Is WHO on first?

“Enough already. Such a deluge of questions. You’re burying me with so many imponderables!”

Students, rest assured that your instructor is not trying to frustrate you. These folks have your best interest at heart and are simply trying to engage you in productive learning experiences. Questions make you think. An abundance of probing questions make you understand concepts intensely.

Research demonstrates that the asking of high-order questions, the “hows” and the “whys”, unlike low-level recall questions, is an effective and purposeful method of developing appropriate attitudes, skills, knowledge, and insightfulness. Using questions as a key instructional strategy leads to meaningful and relevant learning that is readily transferable to life experiences.

Questions at the core of our instructional conversations chunk down complexities and expose subtleties. What appears unintelligible becomes intelligible through prolific questioning.

Of course, questions need to be open-ended for maximum utility. Engaging in closed-end questions, particularly an onslaught of them, transforms the education process into an Abbott and Costello comedic episode.

It’s better to ask “Why is who on first?” then “Who’s on first?”