This article is by Patricia O’Connell Killen. It’s from the journal I chose – “Teaching Theology and Religion.” You can find it here
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.mutex.gmu.edu/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9647.2010.00622.x/full
This is a very practical article on all aspects of asking questions in teaching – as well as the importance of doing this better. The author talks about why to do this, how to do this, gives examples and insights into developing our own question strategies.
I especially found the following helpful:
Example of a Questioning Strategy:Assess, Sort, Order, Build. This is a strategy that I use in situations where: (a) students have read an important essay or large amount of material and I want to test their grasp of it; or (b) I want to take the pulse of where the students are in learning the material of a course. I put this chart onto the whiteboard in class (Table 1 see below). Then with students in pairs or triads, I have them go over the material they have read, discussing it in relation to these four categories. After the groups have worked, they fill in the categories on the board. Then we work with it as a whole class to see patterns, points of understanding, confusion, questions, and concerns. I can then help them strengthen their comprehension and analysis and build on their lacunae in terms of knowledge, analysis, and more.
This is what I know from the reading; this is how it is significant; and this is how it fits with the other material
This is what I know but I don’t know why I should know it (i.e., don’t grasp relationships among the parts or significance of the material)
Questions and Confusions
Objections
When I look back over my favorite teachers, one of the things that stands out about them is that they asked really good questions. They got us talking back to the teacher and with one another. They got us thinking at deeper levels. They led us to new questions and new discoveries.
I liked this article. It reminded me that I need to put more thought into why questions are important and how better to use them.
Bass
Bass, I like your method of having small groups consider the material using the questioning strategy. I think conversation and group brainstorming are valuable for students to extend their learning.
I also like the idea of small groups, but would consider groups of three or more rather than just two. From my experience, a lot of times (but not always) two seems to just hit the surface as both feel obligated to say something under pressure that may not lead to the deeper thought. With three or more there is a feeling of more openness and expression of ideas. Even the one who may not contribute at first, may get their thoughts flowing from the other two and eventually contribute more willingly.