No response to "Are there any questions?"
How do you suggest we go about soliciting questions when we get no response to "Are there any questions?"
Hi Karla, Thanks for your post to the forum. I like to have students come into class each day with at least one question that they have written down, based on their homework/reading. I will also have several "canned" questions that I have been asked previously in other classes and will throw them out to the students. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I think you first have to examine when and why you are asking them for questions. Are you trying to draw them out, or as so many of us do at the end of a lecture set, we feel obligated to ask this question but don't really put much into it. I think you should allow plenty of time for a Q/A section when a large amount of new information was introduced and draw them out specifically. Ask them the first questions to get the ball rolling then let them take over. I build questions into my Power Points as each topic is covered to help this process along. We can then review and discuss as a group.
Hi Angela, I think that building questions into Power Points is a great idea! Susan
Susan Polick
What I do is usally when I prepare my lecture I create questions that will make them think outside the box or drop hints durning lecture to see how many can recall the infromation. I will also do recaps from the previous lecture before we go into a new lecture.
Hi Danielle, Thanks for sharing some great teaching techniques!
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I often share examples of real life experiences during my lectures, and then ask my students to share their own experiences. Based on the comments, we are able to create questions to ask within the group.
Hi Tina, Asking student questions that will allow them to relate their own experiences relevant to the topic is almost always a discussion starter! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
If the class doesn't look confused, the material wasn't particularly complex, and no one has any questions, the best response is to remind the class that you will be available after class or during a break to answer any questions that might occur to anyone.
If you get the impression that there should be questions, or the material was difficult or fundamentally important, and there are no questions, then begin asking questions of the class. Students often don't know they have a question until they actually try to apply the material to solve a problem. So, for example, if you explained the concept of a thesis to a class and no one had any questions, you could proceed by writing sample sentences on the board while asking whether each one is a proper thesis statement. Alternatively, you could plan a brief review activity to complete after each lecture, and schedule your question-and-answer sessions for after each of the review activities.
HI Edward, Thanks for sharing some very good points. When we ask "Are there any questions?" and get none, as you state, that is not usually the end of the game. Susan
Susan Polick
I will have the students preview the material that will be covered in class the day before. They must come up with one question that they will then ask during class. They this goes toward their participation grade.
usually during the lesson, i have to ask them "are there any question" espically first couple of times, till i know who ask the good questions and who is trying to waste the time.
then who ask right questions, i will discuss with them if they need more info
Hi Kenny, I also like to ask students to prepare questions in advance it makes them much more confident if they are prepared.
Susan
Susan Polick
I have found that early in the semester, after everyone has settled in and knows each other, when you ask if there are questions a couple of times and get no response, tell them since there are no questions here are quiz questions. After a the second or third time they get the message that you want their input. In the mean time the quizes provide input as to their comprehension. I use this only after attempting other methods of getting a discussion going.
On the first day of class, I ask my students to volunteer to test a component that they were taught in previous classes. Usually several students are willing to go for it.
If they do it correctly, I set up groups and let the peers teach them. This seems to work better for the ones that are afraid to admit they don't know.
And at that point, I pretty much know who will be the team leaders in Lab.
usually when a class has no questions it may be that they are too confused with the information. most times their facial expressions give them out. then i try to deliver the info in a different way. this underlines the importance of being able to connect and read the students.
Hi Allen, Thanks for your post to the forum. Thanks for sharing a great strategy! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
Hi Gbolahan, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, being able to "read" facial expressions is really useful. For instructors like myself who primarily teach online, we do not have that advantage! Adjusting to better get information across is vital.Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
Building questions and discussion points into your ppt is an excellent idea. I will definitely use this as a way to Len discussion as well as check in on the students comprehension of the material
When I have gone through difficult, new work and still get no questions, I open the question session with questions to the class. Most times I find that students sometimes don't know how to ask questions of new subject matter. If I still don't get much feedback from them, then I inform them that I will be in class later to answer any questions which they " might remember" - I usually get some shy students come forward.
