Article - How to Ask Better Questions
Here is the next article in your student learning-skills series, focusing on questioning as a practical tool for learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving. How to Ask Better Questions Introduction Questions are everywhere in learning. Students ask questions in classrooms. Scientists ask questions in laboratories. Engineers ask questions when designing new technology. Doctors ask questions to understand problems. Researchers ask questions to discover new knowledge. In fact, many important discoveries begin with a simple question: "Why?" But not all questions are equally useful. A question such as: "I don't understand this." does not tell a teacher exactly what is difficult. A better question might be: "I understand the first step, but why do we change the sign when moving this term to the other side?" The second question is more specific. It identifies the exact problem and makes it easier to provide a useful explanation. Learning how to ask bet...