The Art of Questioning

I’m a big fan of feedback.

And, let’s get one thing clear – standardized tests should no longer be considered effective forms of feedback, as we’ve come to use them over the years, if they ever were.

Feedback is best used as a learning tool when it’s specific, personal, and inquiry-based.

Today, we focus on inquiry-based feedback, or stated another way, a focus on questioning.

Cheryl Wilson, an educator for 19 years and an assistant principal for instruction in Columbia, South Carolina, recently wrote an article on the importance of questioning for ASCD Online.

Wilson writes,

“Imagine two scenarios:

Scenario A: You’re a student in a post-graduate level course. The professor returns an assignment that you’ve worked on with the words insufficient information and a grade that fails to meet your expected outcome.

[Or}

Scenario B: You’re a student in a post-graduate level course. The professor returns your assignment without a grade but with the following comments and questions: I’m interested in where you’re going with this. Your paper left me fascinated. How different would this work be if you took this approach…? What effect might you have on your audience…? If someone with a different perspective experienced this, would they feel the same? How would you feel listening to this? Have someone read it out loud to you so that you can feel the power of what you’re saying. Let your emotion navigate this material from another direction.”

“Negative statements can create a sense of finality – student A has to spend mental energy drawing conclusions while student B is free to problem solve and create. When feedback is present unconstructively, it can bring learning to a halt.”

“Feedback that propels learning includes questions that allow us to enter into a different headspace. Student B isn’t stuck wondering what the professor is thinking. Instead, they are encouraged to consider how to make their work better meet its potential.”

“Feedback that sparks inquiry – feedback that is structured around open-ended and thought-provoking questions for students to consider – can pique students’ curiosity, encouraging them to explore further. As teachers, our questions should be aimed at optimizing student growth. General statements imply that learning is done; questions open new doors.”

“There is a ‘student A’ sitting in more classrooms than we probably care to imagine – and their capability to respond to inquiry is diminishing. When we frame feedback as negative statements, we detach our students from the processes that learning is contingent upon. In those moments, we allow remnants of an archaic practice – that which centers our perceived authority – to dictate our engagement. By getting rid of our ‘red pens’ and providing interrogative feedback, we can open conversations with students.”

Wilson offers 3 big tips for providing question-based feedback:

1. “Prior to an assignment, frame learning as a process.”
2. “During the assignment, begin with positive feedback and a question.”
3. “After the assignment, provide feedback for how the work can continue to be cultivated.”

Lack of great questioning and more of an inquiry-based focus when it comes to learning is a big reason why traditional schools are failing in their attempt to engaged young learners to authentic and exciting work. Instead, today’s public schools continue to “teach stuff” to students, and then expect those students to regurgitate that “stuff” on some type of test – including high-stakes standardized tests.

It’s no surprise the traditional system struggles with questioning and inquiry-based activity since most colleges of education do not emphasize this type of training for their pre-service teachers.

A big part of the new training program learner-based advocates promote includes how to incorporate questions and inquiry-based practice into the professional practice of adult learning leaders. Creating essential questions and building an inquiry-based learning platform takes time and practice, both for the adult learning leader and their young learner cohort.

Questioning and inquiry-based practice differentiates a personal learning plan from the classroom lesson plan.

Til tomorrow. SVB