Classroom example: rich questions

Over the next few steps we explore simple and easy to implement ways we can use questions to improve the quality of the evidence we collect. These simple approaches if used well can increase the quality of our in class assessments and help us respond more effectively. Questioning is a key tool in formative classrooms and we go into much greater depth regarding effective practice with exemplification of the different purposes of questioning in our accompanying Introducing Assessment for Learning course.

Rich questions

Black and Harrison (2004) describe a rich question as “one that cannot be answered immediately, but requires the learner to work on a series of smaller questions or activities before they return to have an attempt at answering it.”Rich questioning encourages reflection on experience, and challenges learners’ beliefs and attitudes about the subject, about themselves, and about learning. They support students in expressing and discussing their thinking, thus enabling teachers to explore issues that are critical to the development of students’ understanding.

Create

Your task here is to create a rich question. Post your rich question in the comments below.

After you have posted, take a look at one or two other questions. Reply with constructive feedback on whether the question can be changed to develop opportunities for learning. You can use one of the examples pinned to the top of the discussion if you prefer.