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Running head: CLASS SESSION RESPONSE WEEK 5

CLASS SESSION RESPONSE WEEK 5

Tracy Appleget
Ivy Tech Community College

CLASS SESSION RESPONSE WEEK 5

A good question is one that leads to more exploration. A god question is a question that
cannot be answered with a yes or no answer. A good question does require more than surface
knowledge. What I have learned is that although it is not wise to only use questions that use
surface knowledge, questions that test surface knowledge are ok to use in moderation. If we use
questions that cause a student to evaluate what he or she knows about a particular subject we are
causing that student to think. Using high cognitive questions result in learning and
understanding.
If one were to pose a question to another regarding the radiometer at different levels of
cognitive thinking, one would start at the question that would be because the lowest cognitive
demand.
The lowest cognitive demand question one could ask about the radiometer would be to
describe the radiometer. One could ask were certain parts of the radiometer are located. This
action of listing or describing is at the knowledge level of the blooms Taxonomy. These
questions have answers that can be remembered.
The second from the bottom on the taxonomy list is understanding or comprehension.
If one were to pose a question at this level of cognitive demand, one could ask to explain what
they are seeing on the radiometer. One could compare what they are seeing to something else
that they can relate to such as a light bulb. The radiometer could be compared to a light bulb.
Another application at this level is one could explain how the radiometer works. What causes
the radiometer to spin? Another question would be What do you think could happen if there was
no light but heat, would the flags still spin?
Moving up from the bottom we reach a level a cognitive demand question that would
cause the student to examine the radiometer at a closer level. We would be identifying the

CLASS SESSION RESPONSE WEEK 5

radiometer parts and categorizing them. A suggested question for categorizing the parts of the
radiometer would be, by asking what the different parts of the radiometer do. What is on the
radiometer? What is inside the radiometer that would create a stable environment?
When we move higher on the scale we move towards questions that would cause a
student to use higher levels of thinking. We would use questions that would cause the student to
analyze. Those questions starters that can be used are Which events could have happened..?
How was this similar to? Can you explain what must have happened.?
As we move to the next level of cognitive thinking we are wanting the students to
Evaluate the radiometer. Some question starter would be What changes would you recommend?
What do you think about the radiometer? I find that these questions are similar to the questions
before. I feel that as we move up the scale of taxonomy we are redefining the questions by
asking the student how he or she feels about the radiometer. I feel that we are asking the student
to give his or her input into the situation.
The highest level of Blooms Taxonomy is Create. In this level of taxonomy we are
asking the students to make something. We could be asking the student to recreate the
radiometer. This is honestly above my knowledge. I have looked online for different ways to
question the student to create what I found is by recreating the radiometer.