Hello colleagues, How many questions do you think preschoolers ask each day? How about middle school students? What percentage of college graduates believe they have honed the skill of asking important questions? Check out this blog post to find the answers to these questions.
Researchers at the Right Question Institute (RQI) believe that learning to ask questions is a " ... a life skill that people can use to engage in deep learning and participate more effectively in decisions that affect them. By developing this skill, students can hone new democratic habits of mind." In fact, "[r]esearch suggests that questioning can support metacognitive learning, enhance memory recall, build literacy skills and strengthen interpersonal skills and empathy."
RQI has designed an instructional process for supporting learners of all ages to ask the questions that spark curiosity and lead to in depth learning. Part of the process involves helping learners to understand the difference between open and closed questions. Check out the brief video on this page to see the question-generation process in action.
What are your thoughts about the potential of fostering learners' questions to drive learning? Do you have examples from your practice to share with us here?
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, Teaching & Learning CoP