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What is your question?

Photo: K. Ananthan

Application-based Vital to foster knowledge

It has to be creative, interesting, focus on analysis and most importantly, stimulate the thinking process in students. And, only then does it go on to becoming a good question.

As part of its initiative to encourage learning with understanding, Educational Initiatives has announced ASSET question making competition for teachers. Educational Initiatives, started by a group of alumni of IIM-Ahmedabad, focuses on assessment and learning outcomes measurement in school education.

A creative exercise of good question-making skills brings the fun back into learning. It also provides an opportunity for the teacher to create something original. For the student, benefits are many. It challenges and stimulates him to think deeper, and apply and master the concepts learnt. This gives him a sense of satisfaction.

“A good question makes the student think and if framed correctly, it can help the teacher figure out the thought process of the student as he solves the problem. A good question tests the comprehension of a child, rather than just memory or recall,” says Sridhar Rajagopalan, director of Educational Initiatives (EI).

And that explains the objective of EI’s ASSET Question Making Competition for teachers all over India — to tap the creative potential of the teaching community in innovative question-making activity. “Application-based question making is important to foster knowledge in students,” says Sandeep Saha, vice-president of EI. “Students memorise the questions at the end of the chapter as a drill. What we are trying to do is break this vicious circle and get teachers to understand the importance of good question-making.” “As a teacher, when your question does not promote thinking or analytical ability then the understanding is not happening among students,” he points out. EI’s scientifically designed achievement test called ASSET is conducted in schools all over India. It assesses children on how they have learnt and understood concepts in the classroom. As a part of the competition, some of the best question-making practices will be shared with the teachers. A booklet titled, “Tips for Making Good Multiple Choice Questions”, which outlines the key elements of a good question will be despatched to all the registered teachers.

Application forms will be sent to as many as 15,000 schools all over India. The objective is to communicate the message on creative question-making, involve teachers in the activity, and recognise and reward their efforts. The competition will generate a pool of good quality questions, which will be posted on the website and shared with the teaching community. Teachers will also get feedback from educational experts, on why that particular question was selected.

“Over time it is hoped that the competition will help improve the question-making abilities of teachers, and also hone their skills in testing as well as deepen their subject knowledge,” Sridhar Rajagopalan adds.

A total of 30 awards will be given to good questions. Registration begins on August 1, and questions will be accepted from September 5 (Teachers’ Day) to October 4. Teachers can also log on to www.ei-india.com for registration.

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