ERIC Number: EJ1015959
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Dec
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0313-5373
EISSN: N/A
Teachers' Questioning Techniques in Advanced Level Chemistry Lessons: A Tanzanian Perspective
Kira, Ernest; Komba, Sotco; Kafanabo, Eugenia; Tilya, Frank
Australian Journal of Teacher Education, v38 n12 Article 5 Dec 2013
This study investigated the extent to which teachers' questioning techniques and the way teachers handled students' responses facilitated students' learning and promoted their thinking skills. The study focused on three secondary schools in Dar es Salaam. The data collection process involved classroom observations during chemistry lessons and interviews of 10 chemistry teachers. The findings showed that 80% of the observed teachers had a moderate ability in using questioning techniques to measure students' understanding. The interesting observation in all schools was that teachers interacted frequently with active students and bothered less to involve the least active ones. Moreover, above 80% of all teachers had problems of promoting students' thinking by maintaining a balance between the open- ended and close-ended questions or between convergent and divergent questions. Also, the teachers indicated severe weaknesses in guiding classroom discussions through effective questioning as their abilities in probing were low. Thus, in-service program for these teachers may improve their classroom questioning behaviour. (Contains 4 tables.)
Descriptors: Questioning Techniques, Advanced Courses, Chemistry, Foreign Countries, Thinking Skills, Learning Motivation, Secondary School Curriculum, Classroom Observation Techniques, Interviews, Teaching Skills, Teaching Methods, Teacher Attitudes, Student Attitudes, Knowledge Level, Educational Practices
Edith Cowan University. Bradford Street, Mount Lawley, West Australia 6050, Australia. Web site: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Tanzania
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A