Trial lawyers are often told not to ask questions they do not know the answers to. That may be true in court, but in a classroom setting, teachers and trainers are doing many things to discourage a question-friendly environment. From an intellectual standpoint, we all know that the ability to ask questions is an essential component of learning and in this case test banks help you a lot. As a practical matter, it doesn’t take much to create an environment conducive to refraining from asking and answering questions.

• Do you really intend to ask a question when you ask for questions at the end of your presentation while checking your watch?
• If you ask someone to give you an answer immediately after you ask a question, are you encouraging thinking?
• When you fail to accept an answer because it is not what you were looking for, are you inviting further questioning in the future?
• How do you evaluate responses in a way that learners may interpret as “put-downs”?
• Are only those who are ready to respond called upon, or does your system include everyone who intends to participate in the questioning process?

Although we tend to say that the only stupid question is the one we don’t ask, our actions often don’t foster the kind of environment that will allow anyone to ask anything – a question friendly learning environment.

There are such places outside of textbooks as well. It is not easy or quick to foster a question-friendly environment, and it takes time and practice. Taking the following steps will help you get there:

• We accept
• Take a listen
• Permit
• Regarding

A verb’s definition is to accept something with approval. It is important to maintain a demeanor that allows you to receive responses without overly praising or criticizing them. Having established yourself as a model of acceptance, your students can emulate your behavior while listening to their peers’ responses.

It is receiving that means accepting solution manual. An acknowledgement of a response in a positive way is receiving. Getting a different answer is accepting. To accept it means to respond affirmatively, as in accepting an invitation.

Taking Note

A teacher seeking the “right answer” seldom actively listens to the response. They prefer to find the answer that matches what they are looking for. Listening sometimes involves having a conversation with the respondent to ensure you fully understand what he or she has said.

In order to listen for understanding, you may need to rephrase what you think the respondent was saying or ask the respondent if you understood the meaning of their response.

Providing

Permitting means that even challenging responses are permitted. Permitting means learners can ask one another questions. Letting learners ask you questions is allowing them to ask you questions. When we approach the questioning process, we view the teacher as a question-asker and the student as an answerer. The question-friendly environment allows for role-reversal where all participants ask and answer questions.

There is much discussion today about shifting from a teacher-centered environment to a student-centered one. Can we create a question-centered environment, where the focus is equally on the question and the answer?

Do you think it’s worth the effort for nursing test bank? According to French philosopher Peter Abelard, who lived in the 12th century:

Constant and frequent questioning is the key to wisdom, for by doubting, we become curious, and by wondering, we arrive at the truth.