Higher Order Thinking Skills- Quescussion
"Quescussion" is a strategy invented by Paul Bidwell in the University of Saskatchewan English Department. The Quescussion strategy represents a shift from making statements to starting to wonder and ask questions. The participants make points as in a normal discussion, but the use of statements is forbidden. Follow these instructions to try the Quescussion strategy:
- Provide a trigger (such as a poem, topic or theme). The trigger might be a problem to be solved, a provocative question or statement, some text or a key word, a video clip, a multimedia presentation, or a website to be analyzed or discussed.
- Have students participate in a discussion that only contains questions.
- Have participants yell “Statement” or make a sound if anyone makes a statement rather than asking a question). Note: This is monitored by the class.
- Do not raise your hand.
- Open-ended questions are preferred to closed questions. “What?”, “Why?” “How?” rather than “Is it true that...?”
- Try to ask questions about feeling as well as facts, try to ask simple knowledge questions as well as sophisticated questions.
- Humor is encouraged, sarcasm is discouraged.
- A question does not have to be directly related to the previous question.
Note: This strategy prompts students to reflect on a topic and then extend their thinking by generating follow-up questions. For example, Trigger = Hamlet. This is followed by discussion, “Who is Hamlet?”, and, “Why is Hamlet in the play?”
 |
Quote from Website: "Quescussion, as the name indicates, is a type of discussion that is conducted entirely in the form of questions (think Alex Trebek). The professor asks a question or makes a statement to the class (this question should be projected on the screen)." |
 |
This video highlights the fundamentals of an inquiry-based questioning strategy called Quescussion.
|
After exploring the strategy, consider and discuss the following questions using social media with
#HEATFramework or posting your response by clicking on
Reply below:
- What guidelines must you consider when using Quescussion with your students?
- How could you utilize Quescussion in your classroom?
- What challenges would you face in utilizing Quescussion?
- Do you have other resources or ideas you would suggest for educators exploring ways of fostering student-generated questions?
#HEATFramework
|
 |
|
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTriggers could be a useful strategy for working with science students, especially lower level students. Using a demo, or a global problem, or a scenario that provokes a solution to a problem in which there is a theme attached seems like it would encourage more student participation. Students would also be more likely to exhibit higher level of thinking, especially in group settings. Open ended questions would be better suited for this type of learning strategy.
ReplyDeletegreat way to engage students is to ask a questions and let the collaborate with each other to find the best possible explanation.I like the idea of all class discussions because students can learn from each other and correct misunderstandings of each other to create deeper and longlasting knowledge
ReplyDeleteI feel that providing a trigger is a great way to activate a lesson. It can make the lesson authentic which will naturally increase engagement.
DeleteI really like this idea of playing the "question game". I think it will definitely engage at least 80% of the students in a diagnostic assessment at the beginning of a unit. It sounds like a great idea for students to generate their own questions. It definitely hits the higher order thinking and engaged learning portions of HEAT.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest challenges to starting a lesson is getting the students engaged in the lesson. A great way to get them started is providing a "trigger" that gets them thinking about what they already know on the subject matter. They then can share the information out in a brief discussion as a class, which gets the students engaged in the subject matter as well as allowing the teacher to see what the students already know and can use that information in forming their future lesson activities. I also find that linking the subjects to real life also helps with engaging the students because it is more meaningful to them personally.
ReplyDeleteTeaching students to ask questions is a difficult concept for them to grasp at the special education level. Using a video, or presenting them with a scenario to draw from would be helpful. Teachers would need to continuously ask the students questions to build their thinking level.
ReplyDeleteTo use quescussion strategy the teacher would have already had to create a safe, comfortable learning environment to get the results he/she is looking for. A challenge with this strategy would be if the students were not comfortable with each other and did have good relationships with each other. This could cause the discussion to not be as thought provoking at it should or not all of the students would participate. I believe that the teacher would have to do a lot of modeling for this to work.
ReplyDeleteIt does take trust and comfort to make this strategy work well. I consider this as an activity to use once the students and I have spent some time together, making it far more meaningful.
