How Effective Are Teacher-Initiated Classroom Questions in Enhancing Student Learning?

Anecdotal and empirical evidence indicates that oral questioning is a fundamental aspect of daily classroom interactions. Written questions are common in handouts, assignments, projections, Web content, and study guides. The pervasive use of educational questions indicates that educators believe that questions are an essential element in increasing student learning. The small body of quantitative and qualitative studies on questions, as well as research on the theory and practice of question asking, reflect the sustained interest in the nature of questioning (e.g., Boeck, 1970; Dantonio & Paradise, 1988; Dillon, 1981; Fincke, 1967; Grow-Maienza, Hahn, & Joo, 2001; Madden, 1991).