Questioning
It would be hard to imagine a lecture in which questions were not asked by the teacher; questioning is the integral part of the concept, except in those very large lecture when there is a interaction whatsoever between teacher and student. In the typical nurse education setting, there is usually a degree of interaction, mostly in the form of question and answer and it is made of this mode of teaching. Questioning, one of the oldest and most widely used methods of teaching, has considered the basic to an adequate conception of learning ever since Socrates used it.
Meaning
The question, silent or vocally expressed, is among the first stimuli to the mental life of the child; and it remains thought the life the major mainspring to mental activity.
Functions of questioning
To measure student achievement and skills: the fallowing aspect of this function is most important and should be given consideration by the teacher
To determine to what extent the student has prepared and mastered the essential facts in a class or assignment.
To test the student understands of those facts.
To secure grades for purpose of record
To direct and stimulate thought: The teacher can also direct the student’s
Thinking By questions which requires analysis, comparison, evaluation or critical inquiry. “Why” questions, which require an explanation of principles, help to determine the amount, direction and quality of student thinking.
To ensure the proper organization and interpretation of material and experiences: through the proper use of questions, the teacher can determine whether the student is acquiring the right interpretation and generalization.
To facilitate interpretation and evaluation of information: a wise, critical, inquiring attitude helps the student to function in our complex society. Every activity requires a choosing of issues, a making of decision. By judicious use of question, the teacher can help her students to develop an attitude of critical inquiry.
To discover interests and abilities of student: often, questions can lead to knowledge of special student interests and abilities- information which can be used to provide for individual differences.
To form and develop attitude and appreciation: if questions can stimulate thought, habits and skills, then surely they can be used to develop the affective reaction, such as attitude, ideals and appreciations. In other words, the use of a question can call attention to the right or wrong attitude and ideals, as well as to right and wrong facts and statements.
To obtain individual or class attention: when a class grows restless or tired, often a pointed question will arouse interest and attention.
Prerequisites to successful questioning
In these days emphasis being placed on the ability of the student to evaluate, criticize, compare and generalize. To meet all the aspects of questioning requires personal qualities beyond technical knowledge. Some skills which are considered basic to good questioning are as fallows
Clear and rapid thinking: teacher must have ability, acquired, to think quickly and easily while facing a class, to shift and change as thought progress and to phrase questions clearly.
Skill in judging relative values: this involves the ability to determine the values of a given question and answer as it relates to the attainment of objective set up.
Skill in wording questions: although teacher may possess both the first and second requisites, they become valueless if she does not have third. If they do not state central thought clearly, the student will be able to do no more than guess at the answer.
Self confidence: teacher need to poise and self confidence to use the technique of questioning skillfully, until self confidence is achieved, clarity and rapidity of thought before a class is impossible.
Purposes of questioning
These can be grouped under 4 headings
Social purposes
To promote active involvement of the learner during a lesson
To encourage closer relationship between teacher and learner
To elicit any special interest or experience from the learner, for example “Has any one nursed a patient with this condition?”
Motivational purposes
To develop the learner interest and motivation example “how do you think that this problem might be overcome?”
To provide a change of stimulus during lecture.
Cognitive purposes
To encourage the learner to think at a very higher level of complexity, and in a logical, analytical way.
Assessment purpose
To assess the previous knowledge or skill of a learner
To assess the learners ability to use the higher level of cognitive functioning such as analysis synthesis and evaluation
To provide the teacher with feed back on the learning taking place during the course of a lecture.
Types of question
There are many different ways of classifying questions, none of which is entirely satisfactory because questions depend upon the context in which they are asked.some of those are as fallows
Bloom’s taxonomy classification
Brown and Edmondson’s type of question
Kerry’s classification
Bloom’s taxonomy of classification:
Bloom classified intellectual or cognitive function into a hierarchy of levels of increasing complexity, from simple recall of facts to evaluation and judgment of ideas.
Knowledge: most basic level and questions aimed at this level will ask the students to recall a definition or term,
Comprehension: here require the student to restate the meaning in her own words or to predict consequences or effect
Analysis: requires question to be phrased in such a way as to get the student to break down concept or situation into their component parts
Synthesis: build up a whole from a series of constituent parts.
Evaluation: highest level of intellectual functioning, here questions that ascertain from the student her judgments about the best or most effective arguments or courses of action.
Brown and Edmondson’s classification:
They classified question into two broad categories, first “cognitive” and second “speculative, affective and management”. Cognitive level questions are arranged similar way as Bloom’s with five sub- categories as fallows:
Data recall
Simple deduction from data: comparing, describing, interpreting.
