The Benefits of Asking Questions
We’ve all heard the saying, “There are no stupid questions.” It’s an old adage from our school days, right? However, our teachers may have been on to something. A new study from Iowa State University shows that asking questions—whether it’s a student or a professor—can help everyone learn.
If you take Jason Chan’s class, be prepared to be asked tons of questions. The associate professor and author of this study will periodically ask students questions throughout his lecture. He does this to not only get the attention of the class but also to help them learn new information.
“This is a cheap, effective method and anyone can implement it in their class,” he says. “You don’t need to give every student an iPad or buy some fancy software—you just need to ask questions and have students answer them in class,” says Chan.
The research states that the process of learning new information and retrieving information are different. Students are forced to switch between the two when responding to a question and changing the modes of operation can refocus attention and free the brain to do something different.
While there may not be a perfect “lecture-to-question ratio” because every class is different, Chan says testing students throughout the lecture is a simple step that instructors, at any level and in any environment, can apply to help students learn.
For coaches, this can be a helpful tool to engage with your clients more. When a client is seemingly disengaged, ask them a question about what you’ve been discussing. You can also pass this tip along to clients to help them engage their employees and colleagues.
Savannah Patton
Savannah Patton is the ICF Communications Assistant and a freelance writer for Kentucky Sports Radio. She graduated in May 2016 from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor's degree in Integrated Strategic Communications with a focus in Public Relations.
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I totally agree with the article and I utilize this same method during all of my groups at work and I can see how it brings great results because my students feel involved in the group. Afterwards most of the students sometimes will come and visit me and will just speak but I privately know I have built a working relationship and rappore with them just by asking them related questions. Excellent Method to build clientele or mentorship.