The Increased Need for Proficient Questioning
With the introduction and inevitable integration of artificial intelligence in our lives, the face of education could change completely in the next few years. ChatGPT has proven to us that knowledge and understanding questions just aren’t going to be solely sufficient indicators of learning, and the application and extension aspects are now more crucial than ever to cultivate and work towards.
As a teacher, this realization makes me aware that I must shift my practice to one that places a heavier emphasis on the value of questioning — and really good questioning. If we can learn to ask the most pertinent and valuable questions, as teachers and as learners, then we have the opportunity to get more out of our learning experiences.
Whether it’s writing a compare and contrast essay, answering comprehension questions for a novel study, or writing a lab report for a science experiment, it has never been easier to have technology do the heavy lifting, and in a fraction of the time.
Sites like ChatGPT can write and essay or report in mere seconds, and likely at a quality that is far greater than what the average 13 year old could write in days. It’s highly enticing, and in many cases it can be difficult to prove that the student didn’t write it themselves. Sure, there are more and more programs being introduced that can decipher whether or not the assignment was done by a person or AI, but by placing more emphasis on finding the cheaters, we are failing to regognize the real problem — education is evolving and we aren’t getting caught up with the evolution.
Rather than spending all our time worrying about who is or isn’t doing the work we are assigning, perhaps we need to lean into this new technology and work with it, rather than against it. Programs like ChatGPT are revolutionizing the way we are doing work. We can become far more efficient with our time, proficient with the quality of our products and we can maximize our potential through the use of AI. There is an opportunity here to reimagine the way in which we are teaching our adolescent learners.
I’m imagining a world where students can write great essays using the help of ChatGPT, but in order for them to do that, there’s something fundamental that they need to learn — how to create effective queries. You see, the product is only as good as the input we give it. If we have subpar information flowing into the chat bot, we will get a subpar result, which truly helps no one in the learning environment. And so, here is where we need to place greater importance on teaching higher questioning with students.
Here are just a few reasons why it’s so crucial for students to learn how to ask good questions:
- Good questions lead to deeper understanding. When students ask well-crafted questions, they are able to delve deeper into a topic and gain a more thorough understanding of it. This is especially important in subjects like science and history, where a surface-level understanding just won’t cut it.
- Good questions foster critical thinking. Asking good questions requires students to think critically about a topic, which is an essential skill for success in any field. By learning how to ask good questions, students will be better equipped to evaluate information, form well-reasoned arguments, and make informed decisions.
- Good questions lead to better communication. Being able to ask good questions is also an important part of effective communication. When students can ask clear, specific questions, they are better able to understand the perspectives of others and communicate their own ideas effectively.
- Good questions lead to innovation. Asking good questions is also a key component of innovation. When students are able to ask questions that challenge the status quo, they are better equipped to come up with new and creative solutions to problems.
Overall, teaching students how to ask good questions is one of the most important things we can do as educators.
The comedian George Carlin once famously said, “don’t just teach your children to read…teach them to question what they read. Teach them to question everything.”
Not only will questioning help students understand and engage with subject matter, but it will also help them think critically, communicate effectively, and innovate for the future.
