Teaching Thinking Through Effective Questioning

Chad Vosburg

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited.”(Plutarch)

What is Higher-Order What is Higher-Order Thinking?Thinking?

• Transformation of information and ideas• Synthesise• Generalize• Explain • Hypothesise or arrive at a conclusion. • Students engage in construction of knowledge

What is Higher-Order What is Higher-Order Thinking?Thinking?

• Students are producers of knowledge• Teacher is creator of activities• Creator of environments• Provide opportunities to engage in higher-order

thinking.

Good Science Questions Help Students:

• Make sense of concept• Provide open-ended opportunities • Unravel misconceptions• Encourage students to make connections • Accessible to all students • Lead students to wonder more about a topic

What You Ask . .Is What You Get!

1. Good questions basis for lesson2. Plan questions in advance

How To Create Good How To Create Good QuestionsQuestions

Method 1 - Working Backward

Step 1: Identify a topic or lessonStep 2: Think of a closed question and answerStep 3: Create question that address answer

Method 1- ExampleStep 1: Topic Precipitation in Maryland

Step 2: Closed question: The average rainfall in 5 counties in Maryland are 27cm, 39cm, 45cm, 51cm, 33cm. What is their average rainfall? (39mc)

Step 3: Good Question: Rainfall was averaged in 5 Maryland counties. The average is 39cm. How old much rainfall could each county receive?

Method 2-Adapting a Standard Method 2-Adapting a Standard

QuestionQuestion

Step 1: Identify a topicStep 2: Think of a standard questionStep 3: Adapt it to make a good question

Method 2-ExampleStep 1: Measuring length using nonstandard units.Step 2: Typical Question:

“What is your height measured in hands ?” Step 3: Good Question: “ Can you find an object that is three hand spans

long?”

Teacher’s Responsibilities1. Master content in the question2. Present question clearly3. Allow for individual approaches, methods, answers4. Use concrete materials5. Allow time for discovery 6. Allow time for consolidation of answers

“A good teacher makes you think even when you don’t want to.”

(Fisher, 1998, Teaching Thinking)

Dive Deeper into Thinking Remembering

Understanding

Applying

Analyzing

Evaluating

Creating

ReferencesFisher, R. (1998). Teaching thinking. London: Cassell.