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Questioning Throughout a Lecture (Dr. Shankaran)

     Dr. Shankaran had a mature presentation she had used for MIC202.  She wanted to make it more interactive, particularly after reading the research on the value of questioning in learning experiences.   She opened TurningPoint, imported her PowerPoint presentation, and inserted seven multiple choice questions at various points in her lecture that had students synthesize and apply what she was teaching. 

What’s the value of this approach?   First, there is always value in having students construct responses to questions (Wittrock, 1974, 1992).   Second, by inserting questions throughout her lecture, she introduced variability, which is needed in the learning environment.   Third, she took the content of her lecture from fact-presentation to application.   Fourth, by placing her foundational science facts in an applied context, she provided the students with a schema to better remember the facts.

Remember: Knowledge does not exist outside of a context…  it does not exist in a vacuum.   Providing a clinical context for the facts a physician needs to know not only enhances future recall, but it is motivating. 

Wittrock, M. C. (1974). Learning as a generative process. Educational Psychologist, 11, 87-95. 

Wittrock, M. C. (1992). Generative learning processes of the brain. Educational Psychologist, 27(4), 531-541.