International Encyclopedia of Communication Online

Extract

One important aspect of student–teacher classroom interaction involves the process of asking and answering questions. The proficient use of questioning in the classroom is often recognized as a significant tool for managing classroom discourse and motivating student participation in the learning process. Many of the published studies in this area pragmatically advise teachers about the process of designing and executing questioning strategies that enhance student comprehension and recall of course materials. Other studies investigate the efficacy of teacher and student questioning practices. Although there is considerable disagreement regarding the outcomes of, and explanations for, effective classroom questioning, all researchers concur that educational questions are one of the fundamental tools teachers use to promote learning (→  Pedagogy, Communication in ; Classroom Student–Teacher Interaction ; Learning and Communication ). Research on oral questions asked during instruction emphasize the teacher's role in skillfully posing questions to stimulate student learning and the effect of questions on students' cognitive processing and understanding. Another studied area explores the effects of student question-asking/answering practices. At issue in these investigations is whether deliberately planned and implemented questioning can be associated with the integration and synthesis ... log in or subscribe to read full text