Designing Quality Questions
One of the most important factors to a successful online discussion is to have a clear purpose and intent for the forum.Students have to feel a connection to the topic and a connection to their peers to facilitate quality discussions. Topics must be relevant, open-ended, and clearly relate to outcomes.
Teachers must ensure that the discussion is purposeful and engaging. Essay answers will not generate discussion. Questions should aim to:
- Excite curiousity
- Encourage higher level thinking including analysis, synthesis, evaluation and creation
- Challenge thoughts
- Inspire application of knowledge to new situations
- Draw on personal experience and perspective
- Foster collaboration
- Build community
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Teachers must ensure that the discussion is purposeful and engaging. Essay answers will not generate discussion. Questions should aim to:
- Excite curiousity
- Encourage higher level thinking including analysis, synthesis, evaluation and creation
- Challenge thoughts
- Inspire application of knowledge to new situations
- Draw on personal experience and perspective
- Foster collaboration
- Build community
NEXT PAGE
Image Source: "Why" by Sylvain Masson on Flickr with Creative Commons Licence