To ask, or not to ask: That is the Question

Well, maybe not whether to ask or not, but how we ask questions. Questions are used to provoke thought processes within our students and we must ask them correctly and with purpose if we are to receive thoughtful answers in return. You guessed it, this week in our Ag Ed journey we have been reading, thinking, and questioning about questions.

The type of question we ask should always be thought about: Is this question open-ended, interrogative, rhetorical, high or low level? I've learned that even a question that is rhetorical or a question that initiates lower level thinking can be used effectively. I would assume that only high level questions that involve a lot of analysis to students are ideal. Realistically, the lower level questions can "preheat the oven" and get students started in the thinking process.

As an example, questions that initiate lower level thinking might be: What are the four compartments in a ruminant stomach? or Can you explain the process of digestion? Higher level question examples would include How would you design an ideal greenhouse? or How would you critique this class of market steers?

Bloom's Taxonomy

The second question of my lower level example would require a little more higher level thought, but the first question hits the lowest level of Bloom's Taxonomy in the remembering level. The higher level thinking questions require some basic levels of remembering the components of an ideal greenhouse or market steer, but then requires students to process how they would create or judge a class. It puts the basic knowledge with application and use of their knowledge. To the right are the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy that shows the levels of thinking based on key words like describing, creating, examining, etc. We didn't spend an immense of time this week on Bloom's, but I wanted to include it in my reflection because it will directly relate the word choice in questions to what level thinking I am encouraging in students.

We have many resources on effective questioning at our disposal. I'm learning that the question is critical, but so is how you ask it and how you present the situation. In one resource (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/WC/WC08400.pdf), Dyer presents Goodwin et al. (1992) suggestions on how instructors should react when asking questions. An instructor should reinforce the student response, probe for further information, refocus the question, redirect the question to another student, or rephrase the question for the same student. These stuck out to me because I know that asking clear questions can be a struggle for me and these strategies can help clarify questions in a lesson as well as encourage critical thinking.

As an educator it is my job to ask students clear, purposeful questions. Providing the guiding framework of questions throughout a lesson is essential to encouraging critical thinking within students. It is also my belief that providing this framework consistently in lessons will assist students in developing the critical thinking skills themselves. Over time students will rely less on the questions asked in class and will develop their own mental process to analyze information.