Week Ten Tech Blog Post - What is the Purpose of a Question?
This week, Terry Heick considers the definition of good questions in the classroom.
First, he sets the definition of the question's purpose and function, identifying two useful categories of question - evaluative and rhetorical. Evaluative questions assess depths of, gaps in, and capacity for transference of knowledge. Rhetorical questions cause thinking during dialog, to cause emotion, and to extend thinking.
Good questions can exist in either of these categories, but must also avoid the qualities of bad questions
Bad questions aren't aligned to learning objectives, distract from the content, or overreaches students' capacity or knowledge. Bad questions halt the class progress by ending inquiry or providing a finish line, and are often worded imprecisely. Bad questions also misreport student ability when students know the material but miss the question, and bad questions inspire neither emotional or intellectual inspiration.
Heick finishes with examples of good vs bad questions, reiterating the values and distinctions of his early definitions.
Overall, Heick determines that good questions cause thinking, produce more questions, clarify understanding, reveals a pathway forward, and causes hope.
As always, Heick's great ideas and urgent concern for best practice is more earnest than it is careful. His intent to categorize questions would improve with research- or evidence-based samples and a more careful elimination of redundancies across his categories and hypothetical examples of good and bad questions.
Mr. Heick is adept at determining critical considerations for teachers, and his website works tirelessly to provide brief considerations and musings on those topics. He remains a useful springboard for teachers seeking a like-minded educational philosopher, ready to do some follow up work in research and implementation.
First, he sets the definition of the question's purpose and function, identifying two useful categories of question - evaluative and rhetorical. Evaluative questions assess depths of, gaps in, and capacity for transference of knowledge. Rhetorical questions cause thinking during dialog, to cause emotion, and to extend thinking.
Good questions can exist in either of these categories, but must also avoid the qualities of bad questions
Bad questions aren't aligned to learning objectives, distract from the content, or overreaches students' capacity or knowledge. Bad questions halt the class progress by ending inquiry or providing a finish line, and are often worded imprecisely. Bad questions also misreport student ability when students know the material but miss the question, and bad questions inspire neither emotional or intellectual inspiration.
Heick finishes with examples of good vs bad questions, reiterating the values and distinctions of his early definitions.
Overall, Heick determines that good questions cause thinking, produce more questions, clarify understanding, reveals a pathway forward, and causes hope.
As always, Heick's great ideas and urgent concern for best practice is more earnest than it is careful. His intent to categorize questions would improve with research- or evidence-based samples and a more careful elimination of redundancies across his categories and hypothetical examples of good and bad questions.
Mr. Heick is adept at determining critical considerations for teachers, and his website works tirelessly to provide brief considerations and musings on those topics. He remains a useful springboard for teachers seeking a like-minded educational philosopher, ready to do some follow up work in research and implementation.
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