Questioning: an essential ingredient in effective teaching

Questions asked in a teaching session can be used to challenge and stimulate learners, direct thought processes, influence the social and emotional milieu of the teaching environment, and evaluate learning. This article focuses on the mechanics and dynamics of questioning as a teaching technique, specifically addressing the concept of hierarchical levels of questioning, application of probing questions to promote higher levels of cognitive processing, and use of questioning as an instructional tool. Specific examples of eliciting questions, questioning levels, and probing questions are included.