DeleteNot having students raise their hands is an interesting approach. It keeps all students accountable. I do often follow-up with "why" questions. I have had students tell me that they get frustrated because they know I won't just let them answer with a fact, but that I make them explain their thinking. I think this frustration is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis seems like a good way to introduce new topics in Algebra. I think I could use it when introducing a new type of equation and letting the students ask questions about how to solve it, for example radical equations.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar thought about how to use this in Algebra 2 when introducing transformations on radical or logarithmic functions. They can ask questions about shifts and such, while making connections to previously learned content.
DeleteI think this technique is an interesting way to have students generate questions. Ideally we could use their “forced” questions as a springboard to generate questions that they actually have about the content (but may otherwise be afraid to ask). Forcing everyone to ask questions should reduce the anxiety that some students may feel if they are the only person asking a question.
ReplyDeleteWhat challenges would you face in utilizing Quescussion?
ReplyDeleteDeveloping good Why and How questions that encourage student involvement without making the questions too hard. Also I use too much sarcasm in my discussions....
Asking questions automatically raises the level of rigor within the lesson. Using a quescussion approach switches the focus from a teacher-lead lesson and puts the responsibility on the students to guide the lesson. It also requires all students to be engaged and aware when students pose their response as a statement as opposed to a question.
ReplyDeletei think using this technique would encourage more students to be engaged and participate in the lesson and take change the focus from teacher led to student led.
ReplyDeleteI really like this idea of the questioning game. I think this would be a great way to engage the students. I could use this game at the end of a lesson. One requirement would be for each student to say at least one question during the game. This would also guide me in creating the lesson for the next day to meet each student’s needs. This is also a great way to make the students feel more comfortable with asking questions during lesson.
ReplyDeleteI could use this technique as part of a unit review to see what they remember. The topics that they bring up the most, those would be the ones that I put on the backburner during the review, because they are the ones that they feel most confident about and the ones that aren't mentioned or are hardly mentioned, I would concentrate more on.
ReplyDeleteI see the questioning game as a great technique - it would allow students who don't normally participate to jump in and build confidence!
ReplyDeleteI think that this strategy can be used in art as a way to teach art criticism. When analyzing an artwork, students can generate questions about the artwork on their own based on only what they see, and the teacher can facilitate the discussion by asking questions like: What do you see? What style of art is this work in? What medium did the artist use? How does the artist convey meaning?
ReplyDeleteThese questions can then be used to gain understanding about meaning in an artwork and cultivate learning through inquiry.
Dominique
Looking through the different techniques I found the Quescussion activity to be one I could use in my own Social Studies classroom. When looking at the authentic learning and higher order thinking parts of HEAT I think this technique would be huge in the classroom and allow my students to think differently about how they ask and then eventually answer questions. This technique would be interesting in place of a class discussion because students would have to come up with a question instead of their opinion to try and get information across to their classmates. Also many of my students can sometimes be reluctant to participate. This technique allows the students who are more shy an opportunity to come up with a question instead of just a statement they feel they have to defend.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of the questioning technique. I think this would be a great way to possibly review for a test or quiz. It is sometimes a challenge to get our kids to take a deeper look into topics. I believe these suggestions could be helpful
ReplyDeleteThis is a great way for studio art classes to form critiques, especially in the entry level studio art class where students are timid. Teaching students to defend and discuss their art, the process and and speak to a small group are life skills that will carry over into many areas of their life.
ReplyDeleteKelly
I like the question game as a way to conduct a discussion. It is a fun way to engage students by making them take what they want to say and turn it into a question. I focuses on high order of thinking.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea that in a discussion-socratic lecture style lesson, students are only allowed to ask questions instead of making comments. The key is making sure that the students questions are high-order thinking questions that will require their peers to engage deeper and richer learning and not just fact-recall questions. At the same time, 'quescussions' are something that good teachers do naturally throughout their lessons.
ReplyDeleteAlison R:
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea for getting students to begin to understand how to critique a piece of art beyond the usual "it's pretty" or "I like it"
This would be a great way to have students start thinking more in depth about the music they listen to on a daily basis. It could start by showing a music video and posing an initial question that then students would follow up with. They could question the compositional technique, technology used, songwriting, musical elements, compare to other styles, etc. With music playing such a prevalent role in students' lives (iPhones, mp3s, music videos, Pandora/Sirius, etc) it is important that they learn to understand what it is that they experience on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteThis technique would be a good way to get a discussion going in a intermediate art class. Shy students can make the questions while outgoing students can answer.
