1. Framing Questions for Understanding in the College Classroom
Cherie McCollough
Chautauqua Short Course
June 10, 2004

2. Conceptual Challenges
What is the evidence of in-depth understanding as opposed to that which is superficial or naive?
What should teachers look for to determine the extent of student understanding?
What kinds of assessment evidence will anchor a curricular unit, guiding instruction?

3. Establishing Curricular Priorities
See pages

4. Skills Compared to Understandings
Reading Text
Creating scoring opportunities in soccer
Speaking persuasively in public
Understanding
Reading between the lines
Spread defense as broadly and deeply as possible
Emotionally appealing to wishes, needs, hopes and fears of audience, regardless of how logical and rational the argument

5. Framing Questions for Understanding
Essential Questions
Have no one obvious right answer
Raise other important questions
Address the philosophical or conceptual foundations of a discipline
Recur naturally
Are framed to provoke and
sustain student interest

6. How People Learn Questions for understanding must: Be Authentic
Be Learner Centered
Be Challenging
Provide Community
Provide a Legacy

7. Tips for using Unit Questions
Complete worksheet 6.1
(Pp. 120) using ideas from your content area.
Module 4: Look at pages 76 – 77. Begin to identify what you perceive as Enduring understandings.
Brainstorm with colleagues.

8. Begin to Think About:
How can my question begin to generate ideas? How will I prompt generation of ideas?
How will my question frame research questions?
How does my question require research, revision, multiple perspectives?
How will my question become THEIR question to go public?

9. Wrapping it up Have started to frame essential questions.
?? What are you wondering
about??