Philippine E-Journals

Questioning and Responding in a College Chemistry Class

Fel Joan Jeremy S. Odulio

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

In science teaching, questions are an indispensable tool in initiating approaches like inquiry and discovery. Proper and well-developed techniques are needed to make questioning effective. This study focused on the relationship between teachers’ classroom behaviors and a variety of students’ responses. It utilized the qualitative research approach in data gathering. The study sought to determine the relationship between teacher variables such as years of teaching experience and other critical attributes and the levels of questions they ask in a college chemistry class and effects of these on students’ responses to the questions. The study found that quality and length of students’ responses to questions depend on the length of wait-time of the teacher. The longer the wait-time, the length of response increases; it gives students more time to thoughtfully compose their answer. If done incorrectly, questioning can turn a student off instead of promoting learning.