ReplyDeleteI believe Quescussions would be a great activating strategy tool in PE class. It is a good activity that requires little materials or equipment. However, I would make sure to model how the Quescussion would look before letting students engage in one so that students are shown the appropriate behavior. I feel without that modeling, the students could get out of hand and arguments could ensue.
ReplyDeleteTriggers might be a great way for various levels of students to learn a new concept at their own pace.
ReplyDeleteI think this could be a fun way to keep the questions going and continue conversation.
ReplyDeleteI think this could be a fun way to keep the questions going and continue conversation.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this seems like a good activity to introduce a topic. The article gives useful guidelines to keep the students on task. However, each class is different and the instructor should be able to steer the discussion in the appropriate direction.
ReplyDeleteI think this strategy is a great way to generate a critique discussion. Students tend to be naturally curious about artworks, and questioning in this way will likely trigger other students wonderings and responses. This would also help support the idea that there are not necessarily wrong answers when discussing an artwork, just more to be explored. -J. Ruth
ReplyDeleteThis would be a good Activating strategy to get a discussion going and to have students participate. I can also see it being used as a closure activity to assess the learning.
ReplyDeleteI like that this is a fun, engaging way to reach higher order thinking. This could easily be used to activate the students learning.
ReplyDeleteI believe quescussions would be a great way to introduce a new skill. Show a video of the skill and have the students discuss what is allowing the individual in the video to be successful.
ReplyDeleteI think giving students the opportunity to ask the questions they want to know will lead to a higher level of engagement, interest, and motivation, as well as a deeper understanding of the content.
ReplyDeleteI believe quescussions would be a great way to introduce a new skill. Show a video of the skill and have the students discuss what is allowing the individual in the video to be successful.
ReplyDeleteThis strategy would be useful for introducing a drug unit by showing a video with the struggles of addiction.
ReplyDeleteQuescussion is a great way to develop higher level thinking. Students will be engaged and motivated by asking questions. It would work well when introducing new material.
ReplyDeleteQuescussion would be an interesting idea to use during Read-Aloud.
ReplyDeleteI think that Quescussion would be a strategy that would challenge the students, but they would enjoy! It would stretch their thinking about different topics.
ReplyDeleteQuescussion would be an interesting idea to use during Read-Aloud.
ReplyDeleteSeems fun for students. It would be a great way to get them thinking about a topic.
ReplyDeleteQuescussion seems interesting and engaging for students.
ReplyDeleteQuescussion seems like a method I could use in the class to begin a new unit in writing and science. It would allow students generate questions about what is going to be taught in the next unit.
ReplyDeleteQuescussion would be fun and interesting for students. A great way to have a discussion that's different and unusual.
ReplyDeleteQuescussion would be fun and interesting for students. A great way to have a discussion that's different and unusual.
ReplyDeleteQuescussion would be a perfect way to "discuss" a poem and students would find the challenge of only asking questions an interesting dilemma.
ReplyDeleteI like this approach because it requires the students to be engaged, and it creates authentic connections.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though this would be a welcome change to typical question and answer. I especially appreciate the need for open-ended questions rather than easy-to-answer, right there questions.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! I think that I would like to try this not only verbally, but by having the class sit in a circle and start each student with a different question at the top of the paper and have the students pass the paper around the room with each student responding with their own question.
ReplyDeleteIt can be difficult for students to develop questions on their own. To engage the students to generate questions, I would start with an activating piece that would stimulate authentic connections.
ReplyDeleteI think the IBL way to ask questions if doable with a minimum of 3 teacher generated questions: factual, conceptual and debatable. I like the way it scaffolds from concepts, context and content.
ReplyDeleteI could see kids really enjoying this activity. Seems like a great way to engage students by generating questions about a certain topic or read aloud.
ReplyDeleteChallenges exist in the replacement classroom, such as varied ability levels and existing skill deficits. In addition, due to class size, discussion can be difficult.
ReplyDelete