Participant Engagement Questioning Types and Strategies

Question Purposes

There are seven purposes for questioning:

  1. Determine learners’ existing knowledge of a topic.
  2. Determine learning goals and specific needs.
  3. Make connections to learners’ lives and experiences.
  4. Elicit questions from learners.
  5. Check understanding.
  6. Help learners apply new information.
  7. Help learners retain and process knowledge.

Question Types

Closed Questions

Closed questions can be answered with a simple word or short phrase and are often designed for yes or no responses; they may be used to gather simple information from learners, to quickly reinforce key points and to quickly check learner attention or knowledge.

Examples of closed questions:

  • Have you done this before?
  • Do you agree with that statement?
  • Which web browser are you using?

Open Questions

Open questions are designed for more detailed responses; they may be used to solicit learner opinions, encourage learner reflection, and engage learners at a deeper level of understanding.

Examples of closed questions:

  • How do you keep focused on your work?
  • Why is that idea so important?
  • What would you do differently in this situation?

Recall Questions

Recall questions ask learners to respond with a factual statement; they may be used to check whether respondents remember key points, to determine learner’s exposure to basic factual principles, and more.

Examples of recall questions:

  • What was the last point I made about using Firefox?
  • What is the purpose of the home button?
  • Where is the email tab located?

Opinion Questions

Opinion questions ask learners to respond with their individual thoughts or to analyze a given situation in order to form a judgment; they may be used to gather information about learner attitudes, to assess learners’ decision-making processes, to engage learner’s emotions, and more.

Examples of opinion questions:

  • Was the War of 1812 politically or financially motivated?
  • Of the three ways to complete this task, which do you think is the best or most efficient?

Example 1 – Determine Learners’ Existing Knowledge of a Topic

Closed Question

Are you familiar with X?

Open Question

How have your used X or something similar in the past?

Multiple Choice Poll

How many times have you used X in the past month? (Choose one.)

  1. 0-5 times
  2. 6-10 times
  3. More than 10 times

Multiple Answer Poll

Which of the following tools are you most familiar with? (Select all that apply.)

  • X
  • Y
  • Z

Short Answer Poll

Name the most important thing you need or want to understand by the end of this session.

Example 2 – Determine Participants’ Learning Goals and/or Specific Needs

Closed Question

Would you like to learn more about A, B, or C during this session?

Open Question

What are you interested in learning how to do during this session?

Multiple Choice Poll

Which of the objectives I just read seems most relevant to your specific purpose for attending this session? (Choose one.)

  1. Objective 1
  2. Objective 2
  3. Objective 3

Multiple Answer Poll

Which of the following options best represents your reason for signing up for this session? (Select all that apply.)

  • X
  • Y
  • Z

Short Answer Poll

What is the most important thing you need or want to understand by the end of this session?

Whiteboard

In the center column of the whiteboard, please write one specific skill you would like to gain from today’s session.

Example 3 – Make Connections to Learners’ Real Lives and Experiences

Closed Question

Do you think you would use X in your workplace?

Open Question

How would you use X in your workplace? What do you think are the benefits of using X instead of Y for [specific work-related or classroom-related purpose]?

Multiple Choice Poll

Which of the use cases I just discussed is most similar to how you would use X in your own work? (Choose one.)

  1. A
  2. B
  3. Both
  4. Neither

Multiple Answer Poll

Which of the following common workplace problems could be solved with the use of X? (Select all that apply.)

  • X
  • Y
  • Z

Short Answer Poll

What ways have you seen others use X?

Chat Question

Do you have any questions about how or why to use X in a classroom environment? If so, please type them in chat now.

Example 4 – Elicit Questions from Learners

Closed Question

Would you like me to review any information about the three items I just discussed (X, Y, or Z)?

Open Question

What is one question you still have about when to use X instead of Y?

Multiple Choice Poll

I anticipate that you might have this question___; do you want me to review the answer briefly before we move on? (Choose one.)

  1. I’m ready to move on.
  2. I would like to review this briefly before moving on.

Multiple Answer Poll

Which of the following actions would you like me to briefly review before we move on? (Select all that apply.)

  • X
  • Y
  • Z

Short Answer Poll

What is one question you have about using X for [specific purpose]?

Chat Question

Please take the next 60 seconds to think about the topics we’ve covered so far and type any questions you have about those items before we move on.

Example 5 – Check Understanding

Closed Question

Which is the best way to do X…is it Y or Z?

Open Question

What is one way you can accomplish X using this tool?

Multiple Choice Poll

Which of the following is not a real application of X tool? (Choose one.)

  1. X
  2. Y
  3. Z

Multiple Answer Poll

Please check the boxes next to the actions you now feel comfortable completing using X tool (Select all that apply.)

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D

Short Answer Poll

Which of the three ways I said you could do X seems most logical to you?

Chat Question

Scenario: I’ve accidentally deleted my meeting notes! How can I retrieve them again? Please type your answer in chat.

Example 6 – Help Learners Apply New Information

Closed Question

Which of the following seems like a realistic way to use X based on what we’ve discussed? (X, Y, or Z)

Open Question

I mentioned the ability to use X for several purposes, but what other ways do you think people could use X?

Multiple Choice Poll

Which of the following groups do you think would benefit most from using X? (Choose one.)

  1. Students
  2. Faculty
  3. Staff
  4. Other

Multiple Answer Poll

Choose all of the accurate statements about X from the options below:

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D

Short Answer Poll

What do you think would happen if I did X at this stage instead of Y?

Chat Question

Can you predict any dangers if I used X without checking Y first?

Whiteboard

The features of tool X are listed in the first column; please type some features of tool Y in the second column to help compare and contrast the two.

Example 7 – Help Learners Retain and Process Knowledge

Closed Question

Do you feel that you understand more about using X after attending this session?

Open Question

What is one strategy you learned in this session that you think you will actually use?

Multiple Answer Poll

Which of the items listed below are the three actual uses for X that we have discussed so far?

  1. Students
  2. Faculty
  3. Staff
  4. Other

Short Answer Poll

What is one important distinction you can make between X and Y?

Chat Question

What best practice have you heard that you think you will take with you after this session? Please type this in chat.

Whiteboard

What was the most important or interesting tip you learned from this session?

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