3. Questioning Strategy

Questioning is one of the most important dimensions of teaching and learning. It gives tutors the chance to find out what students know and understand, and it allows students to seek clarification and help.

The questioning strategy is classified as basketball questions, no hand questions, conscript and volunteer, hot sitting, preview, big questions, skinny questions, pair rehearsal, and seek a partial answer.

And there are three types of Questioning Strategy:   

Socratic Questions

Socrates was one of the greatest educators who taught by asking questions and thus drawing out answers from his pupils ('ex duco', means to 'lead out', which is the root of 'education').  Sadly, he martyred himself by drinking hemlock rather than compromise his principles. Bold, but not a good survival strategy. But then he lived very frugally and was known for his eccentricity. One of his pupils was Plato, who wrote up much what we know of him.

Here are the six types of questions that Socrates asked his pupils.

1. Conceptual clarification questions

   Get them to think more about what exactly they are asking or thinking about. Prove the concepts behind their argument. Use basic 'tell me more' questions that get them to go deeper.
   
1. Why are you saying that?
2. What exactly does this mean?
3. How does this relate to what we have been talking about?
4. What is the nature of ...?
5. What do we already know about this?
6. Can you give me an example?
7. Are you saying ... or ... ?
8. Can you rephrase that, please?

2. Probing assumptions

   Probing their assumptions makes them think about the presuppositions and unquestioned beliefs on which they are founding their argument. This is shaking the bedrock and should get them really going!
   
1. What else could we assume?
2. You seem to be assuming ... ?
3. How did you choose those assumptions?
4. Please explain why/how ... ?
5. How can you verify or disprove that assumption?
6. What would happen if ... ?
7. Do you agree or disagree with ... ?

3. Probing rationale, reasons and evidence

   When they give a rationale for their arguments, dig into that reasoning rather than assuming it is a given. People often use un-thought-through or weakly-understood supports for their arguments.
   
1. Why is that happening?
2. How do you know this?
3. Show me ... ?
4. Can you give me an example of that?
5. What do you think causes ... ?
6. What is the nature of this?
7. Are these reasons good enough?
8. Would it stand up in court?
9. How might it be refuted?
10. How can I be sure of what you are saying?
11. Why is ... happening?
12. Why? (keep asking it -- you'll never get past a few times)
13. What evidence is there to support what you are saying?
14. On what authority are you basing your argument?

4. Questioning viewpoints and perspectives

   Most arguments are given from a particular position. So attack the position. Show that there are other, equally valid, viewpoints.
   
1. Another way of looking at this is ..., does this seem reasonable?
2. What alternative ways of looking at this are there?
3. Why it is ... necessary?
4. Who benefits from this?
5. What is the difference between... and...?
6. Why is it better than ...?
7. What are the strengths and weaknesses of...?
8. How are ... and ... similar?
9. What would ... say about it?
10. What if you compared ... and ... ?
11. How could you look another way at this?

5. Probe implications and consequences

   The argument that they give may have logical implications that can be forecast. Do these make sense? Are they desirable?
   
1. Then what would happen?
2. What are the consequences of that assumption?
3. How could ... be used to ... ?
4. What are the implications of ... ?
5. How does ... affect ... ?
6. How does ... fit with what we learned before?
7. Why is ... important?

6. Questions about the question

   And you can also get reflexive about the whole thing, turning the question in on itself. Use their attack against themselves. Bounce the ball back into their court, etc.
   
1. What was the point of asking that question?
2. Why do you think I asked this question?
3. Am I making sense? Why not?
4. What else might I ask? 
5. What does that mean?

The overall purpose of Socratic questioning, is to challenge accuracy and completeness of thinking in a way that acts to move people towards their ultimate goal.

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Blooms Taxonomy

There are six levels of thinking in Blooms Taxonomy:

Remembering - Can the student recall or remember the information?

• observation and recall of information
• knowledge of dates, events, places
• knowledge of major ideas
• mastery of subject matter

Question Cues:
define, duplicate, list, memorize, recall, repeat, reproduce, state

Understanding – Can the student explain ideas or concepts?

• understanding information
• grasp meaning
• translate knowledge into new context
• interpret facts, compare, contrast
• order, group, infer causes
• predict consequences

Question Cues:
explain, identify, locate, recognize, report, select, translate, paraphrase

Applying - Can the student use the information in a new way?

• use information
• use methods, concepts, theories in new situations
• solve problems using required skills or knowledge

Questions Cues:
choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write.

Analyzing – Can the student distinguish between the different parts?

• seeing patterns
• organization of parts
• recognition of hidden meanings
• identification of components

Question Cues:
appraise, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test.

Evaluating – Can the student justify a stand or decision?

Creating – Can the student create new product or point of view?

• assess value of theories, presentations
• make choices based on reasoned argument
• verify value of evidence
• recognize subjectivity

Question Cues
appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support, value, evaluate, compare and discriminate between ideas 

Question Cues
assemble, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, write.

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Kipling Questions

What

'What?' often asks for noun responses, seeking things that are or will be. They may also prompt for verbs when they seek actions. 

'What' questions include:

• What are you doing?
• What shall we do next?
• What happened?
• What is stopping you from succeeding?
• What is the most important thing to do now?

Three 'Whats' that may be asked in sequence to solve problems are:

• What are you trying to achieve?
• What is the real problem?
• What is the solution?

Why

Asking 'why' seeks logical connections and shows you to be rational in your thinking. It can also be a good way of creating a pause or distraction in a conversation, as many people make assertive statements but without knowing the real 'why' behind those assertions.

A reversal of 'Why' is to ask 'Why not', which is a wonderful creative challenge for stimulating people to think 'outside the box'.

Why questions include:

• Why did you do that?
• Why did that happen?
• Why is it important for us to try it again?
• Why not give it a try?

 

When

'When' seeks location in time and can imply two different types of time. 'When', first of all, can ask for a specific single time, for example when a person will arrive at a given place or when an action will be completed. 'When' may also seek a duration, a period of time, such as when a person will take a holiday.

• When will you be finished?
• When will you give me the money?
• When are you taking your holiday? (next Summer)

This can be quite effective for diverting attention away from the real question. For example in the first question above, the attention is on 'how often' and 'seeing me' is assumed.

Where

'Where' seeks to locate an action or event in three-dimensional space. 

If something is going to be delivered or done, then asking 'Where' is a very good companion to asking 'When', in order to clarify exactly what delivery will take place.

• Where will you put it?
• Where will they be delivered?

 

Who

The question 'Who' brings people into the frame, connecting them with actions and things. The 'Who' of many situations includes 'stakeholders', who are all the people with an interest in the action. Key people to identify are those who will pay for and receive the benefits of the action. Of course, you also may want to know who is going to do the work and whose neck is on the line -- that is who is ultimately responsible.

• Who is this work for?
• Who will benefit most from what you propose?
• Who else would be interested?

How

'How' seeks verbs of process. They are hence good for probing into deeper detail of what has happened or what will happen.

• How did you achieve that?
• How shall we get there?
• How will you know she likes you?

'How' may also be used with other words to probe into time and quantity.

• How often will you see me?
• How much do you owe him?

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