The Art and Science of Questioning An essential skill for effective inquiry teaching and learning

The Making of a Scientist: Richard Feynman

I don't have to know an answer. I don't feel frightened by not knowing things, by being lost in the mysterious universe without having any purpose, which is the way it really is, as far as I can tell, possibly. It doesn't frighten me. -Richard Feynman

The world looks so different after learning science. -Richard Feynman

I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and know something. -Richard Feynman

Why Is Questioning Important? 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. (DATA OBSERVATIONS) to discuss words they use to describe their ideas. (DATA OBSERVATIONS) to extend the range of evidence available to learners (NEXT STEP NEW QUESTIONS) to extend the range of evidence available to learners (NEXT STEP NEW QUESTIONS) to explain their ideas. (HYPOTHESIS AND CONCLUSION) to explain their ideas. (HYPOTHESIS AND CONCLUSION)

Research indicates that questioning is valuable in enabling students to think in different ways and to develop ways of learning. -Dr. Larry Lowery

The art of raising challenging questions is easily as important as the art of giving clear answers. -Jerome Bruner

True dialogue occurs when teachers ask questions to which they do not presume to already know the correct answer. -J. Lemke

Blosser’s Types of Questions Source: Blosser, Patricia E. (2000). How to Ask the Right Questions. Arlington VA: NSTA

Blosser’s Types of Questions OPEN (Divergent) (Divergent) --To pre-assess --To promote discussion or student interaction --To cause students to think in different ways CLOSED (Convergent) (Convergent) -To assess retention of information -To focus thinking on a particular point

Blosser’s Types of Questions RHETORICAL To emphasize a point or reinforce an idea or statement To emphasize a point or reinforce an idea or statementMANAGERIAL To keep the classroom operations moving To keep the classroom operations moving --The crayfish has two pincers, right? --Last week we said that a scientist notebook is a place to do one’s thinking, okay? --Will you turn to page 6, please? --Who needs more time to finish the drawing?

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

Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy is used to plan effective questioning. Cognitive Processes:  Creating  Evaluating  Analyzing  Applying  Understanding  Remembering

About Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy  What is RBT? A classification of different ways of thinking A classification of different ways of thinking Ways of thinking ranked from lower to higher order Ways of thinking ranked from lower to higher order  When was RBT developed? Developed in the 1956 by Benjamin Bloom. For six years in 1990’s Lorin Anderson (former student of Bloom) revisited the taxonomy and made changes. Developed in the 1956 by Benjamin Bloom. For six years in 1990’s Lorin Anderson (former student of Bloom) revisited the taxonomy and made changes.

Original Terms New Terms  Evaluation  Synthesis  Analysis  Application  Comprehension  Knowledge CreatingCreating EvaluatingEvaluating AnalyzingAnalyzing ApplyingApplying UnderstandingUnderstanding RememberingRemembering

What kinds of questions were planned for teachers by the developers of teacher guides?

More Categories of Questions Used in FOSS Science Kits NARROW Confirming Confirming Integrating IntegratingBROAD-BASED Open-Ended Open-Ended Valuing Valuing Feeling Feeling

Try This on Your Own! Classify Questions in a Teachers’ Guide. Try This on Your Own! Classify Questions in a Teachers’ Guide. 1.Write a question or statement that causes students to think. 2.Write one question/statement per sticky. 3.Classify the question/statement. Narrow-ConfirmingNarrow-IntegratingBroad-Open-endedBroad-ValuingBroad-Feeling

Productive Questions Good for Inquiry Science Attention-Focusing Attention-Focusing Comparison Comparison Measuring Measuring Action Action Problem-posing Problem-posing Other: Teacher How and Why Questions

Productive Questions Possible Sequencing of Questions Start with What do you notice? Start with What do you notice? Next, Attention-Focusing and Measuring Next, Attention-Focusing and Measuring Then, Comparing Then, Comparing Finally, Action and Problem-posing Finally, Action and Problem-posing

Responding to Students Wait Time Wait Time Using Positive Reinforcers Using Positive Reinforcers Using Probes Using Probes Adjusting and Re-focusing Adjusting and Re-focusing Rephrasing Rephrasing Responding to Students’ Questions Responding to Students’ Questions

Responding to Students Wait Time Teacher Question Pause (wait time 1) Pause (wait time 1) Student Response Student Response Pause (wait time 2) Pause (wait time 2) Teacher Response Teacher Response Based on Research in 1970’s by Mary Budd Rowe

Responding to Students Wait Time Wait Time I (wait several seconds) Wait Time I (wait several seconds) Wait Time II (allow other learners to respond after a learner responds) Wait Time II (allow other learners to respond after a learner responds)

Responding to Students Using Positive Reinforcers Positively reinforce the student by making positive statements, nodding, smiling, eye contact. Positively reinforce the student by making positive statements, nodding, smiling, eye contact. Superb! You provided excellent reasons! Wow! You really observed carefully! Thanks for sharing your great thinking.

Responding to Students Using Probes If students provide a superficial, incomplete response, use probing questions to cause a student to clarify or extend his or her thinking. Teacher: How does the diver sink and float? Student: The diver sinks because it gets heavy. Teacher: Tell me more. How does the diver get heavy?

Responding to Students Adjusting or Re-focusing If a student provides a response that is irrelevant or out of context, ask questions or make statements to cause students to tie response to the topic. If a student provides a response that is irrelevant or out of context, ask questions or make statements to cause students to tie response to the topic. Teacher: What causes a diver to move? Student: It floats and sinks. Teacher: You’re stating how the diver moves. How does the diver move ?

Responding to Students Adjusting or Re-focusing If a student provides a wrong response, don’t dwell on it. Ask other students to add to the response or provide the right response. What other ideas do you (class) have? or Do you agree or disagree? Explain your thinking.

Responding to Students Rephrasing 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 questions, and/or provide additional information to guide the student to the right answer. Teacher: How does the diver sink when you squeeze the two-liter bottle? Student: No response. Teacher: Sinking means that the force of gravity is greater than the buoyant force acting on the diver. --Think about the change in the water level in the dropper. --How does the water in the dropper change - before and after - you squeeze the bottle? --Is the dropper more dense or less dense when the dropper sinks?

Responding to Students’ Questions Above all, don’t fake it!  If a student asks a question and you don’t know the answer, don’t fake it.  Propose a plan to answer the question. Work with the student(s) to identify resources to answer the question. How could we answer this question? How could we answer this question?  Volunteer to find the answer yourself.

YOUR TURN Plan a wide range of questions for the Inquiry Learning Experience lesson plan. Use Productive Questions.

YOUR TURN 1. Brainstorm possible questions. 2. Make a chart. Categorize Q’s. Attention-Focusing Attention-Focusing Comparison Comparison Measuring Measuring Action Action 3. Sequence the questions.

Example for Cartesian Diver QUESTIONTYPE 1. What do you notice when I squeeze the bottle? ATTENTION- FOCUSSING 2. What do you notice about the dropper? ATTENTION- FOCUSSING 3. What do you notice about the water level in the dropper? ATTENTION- FOCUSSING 4. How does the water level in the dropper compare before I squeeze and after I squeeze? COMPARING 4. How can you cause the dropper to sink? To float? To remain in the middle? ACTION

Inquiry into authentic questions generated from student experiences is the central strategy for teaching science National Science Education Standards

Link to Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards Standard 5: Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Teachers... -Pose questions that encourage students to view, analyze, and interpret ideas from multiple perspectives. (5.2) -Engage students in generating knowledge, testing hypotheses, and exploring methods of inquiry and standards of evidence. (5.4)