1. How to Ask Online Discussion Questions

2. How To Ask Online Discussion Questions Learning Objectives Upon completion of this lesson you will be able to: o Identify the benefits of structured discussion questions o List examples of various types of questions o Identify strategies to assist in preparing questions Prerequisite Knowledge You are expected to have had: o Exposure to online learning o Exposure to quality writing techniques Estimated Time This lesson will take approximately 30 minutes to complete

3. 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 responses o Improved participation and accountability (everyone has an opportunity to participate and be heard) o An easily accessible record of the discussion thought process

4. Types of Questions Well 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 ideas Enhancing the focus of ideas o Extending patterns of thought 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.

5. 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. ExploratoryChallenge RelationalHypothetical Cause-and-Effect Summary and Synthesis EvaluationThought Provoking Click to Proceed through slideshow

6. Exploratory Encourage 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.

7. 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.

8. Relational Prompt 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.

9. Hypothetical Ask 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 ContBack To Types Of Questions Cont.

10. Cause-and-Effect Provoke 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?” Back To Types Of Questions Cont.

11. Summary and Synthesis Invite 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.

12. 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 ContBack To Types Of Questions Cont.

13. 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.

14. 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

15. Deepening discussions, or extending patterns of thought, can be done by: o Questioning assumptions o Exploring opinions o Trying to understand another’s perspective Back To Types Of Questions

16. Discussion Strategies In 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 Click to proceed through slideshow

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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 stated Try to post brief, to-the-point questions Expect diverse responses when working with diverse groups of learners Humor and sarcasm often are mistaken online, try to avoid them!

21. Conclusion In this lesson you have learned about: Various benefits of composing structured discussion questions Various types of questions Various strategies used to assist you in preparing questions You are now ready to use what you have learned to compose quality, engaging questions.

22. Credits Author: Lara Brown This learning object was created for course ADLDSP 767 Program Planning & Implementation. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Instructor: Simone Conceicao Copyright © 2005