If we ask a question, we do not merely expect that they can answer our question properly. In a global era now, students are easy to find the correct answer.Browsing information from internet will enable them to answer that question.
But, the most important thing is how to help our students to locate the sources of required information, how to select the valid and appropriate information, how to classify and arrange the information into the best arrangement, and thinking critically and creatively to come up with better ideas.
Therefore, in my opinion, there is a need, in the teacher side, a skill on how to follow students' contribution to our answer to help them growing and developing their thinking skills.
Is there theory or research results showing us on how to follow up students' responses or students' contributions?
(1) If a professor asks a question and students can answer, it means either the question is easy or the professor had done a good job in transferring knowledge to students.
(2) If the professor asks a question and students cannot answer, it may either mean that the professor did not do a good job in teaching, or the question is hard but could be answered with some searching. The fact that students went out and search for it in the Internet and found the answer says something about the students' ability in going to the right source of information.
(3) If a professor asks a question, and neither the professor himself nor students can answer, it means that both professor and students need to expand their inventory of knowledge. This case is more interesting. This is a case for Research-Base Learning Method. Students should have research project each semester and the professor closely supervises the research in addition to normal in-class lecture, discussion, etc. Students will emerge from the process as critical thinkers.
TEACHING CULTURE: Each classroom is a world of its own. It is the job of the professor to set the tone and culture for the course. If the objective is to train students to become thinkers and innovators, the professor must set the his teaching culture int he classroom to achieve it. This requires (i) the professor; (ii) students; (iii) course materials; (iv) resources availability, i.e. library, internet access, etc. to be ready and move in the same direction.
Thank you very much Paul,
I believe that Research-Based Learning is very good for improving students thinking, especially at university level.
I am teaching my students to become mathematics teacher at junior secondary or at senior secondary. I want to help these students to learn on how to improve their students' mathematical thinking ability. I want to help them knowing how to follow up any students' contribution appropriately in order to help the students develop their thinking skills.
Based on my experiences, INSERTING new ideas to their contribution, and asking back to incorporate these new ideas to their existing ideas is very attractive. The students are encouraged to reflect their previous ideas, comparing and contrasting, and finally come-up with better ideas. They experiences good mathematical thinking.
However, there is a danger with this activity. Some of my students are getting unwilling to participate. They are not happy if the teacher inserting new ideas and make them to rethinking their ideas. They are happier if the teacher just accept the contribution and rewarding it. They prefer their teacher responds to their contribution, by saying, for example, "Good. I like it. You are correct"
Therefore, if there are some ideas on how to follow up students' contribution appropriately, I will be very happy to learn it.
Best regards,
Feedback seems to me to be a way in which one can follow up to students responses or contributions. Your question makes me think of the article "the Power of Feedback" from Hattie & Timperley (2007).
They differetiate between feedback on:
- the person
- the task
- the proces of learning
- the self-regulation
and between three levels of feedback:
- feeback
- feedforward
- feed-up.
I find their insight helpfull and they investigated the conditions with which all those types can be effective for learning. May be it can be helpful for you to find which types of feedback can be powerful in the types of learning conditions that you are involved in.
I believe in Rubrics. That way you are fair when scoring and of course your petition to students has a goal, so the rubric should measure the degree in which they have achieved the goal. A rubric should be shared with students from the beginning so that they know what will be scored. We teachers are subjective as much as we try not to. Also, the rubric allows for feedback and even formative assessment before reaching due date, when they should have made all the corrections suggested. You can of course include prior knowledge and give them the chance to suggest further work.
Dear Abdur please see my profile. You should find some interesting papers. Also I would suggest to see two articles specifically:
Pellas, N. (2014). The influence of computer self-efficacy, metacognitive self-regulation and self-esteem on student engagement in online learning programs: Evidence from the virtual world of Second Life. Computers in Human Behavior, 35(1), 157-170.
Pellas, N. & Kazanidis, I. (2014). Online and hybrid university-level courses with the utilization of Second Life: Investigating the factors that predict student choice in Second Life supported online and hybrid university-level courses. Computers in Human Behavior, 40(2), 31-43.
With kind regards
NP
I would like to contribute to this question with this short thinking:
At 19th century, teachers used to tell students questions… and their answers. So, the whole task –for students- was to be able of reproducing the answers, as literal as possible.
At 20th century, we learnt some things. As for example that the students had to “build” the answers, their answers. However, they had frequently to match with teacher’s answers.
At 21st century I think that the answers are not the key of learning. Now, students have to be able of “building” (recognizing, choosing…) the questions, the right, pertinent, relevant questions.
So, as educators we have to teach our students to produce questions, no to answer them.
(Of course, students continue to have to build answers or to have knowledge basis that will help them in this task).
You can see this explained in Spanish in:
Bartolomé , A. (2014). Teaching with media at 21st. century. XVII Edutec. Córdoba. Spain.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268744127_Educar_con_tecnologas_en_el_siglo_XXI_Teaching_with_media_at_21st._century
or at Basile blog:
http://basiletic.blogspot.com.es/2014/08/preguntas-y-respuestas-en-el-siglo-xxi.html
http://basiletic.blogspot.com.es/2014/09/lo-importante-no-son-las-preguntas.html
Conference Paper Educar con tecnologías en el siglo XXI Teaching with media a...
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