Providing reasons, causes or motives that have not been taught in the lecture
Problem solving
Evaluating
Speculative, affective and management question comprise aspect such as speculation, intuitive guessing, and expression of emotions, class control, attention and checking understanding.
Kerry’s classification
Kerry (1980) has devised a ten item classification of question as fallows:
Data recall question: facts are recalled but not used.
Naming question: things are named.
Observation questions: these are what students observes.
Control questions: part of class room management.
Pseudo questions: the teacher seems to give the impression that he will accept a range of answers, but in reality his mind is made up.
Speculative or hypothesis generating questions: these invite the student to speculate about a hypothetical situation.
Reasoning questions: ask for reasons as to why things occur.
Personal response questions: ask how student feels about an issue.
Discriminatory questions: these look for the points for and against an issue.
Problem solving questions: finding out the things.
The various classification of systems outlined are not exhaustive and there are other types of questions that have been identified. Probing questions encourages the students to develop her first answer and promoting questions give students hints about the direction they might take.
Characteristics of effective question
The criterion of a good question is the extent to which it is adapted to objectives. If unity is to be maintained, each question should lend to the development of the class as a whole and to the development of the class as a whole and to the development of whole unit. In addition to this primary criterion there are 6 other characteristics or qualities that a question must contain if it is to be effective.
Question should be based on sound ideas and purposes: these should be adapted to the particular objective in mind if they are to stimulate growth. For the teacher to ask a question with no definite purpose in mind contributes little to the learning of the student.
Questions should be within the range of the students experience and knowledge: otherwise the student will not understand the questions and will only guess the answer. Or, if the words are completely unfamiliar, student will not even try to understand.
Question should present a challenge: which stimulate an educative response in keeping with the objectives. Questions which require comparison’s evaluation and thinking preferable to the simple recall type.
Question should contain only one idea: a many faced question only confuses the student, who usually answers but one phase and forgets the remainder. Nor this type of question centre attention on a specific value.
Example: please name and locate the endocrine glands of the body and explain the action of each of these glands in some detail.
Questions to be avoided:
Leading questions and those that suggest the answer often require “yes” reply. Example: the nurse should be ethical in her behaviour, shouldn’t she?
Catchy questions should never be used in the classroom.
Most discussion questions are so broad that the student does not know what points to include in the answer. If this type of question is used, the teacher should mention the major points she wishes covered, or else much time will be wasted in rambling.
Questions should be well worded: clearly and concisely, grammatically correct, should not be ambiguous.
Technique of questioning
Technique refers to the way or manner in which the question is carried out. Although the question may be good and the objective around which they are centered equally chosen, the manner of handling the procedure may be such as to nullify the quality of the questions. The fallowing principles are suggested because they are generally accepted by educators and can serve as flexible guides if carefully used.
Address question to the class in general: before designating a individual to respond because it secures the attention of the entire class. This allows entire class first addressed, all form an answer in anticipation of being called on. This enables them to agree or disagree with the response made.
Distribute question as evenly as possible to all students: the timid or unprepared student should not be felt completely alone, nor should the teacher make a point of picking on her. The purpose of questioning is to arouse interest, to draw the students into activity, not only to give student an opportunity to participate but also to share in the responsibly of learning process.
Allow sufficient time for formulation of an answer: this criterion is most violated by all. The student must be given time to think, but not allowed so much time that students mind wanders off for something else.
Ask question in a natural, interested and conversational tone:
The question must be asked in interrogative or inquisitive manner
The question has to be asked to create confidence. If teacher uses an “of-course-you- can- answer- this” attitude will make a attempt to answer and participate in learning activity.
The question should be asked so that neither voice nor form suggests the answer.
Questions, as rule, should not be repeated: repetition invites inattention. Students know that a statement or question will repeated, they don’t bother listening at first time.
Students should be given as much as credit for answering as possible: insist upon accurate, complete and intelligible answer. However if the answer does not meet the high standard, try to the student some credit for the answer.
Organize question around the sequence: which leads to the development of a particular understanding, idea, appreciation and ideal. This fragmentary and unrelated questioning and unifies the work of the course.
Occasionally assign questions to inattentive students: although not a criterion for effective questioning, this is a useful device to arouse students and prevent inattention and thereby avoid discipline problems.
Conclusion:
Questioning is the one of oldest method of teaching learning process. The teacher should sound knowledge, critical thinking power and very careful while questioning which will help him to reach his objective in coordination with student.
Bibliography:
Billing M.D;Halsteed A J,Teaching in nursing 1edition,1998,W B Saunder Company,London,P .268-69,380
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Taneja V. R., “Educational thought and practice,” Sterling Publishers Private limited, 3rd edition, pp. 77-85.
Neeraja K. P., “Textbook of nursing education”, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd, 1st edition , pp. 27-31
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