The Science and Art of Questioning

The Science and Art of Questioning

THE SCIENCE AND ART OF QUESTIONING

What role does questioning play in enriching learning?

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The science of questioning—crafting stimulating questions—is the spinal column of discussion. The art of questioning—how questions and responses are facilitated—is the spinal cord of discussion. One gives structure to the discussion; the other movement and life to the discussion.

THE SCIENCE

Before we can craft our questions, we must know what we want to have happen. What result do we want from the discussion? The answer to that question drives the discussion questions we design.

TYPES OF QUESTIONS

Learning experts have dissected questions into many types. For our Girl Scout experience, let’s select those that fit our needs.

Broadly speaking, there are closed-ended and open-ended questions.

Closed-ended have a one- or two-word answer. They can powerfully set direction or make commitment, for example:

·  Will you help girls develop courage, confidence, and character to make the world a better place?

·  Do you believe in the Girl Scout Promise?

A facilitator who follows with “How?” or “Why?” or “Tell me more” will add power to the direction or commitment.

However, closed-ended questions can also become shallow default questions, for example:

·  Does that make sense?

·  Do you all agree?

When a facilitator asks such a question to a group and one or two nod their heads, the facilitator may make a false assumption that everyone in the group understands. Learning may go amiss without any value added. Future discussion may shut down.

Open-ended questions leave room for extended discussion, exploration, and sharing of thoughts and experiences. Let’s divide the open-ended questions into factual, cognitive, value, application, and evaluation. As we look at the following examples, keep in mind that some questions may fall into more than one type. Rather than getting stuck in strict categorization of the types of questions, look at what the question will do for your participants and the discussion.

Factual: Questions whose answers are based on fact and usually have definite right or wrong answers, for example:

·  When did Juliette Low hold the first Girl Scout meeting?

·  How do you set up a Girl Scout bank account?

·  What is required for membership in Girl Scouts?

Write a few factual questions of your own.

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Cognitive: Questions that demand more thinking, analyzing, comparing, contrasting, and exploring possibilities than factual questions and have a multitude of right answers, for example:

·  Why do girls need what Girl Scouting can offer? (analyzing)

·  How is Girl Scouting the same from one grade level to another? (comparing)

·  What is the difference between training and facilitating? (contrasting)

·  How do you envision a girl of courage, confidence, and character? (visioning)

·  How can Girl Scouts improve their image? (exploring possibilities)

·  If there were no limits, what would be your dream for Girl Scouting? (creative thinking)

·  How would you summarize our discussion? (synthesizing)

·  What do we need for a successful event? (visioning, organizing, planning)

Write a few cognitive questions of your own.

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Value: Questions whose answers are based on personal preference or opinion or values, and which we should respect for the contributor’s sincerity, ownership, and sometimes risk-taking to share, for example:

·  What does the Girl Scout Promise mean to you?

·  Why are you volunteering in Girl Scouts?

·  What value do you place on diversity?

Write a few value questions of your own.

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Application: Questions that move from concept to application, for example:

·  How can you incorporate the Girl Scout Leadership Experience into your current program?

·  How can you help girls live the Girl Scout Promise?

·  What will you do to improve your facilitation of questioning and ensuing discussion?

Write a few application questions of your own.

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Evaluation: Questions that evaluate activities or behavior with the expressed or unexpressed purpose of making improvements, for example:

·  What could we have changed in this learning experience to better meet the needs of our participants?

·  How have girls demonstrated that they have discovered more of who they are and who they can become?

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of question?

Type / Advantages / Disadvantages
Closed-ended
Factual
Cognitive
Value
Application
Evaluation

Facilitators need to determine what they want to have happen as a result of a discussion. Then, they need to carefully craft a variety of types of questions to obtain that result. This does not mean asking thought-provoking value, cognitive, application or evaluation questions with a specific “right” answer in mind. This means asking questions that will stimulate thinking and setting an atmosphere that will encourage participants to discuss with each other and, ultimately, change their behavior as a result of the insights they gain from the discussion.

GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

Review the Girl Scout Leadership Experience in Transforming Leadership.

If you were facilitating a discussion about the Girl Scout Leadership Experience with new troop volunteers, what would you want to have happen?

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Develop a variety of questions you would ask. Design them to flow toward your desired result.

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Evaluate your questions.

·  Are they clear and concise?

·  Are they appropriate to the experience level of the participants?

·  What degree of thinking will they stimulate?

·  How much interactive discussion will they generate?

·  How will they achieve the desired result?

·  How will the participants apply the discussion to their Girl Scout volunteerism?

·  How will you facilitate the discussion that the questions will generate?

THE ART

Well crafted questions deserve to be facilitated to their full advantage.

What are some of the behaviors that you appreciate or admire when a facilitator is asking questions and leading a discussion?

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What are some of the behaviors that bother you when a facilitator is asking questions and leading a discussion?

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What are some “dos” and “don’ts” that are important to you when someone facilitates each type of question?

Type / Dos / Don’ts
Closed-ended
Factual
Cognitive
Value
Application
Evaluation

In addition to the specific “dos” and don’ts” you have generated, here are some general “dos” and “don’ts”.

·  Always think through and project how the discussion might go. Prepare yourself for the unexpected.

·  Unless you are asking a factual question that truly has only one right answer, resist the temptation to acknowledge the first response as “the” right answer or to “fish” for a right answer or to cut off the discussion with one response.

·  Be aware of “default” closed-ended questions—using a closed-ended question because it is easy to ask and seems to roll off our tongues without much thought. Use closed-ended questions to their advantage.

·  Become comfortable asking follow-up questions that might add to the discussion. Learn to craft stimulating questions on the spot.

·  Allow plenty of time for participants to respond. It may seem like an eternity to you, but if you have asked an appropriate question that is not too simple, nor too difficult, participants will answer.

·  Acknowledge the participant and her/his contribution.

·  Watch for appropriate opportunities between participants, rather than always between participant and facilitator.

Observe the questions that are asked by teachers, trainers, facilitators, even casual conversationalists. Observe how they treat the people they are questioning and how they encourage more discussion. Note what you want to emulate and what you want to avoid.

What skills in your questioning do you want to improve?

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How will you improve those skills?

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