Raising Questions

Raising questions usually leads to learning, particularly if multiple exchanges (including the original questioner) ensue as a result of the question. Online dialog is different from face to face dialog, however, in that the person asking the original question may not even log back in to see the answer. There have been abuses in the past where a student "satisfied" the dialog requirements by simply logging on and asking a series of questions without having done any outside reading, called it brainstorming, and did not participate further. They had evidently spent about 5 minutes on the whole process, which suggests that little learning took place. If a person truly is interested enough to ask a question, he/she is expected to participate in the ensuing dialog. To prevent such abuses, the grading scheme will not accept a question as contributing to the knowledge-building process unless it is framed in context that demonstrates the questioner has done some research and has uncovered something that is ambiguous or needs further explanation. In other words, the context itself given for the question must demonstrate one of the knowledge-building characteristics. And the person asking the question will be expected to participate in the dialog that results.

Example of a question where learning is evident:

"I read a report on water quality on the Iowa Great Lakes which stated that a large number of wetlands have been restored in the area to help capture nitrates and other chemicals before they reach the lakes. These natural wetlands are re-established breaking the tile lines that were installed originally to drain them. The chemicals are processed within the wetlands, and presumably water of higher purity will then enter the lake. The problem is that the quality of the water in the lake has not improved after all this work. The report did not discuss input to the lake by either atmospheric deposition or from runoff from lawns and other activities right at the shore. Does anyone have information on either of these two possible sources of chemical contamination where wetlands would be of no help?"

This posting shows the author had done some reading and came up with a question as a result of the reading. The narrative preceding the question qualifies as articulation, and the question further allows the posting to qualify as brainstorming. Categorizing as either one is acceptable.

Example of a question where learning is not evident:

"How much nitrate gets into Saylorville reservoir due to atmospheric deposition?"

Certainly, someone else would learn something by digging out some information to answer the question, but the original query does not give evidence of learning. And it is possible that the question could stimulate a lively discussion in which significant learning takes place. But the original questioner would have to join the dialog to get credit for contributing to learning.