Let’s

QFT

Question Formulation Technique

What is the QFT?

• Structured process for creating our own questions about the topic

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• Teacher facilitates

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• Students produce questions, categorize the questions, prioritize, revise and share

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2

Group roles

SCRIBE

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writes down questions

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MANAGER

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reminds group of rules and keeps the group on task, encourages participation

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REPORTER(S)

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shares out to the large group

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*4th group member will share reporting role

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3

Write your name and role on “your corner” of the paper

Rules

For producing questions

consider

1. Ask as many questions as you can

2. Do not stop to answer, judge, or discuss

3. Write down every question exactly as stated

4. Change any statements into questions

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4

How might following the rules be challenging?

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Why is it important to follow these rules?

Q-Focus

5

When producing questions...

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• Follow the rules

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1. Ask as many questions as you can
2. Do not stop to answer, judge, or discuss
3. Write down every question exactly as stated
4. Change any statements into questions

• Bullet/Number your questions

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Categorizing questions

Close-Ended ?s

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• Can be answered with a “yes” or “no” or with a one-word answer

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• Do not require an explanation

Open-Ended ?s

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• Can be answered in multiple sentences.

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• Require more explanation

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Categorizing questions

Close-Ended ?s

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Open-Ended ?s

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8

Your

turn

What are some advantages and disadvantages of close and open ended questions?

Categorizing questions

Improving questions

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Your

turn

Identify your questions as closed-ended or open-ended by marking them with a “C” or an “O.”

Closed ?

Open ?

Closed ?

Open ?

Revise one

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Costa’s Levels of Questioning

Prioritizing questions

• Choose the 3 questions that you consider most interesting.
• Number your questions 1-3 in order of importance.
• Be sure you can explain why you chose the questions that you did. Your explanation should relate to the Q-Focus.
• You may revise your questions at this point

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11

Your

turn

share

• Questions you changed open/closed
• Your 3 priority questions
• Rationale for choosing priority questions
• Next steps

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Your

turn

Next steps

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What do you need to know? Information

What do you need to do? Tasks

In order to answer your priority questions...

reflection

• What do you notice about the QFT?
• How did the QFT make you feel as a learner?
• How can the QFT foster and improve students’ critical thinking and engagement?
• How might you use the QFT in your information literacy practice?

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14

Your

turn

The following slides are supplemental QFT resources

What is the QFT?

1. Introduce the Rules
2. Question Focus
3. Produce Your Questions
• Follow the rules
• number your questions
4. Improve Your Questions
• Categorize questions as Closed or Open-ended
• Change questions from one type to another
5. Prioritize Your Questions
6. Share & Discuss Next Steps
7. Reflect

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1. Ask as many questions as you can
2. Do not stop to discuss, judge or answer
3. Record exactly as stated
4. Change statements into questions

Closed-Ended:

Answered with “yes,” “no” or one word

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Open-Ended: Require longer explanation

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Q-Focus

WHY

QUESTIONING

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“The primary skills should be analytical skills of interpretation and inquiry. In other words, know how to frame a question.”

- Leon Botstein, President of Bard College

“…the best we can do for students is have them ask the right questions.”

- Nancy Cantor, Chancellor of University of Illinois

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The New York Times, August 4, 2002

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Yet…only 27%of students believe college taught them to ask their own questions

Alison Head, Project Information Literacy at University of Washington, 2016

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But the problem begins long before college...

Sources

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/main2009/2011455.pdf

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pubs/main2007/2008468.asp#section1