ConfirmingConfirming• IntegratingIntegrating

BROAD-BASEDBROAD-BASED• Open-EndedOpen-Ended• ValuingValuing• FeelingFeeling

Try This on Your Own! Try This on Your Own! Classify Questions in a Teachers’ Guide.Classify Questions in a Teachers’ Guide.

1.1. Write a question or statement that Write a question or statement that causes students to think. causes students to think.

2.2. Write one question/statement per sticky.Write one question/statement per sticky.

3.3. Classify the question/statement.Classify the question/statement.Narrow-ConfirmingNarrow-Confirming

Narrow-IntegratingNarrow-Integrating

Broad-Open-endedBroad-Open-ended

Broad-ValuingBroad-Valuing

Broad-FeelingBroad-Feeling

Productive QuestionsProductive QuestionsGood for Inquiry ScienceGood for Inquiry Science

• Attention-FocusingAttention-Focusing• ComparisonComparison• MeasuringMeasuring• ActionAction• Problem-posingProblem-posing

OtherOther: : Teacher How and Why QuestionsTeacher How and Why Questions

Productive QuestionsProductive Questions

Possible Sequencing of QuestionsPossible Sequencing of Questions• Start with Start with What do you notice?What do you notice?• Next, Next, Attention-FocusingAttention-Focusing and and MeasuringMeasuring• Then, Then, ComparingComparing• Finally,Finally, Action Action and and Problem-posingProblem-posing

Responding to StudentsResponding to Students

• Wait TimeWait Time• Using Positive Reinforcers Using Positive Reinforcers • Using ProbesUsing Probes• Adjusting and Re-focusingAdjusting and Re-focusing• RephrasingRephrasing• Responding to Students’ QuestionsResponding to Students’ Questions

Responding to StudentsResponding to Students Wait TimeWait Time

Teacher QuestionTeacher Question Pause (wait time 1)Pause (wait time 1) Student Response Student Response Pause (wait time 2)Pause (wait time 2) Teacher ResponseTeacher Response

Based on Research in 1970’s by Mary Budd Rowe

Responding to StudentsResponding to Students Wait TimeWait Time

• Wait Time I (wait several seconds)Wait Time I (wait several seconds)

• Wait Time II (allow other learners to Wait Time II (allow other learners to respond after a learner responds)respond after a learner responds)

Responding to StudentsResponding to StudentsUsing Positive ReinforcersUsing Positive Reinforcers

• Positively reinforce the student by making positive Positively reinforce the student by making positive statements, nodding, smiling, eye contact.statements, nodding, smiling, eye contact.

Superb! You provided excellent reasons!Superb! You provided excellent reasons!

Wow! You really observed carefully!Wow! You really observed carefully!

Thanks for sharing your great thinkingThanks for sharing your great thinking..

Responding to StudentsResponding to StudentsUsing ProbesUsing Probes

If students provide a superficial, incomplete response, If students provide a superficial, incomplete response, use probing questions to cause a student to clarify or use probing questions to cause a student to clarify or extend his or her thinking.extend his or her thinking.

Teacher:Teacher: How does the diver sink and float? How does the diver sink and float?

StudentStudent: The diver sinks because it gets heavy.: The diver sinks because it gets heavy.

TeacherTeacher: Tell me more. How does the diver get : Tell me more. How does the diver get heavy?heavy?

Responding to StudentsResponding to StudentsAdjusting or Re-focusingAdjusting or Re-focusing

• If a student provides a response that is irrelevant or If a student provides a response that is irrelevant or out of context, ask questions or make statements to out of context, ask questions or make statements to cause students to tie response to the topic.cause students to tie response to the topic.

TeacherTeacher: What causes a diver to move?: What causes a diver to move?

StudentStudent: It floats and sinks.: It floats and sinks.

TeacherTeacher: You’re stating how the diver moves. How does the : You’re stating how the diver moves. How does the diver movediver move??

Responding to StudentsResponding to StudentsAdjusting or Re-focusingAdjusting or Re-focusing

If a student provides a wrong response, don’t dwell If a student provides a wrong response, don’t dwell on it. on it.

Ask other students to add to the response or provide Ask other students to add to the response or provide the right response.the right response.

