411 REFERENCE · Wikibooks
Active Learning In Virtual Environment/Reciprocal Questioning
Reference material by Wikibooks contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
Activity: #in-class/short-term, #group-work, #needs-preparation
Outline
In reciprocal questioning technique students take the role of the teacher. Students are given some materials to read and afterwards, they should come up with a list of questions. The teacher then answers students’ questions. This task benefits students’ comprehension of a subject. Firstly, students have to deeply analyze the reading selection in order to produce “teacher” questions. Secondly, as the teacher answers the questions, it reinforces the learning processReading Educator, ‘Reciprocal Questioning”, n.d., received from http://www.readingeducator.com/strategies/request.htm. It should be noted that this strategy does not fit all subject areas. For example, Math is a subject that requires exact answers rather than interpretation. Therefore, this technique should be used in reviewing reading and writing assignments.TAP Facilitator Resource Center, ‘Reciprocal Questioning”, n.d., received from https://sites.google.com/site/tapfacilitatorresourcecenter/questioning-techniques/reciprical-questioning
thumb|right|600px|Reciprocal Questioning Illustration
Activity arrangement
divide class into small groups and give them a section to read
explain the task to them: students should read the sections and write down questions for the teacher
set an exact time to complete the task
let groups collect all the questions and present a list of final questions
the spokesperson of the groups asks questions to the teacher
the teacher answers the questions
ask students to recognize the strategies they used in writing the questionsIbid, note 1
Note that this activity can be assigned as an individual task as well.
Pointers
improves questioning, reasoning and reading comprehension skills
encourages thinking skills
learning in stress-free environment
students learn to use meta-cognitionIbid, note 2
How to use this method in online class?
To use this activity as a group assignment, students can be divided into Zoom breakout rooms or Google Meet breakout rooms. Then, students can use a shared Google document to list their questions. In the main session, students present their questions to the teacher.
Footnotes