Questions by Cognitive Level
Questions by Cognitive Level
Online Learning
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Source
From Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors (3rd ed., p. 139), by L. B. Nilson, 2010,
Jossey-Bass. Reproduced by permission.
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It is important to review this expectation in the first class meeting. Cold-calling can be a challenge for students if
they are not prepared to answer the question or do not expect to be called upon.
Keeping Track of Participation
Once this expectation is set and students know that they may be called upon to participate in the lesson, it can be
helpful to keep a roster of student names on hand so that you can mark off those you have called on and choose
students who have not yet participated. You may also try having index cards with a student’s name written on each
so that once you call on a student, you can make a quick note about their response and then place their card in a
separate pile. This helps you keep track of students you have and have not called on.
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Student Response: The student’s answer is unclear. Rephrase the answer and ask if that was what the
student meant: “So what I heard you say was you
Your Goal: Coax more out of the student and help
think the author was not being clear in his/her
them uncover the assumptions being made.
description? Is that correct?”
Ask them to consider a different approach to help
them think more deeply. “How might you modify
your answer if you took into account . . .?”
Student Response: The student’s answer is “Yes, and if you come to that conclusion, don’t
incorrect. you also have to assume . . .?”
Your Goal: Lead the student to uncover their “I’m not sure I’m following your thinking here.
error. Could you please clarify your thoughts?”
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Provide quiz instructions that explain the purpose of the quiz and encourage students to answer questions based
solely on what they understood from the video lecture(s) and/or selected reading(s).
For example:
The purpose of this quiz is to let me know how effective my online lecture was at explaining the complex process of
cellular respiration. Your responses to the quiz questions will let me know if I need to provide any additional support
or resources. Please do not use notes or refer back to the materials when you take this quiz. You will receive 5
participation points simply for taking the quiz, not for the number of answers you get right. Thank you for your help!
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One-Minute Thread
The One-Minute Thread is the online version of the One-Minute Paper. While this teaching practice is a helpful
technique to check for student understanding in a fully online course, the One-Minute Thread can also be used in
hybrid or face-to-face courses that use an online platform for class materials and discussions. The One-Minute
Thread offers students more time to formulate their responses, which may be helpful when students are asked to
grapple with complex questions or challenging material, or when they simply benefit from extra processing time.
Instructions
1. Use the questions below for this activity in relation to a module or unit.
a. What was most clear, helpful, or meaningful in this module or unit?
b. What concepts or ideas from this module or unit are still unclear?
c. What additional comments, insights, or questions do you have about this module’s or unit’s concepts
or ideas?
2. You may include all three questions on one discussion forum. However, creating a separate forum for each
question will make it easier to identify patterns or themes in each category.
3. Provide students with instructions that encourage short, concise responses to each question. Consider
offering a point or two for completion as well as an example post from a previous class.
Below are some example instructions:
In order for me to determine how well you understand the content in this module, please post a
response to the question in each of the three discussion forums. Your response should be brief, and
it should not take more than a few minutes to write. For your contribution to our shared
understanding, you will earn 1 point for posting to each discussion board prompt. Below are
several examples from last semester:
• Clear – I now understand both the basic structure of the cell and what keeps a cell alive.
• Unclear – I don’t get the four phases of mitosis/cell division and if the phases are different for
different kinds of cells.
• Comment – Please show more animations and pictures . . . they help a lot.
Once all students have posted their responses, identify patterns regarding what is clear and unclear to
students. Share a summative post that addresses problem areas by providing necessary clarifications and
useful resources. Describe any modifications you will make to course materials or the next module based
on the students’ comments.
Source
From “Evaluating and Improving Your Online Teaching Effectiveness,” by K. Kelly, in S. Hirtz, D. G. Harper, & S.
Mackenzie (Eds.), Education for a Digital World: Advice, Guidelines, and Effective Practice From Around the Globe
(pp. 365–377), BCcampus and Commonwealth of Learning, 2008 (http://oasis.col.org/handle/11599/52). CC BY-SA
3.0. Reproduced with permission.
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If there is a particular question that you think is important to clarify for the entire class, or a specific topic that many
students seem to have questions about, you can respond by creating a video and posting it for the entire class. The
video or additional microlecture can serve as a response to the question and a way to demonstrate to your students
that you are engaged in the class content and invested in their ability to master course content.
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The box below demonstrates the points that you may include in your video response.
1. Acknowledge the student question(s).
2. Recognize why the specific content, topic, or assignment may be confusing.
3. Identify content from an earlier module that, when revisited, may help students better understand the
current content.
4. Briefly explain the foundational concepts from the earlier module.
5. Transition the foundational concepts to the current module’s content.
6. Explain the current content in a new way or through a different approach.
7. Offer a step-by-step explanation for solving a problem.
8. Reiterate to students that you welcome their questions in the forum and they should expect this type of
clarification when you see that many students are struggling with the same issue or concept.
9. Assign a short quiz or reflection assignment to ensure that students understand the content.
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The follow-up can be a short, five-question quiz created in the LMS, asking questions such as which pronouns
correspond with which point of view, and why point of view differs in fiction and in memoir. This will help the
instructor know whether students need further instruction before moving on to the next module.
Source
Adapted from Small Teaching Online: Applying Learning Science in Online Classes (pp. 38–41), by F. Darby & J. M.
Lang, 2019, Jossey-Bass.
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Sources
Bowen, J., & Watson, E. (2012). Teaching naked techniques: A practical guide to designing better classes. Jossey-
Bass.
Darby, F., & Lang, J. M. (2019). Small teaching online: Applying learning science in online classes. Jossey-Bass.
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