Question-writing resources and tools

Do questions match course objectives?

• What kinds of questions did you ask today? - This is a good site to help consider whether questions match learning objectives.
• Field-tested Learning Assessment Guide - Excellent guide to assessment, with special focus on science, math, engineering, and technology
• Taxonomy of Educational Objectives - Bloom's Taxonomy
• A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessment - by Lorin Anderson and David Krathwohl, this is a revision of Bloom's Taxonomy

Web sites on writing questions

• Learning - on the art of asking good questions
• What Makes a Good Question? - on question quality and how to use them
• Good Practices in Assessment - designing questions

Web sites on using questions in teaching

• Favorite Teaching Technique - simple classroom techniques
• How Can Teachers Promote Learning and Thinking? - teaching for thinking, teaching of thinking, teaching about thinking
• Using the Internet to Promote Inquiry-based Learning - an epaper about a structured approach for student Web research
• Leading a Good Discussion - great ideas for in-class discussion

ANGEL group on "engaging students" including ways to use questions

Join the ANGEL group: Engaging Students in Learning and Managing Them Efficiently. This is a "location" where you can read about some effective practices.

Directions to join group:

1. Log on to ANGEL at http://cms.psu.edu/.
2. Use the “Group Search” link in the left frame or the “Find a Group” link under “My Groups.” Type the word “engaging” into the “Keyword Search” text box.
3. When you see the “ANGEL: Engaging Students in Learning” group listed, select the “Enroll (no PIN required)” link. 
4. From your ANGEL Profile, select the “ANGEL: Engaging Students in Learning” group where you can learn many tips for engaging students and managing the outcomes.

Penn State support units

• Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence
  • Consultation with assessment and evaluation experts
  • Consultation with instructional designers
• Teaching and Learning with Technology
  • Faculty Multimedia Center - Call 814-863-7051 for one-on-one consulting on developing digital media for use in all aspects of teaching
  • Consultation with instructional designers

Tools

• ANGEL quiz feature. Add quizzes under the "Content" tab.
• Test Pilot. Contact Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence
• Hot Potatoes - free tools for easily developing interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises for the World Wide Web