What other ideas do you (class) have?What other ideas do you (class) have?oror

Do you agree or disagree? Explain your thinking.Do you agree or disagree? Explain your thinking.

Responding to StudentsResponding to StudentsRephrasingRephrasing

If a student provides a wrong response or no response, don’t tell the If a student provides a wrong response or no response, don’t tell the student he or she is wrong. Reword the question, ask lower level student he or she is wrong. Reword the question, ask lower level questions, and/or provide additional information to guide the student to questions, and/or provide additional information to guide the student to the right answer.the right answer.

TeacherTeacher: How does the diver sink when you squeeze the two-liter bottle?: How does the diver sink when you squeeze the two-liter bottle?StudentStudent: No response.: No response.TeacherTeacher: Sinking means that the force of gravity is greater than the : Sinking means that the force of gravity is greater than the

buoyant force acting on the diver. buoyant force acting on the diver. --Think about the change in the water level in the dropper. --Think about the change in the water level in the dropper. --How does the water in the dropper change - before and after - you --How does the water in the dropper change - before and after - you

squeeze the bottle?squeeze the bottle?--Is the dropper more dense or less dense when the dropper sinks?--Is the dropper more dense or less dense when the dropper sinks?

Responding to Students’ QuestionsResponding to Students’ QuestionsAbove all, don’t fake it!Above all, don’t fake it!

If a student asks a question and you don’t know If a student asks a question and you don’t know the answer, the answer, don’t fake it.don’t fake it.

Propose a plan to answer the question. Work Propose a plan to answer the question. Work with the student(s) to identify resources to with the student(s) to identify resources to answer the question.answer the question. How could we answer this question?How could we answer this question?

Volunteer to find the answer yourself.Volunteer to find the answer yourself.

YOUR TURNYOUR TURN

Plan a wide range of questions for Plan a wide range of questions for the the Inquiry Learning Experience Inquiry Learning Experience

lesson plan.lesson plan.

Use Productive Questions.Use Productive Questions.

YOUR TURNYOUR TURN1. Brainstorm possible questions.1. Brainstorm possible questions.2. Make a chart. Categorize Q’s. 2. Make a chart. Categorize Q’s.

• Attention-FocusingAttention-Focusing• ComparisonComparison• MeasuringMeasuring• ActionAction

3. Sequence the questions.3. Sequence the questions.

Example for Cartesian DiverExample for Cartesian Diver

QUESTIONQUESTION TYPETYPE

1. What do you notice when I squeeze the 1. What do you notice when I squeeze the bottle?bottle?

ATTENTION-ATTENTION-FOCUSSINGFOCUSSING

2. What do you notice about the dropper?2. What do you notice about the dropper? ATTENTION-ATTENTION-FOCUSSINGFOCUSSING

3. What do you notice about the water level 3. What do you notice about the water level in the dropper?in the dropper?

ATTENTION-ATTENTION-FOCUSSINGFOCUSSING

4. How does the water level in the dropper 4. How does the water level in the dropper compare before I squeeze and after I compare before I squeeze and after I squeeze?squeeze?

COMPARINGCOMPARING

4. How can you cause the dropper to sink? 4. How can you cause the dropper to sink? To float? To remain in the middle?To float? To remain in the middle?

ACTIONACTION

Inquiry into authentic questions Inquiry into authentic questions generated from student experiences is generated from student experiences is

the central strategy for teaching the central strategy for teaching sciencescience

National Science Education Standards http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/3.http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/3.htmlhtml

Link to Link to Rhode Island Beginning Rhode Island Beginning Teacher StandardsTeacher Standards

Standard 5: Standard 5: Critical Thinking and Problem-SolvingCritical Thinking and Problem-SolvingTeachers . . .Teachers . . .

-Pose questions that encourage students to -Pose questions that encourage students to view, analyze, and interpret ideas from multiple view, analyze, and interpret ideas from multiple perspectives. (5.2)perspectives. (5.2)-Engage students in generating knowledge, -Engage students in generating knowledge, testing hypotheses, and exploring methods of testing hypotheses, and exploring methods of inquiryinquiry and standards of evidence. (5.4) and standards of evidence. (5.4)