Asking Questions In over 30 years of teaching, I have struggled
with determining how best to help students learn. Regardless of how much
time students spend in studying for a course, the most helpful activity
for students is learning how to ask questions in class and then asking
those questions. The student, by asking questions, becomes actively involved
in the learning process and no longer is merely a passive receptor of
information. I think this active involvement contributes so much to the
learning process that it is probably the single most important aspect
to the development of a modern engineer. In fact, asking questions is
the basis of science. As Charles P. Steinmetz rightly said, "No man really
becomes a fool until he stops asking questions." It seems very straightforward and quite easy to ask questions. Have we
not been doing that all our lives? The truth is to ask questions in an
appropriate manner and to maximize the learning process takes some thought
and preparation. I am sure that there are several models one could effectively use. Let
me share what has worked for me. The most important thing to keep in mind
is that you do not have to form a perfect question. Since the question-and-answer
format allows the question to be developed in an iterative manner, the
original question can easily be refined as you go. I frequently tell students
that they are most welcome to read their questions in class. Here are three things you should keep in mind when asking questions.
First, prepare your question. If you are like many students who are either
shy or have not learned to ask questions in class, you may wish to start
with a question you have written down outside of class. Second, wait for
an appropriate time to ask the question. Simply use your judgment on that.
Third, be prepared to clarify your question by paraphrasing it or saying
it in a different way in case you are asked to repeat the question. One last comment: not all professors like students to ask questions in
class even though they may say they do.You need to find out which professors
like classroom questions. Good luck in enhancing one of your most important
skills | 
