Using unanswered questions to teach - John Gensic

用不提供解答的問題教學 - John Gensic

譯者: Charlene Tsai 審譯者: Coco Shen

Carol Dweck, who is now at Stanford,

Carol Dweck 正在史丹佛

conducted a research experiment

執行一個研究實驗

where she compared 7th graders in two different groups.

她把一群七年級學生分成兩組

One group, she taught study skills to,

教其中一組學習的技巧

and the other group,

而教另外一組

they taught a mini-neuroscience class

微神經科學課程

about how their brain worked.

內容是關於大腦如何運作

They followed those two groups

然後追蹤這兩組學生

throughout their middle school math grades

在中學時期的全部數學成績

結果發現

and noticed that the group

who had the mini-neuroscience course

上微神經科學課程的那組

was much more successful in their math grades

數學成績非常出色

than the group that had the conventional study skills,

比起只學到一般學習技巧

like being organized

例如：學習組織化、學習用筆記卡等等

and using note cards.

的那組好得多

The reason, they believe,

從研究結果，他們認定

that the group had the mini-neuroscience course

上微神經科學課程的那組

did so much better

成績可以那麼好

is that they were picturing the formations

是因為他們能想像

and the connections in their brains occurring

當他們在學習的時候

while they were learning.

腦中是怎麼建構和運作的

They were also able to have a certain level of resilience,

他們明白大腦比較像肌肉組織

knowing that their brain was more of a muscle

並非像石頭一樣無法成長

and not a stone that couldn't grow any larger.

也因此他們能有某種程度的彈性空間

Having this resilience,

這樣的彈性空間

having students understand

讓學生們了解

that their brains can continue to grow,

他們的大腦可以持續成長

allows them the confidence to struggle with situations,

這讓他們有信心在環境中掙扎

to wrestle out that information

和那些資訊搏鬥

to come to deeper understanding.

以達到更深入的理解

So, how does this look in my classroom?

這理論在我的教室中如何執行？

How do I attempt to get students

我如何試著讓學生們

to struggle with information and wrestle with it

在資訊中去掙扎和搏鬥

so they come up with deeper levels of understanding?

讓他們可以達到更深層的理解？

Primarily, I use unanswered questions.

我主要是藉由提出沒有解答的問題

For example, I'll give students a jar

例如，我會給學生一個罐子

and say it's 500 grams,

告訴他們這罐子 500 克

and inside that sealed jar

在這個密封罐中

is a moist paper towel with about six to seven seeds.

有張濕的紙巾包著大約六七顆種子

What do you think will happen

你認為當這些種子開始成長時

to the mass of the container

對這個容器

as those seeds begin to grow?

會造成怎樣的影響？

And the students will then write

讓學生在一小張紙上

on a little half-sheet of paper

寫下他們認為

what they think is going to happen and why.

會發生什麼事以及發生原因

Depending on the class,

依照課堂的狀況

I will have the students sometimes work in partners

我有時會讓學生分組討論

to kind of combine ideas,

互相協調，整合想法

see what they think of each other's reasons,

看他們對彼此提出的原因有什麼意見

maybe work in groups of four

也許一組四個人

and then groups of eight

and come to consensus.

然後變成八個人

最後全部達成共識

But, sometimes, I'll have the students pass in

不過有時候，我會讓學生不經過討論

all that information without conversing about it,

先把他們的想法交上來

and I will then read their explanations

我在課堂上唸出這些內容

so that they are anonymously presented ideas

他們就可以在不記名的狀態下表達看法

that no student can rely upon

那就不會有學生

the other smart students

依賴那些聰明學生

to say, 'Oh, I agree with Sally

只說：喔，我同意 Sally 的想法

because she's always got the right answer.'

因為她的答案總是對的

That rarely happens in my class.

這種情況很少在我課堂上發生

At this point, I will probably stop the conversation

當我唸完同學的看法之後

after I've read these out loud

我可能就不再說話

and leave students wondering.

讓他們去質疑

Wondering, what is the right answer?

猜測哪個才是正確的答案？

What evidence is good evidence?

哪個才是有力的證據？

Because I want them,

因為我希望他們

when they leave the classroom,

在離開教室之後

to continue to want to know more,

可以保持他們的求知慾

to continue to want to make more connections.

持續的想產生更多連結

So, in addition to unanswered questions,

所以為了加強沒有答案的問題

I will often pose problems and projects

我常會提出一些問題和專案

for students to work on.

讓學生可以去研究

And, when I have them work on

在讓他們研究

these problems and projects,

這些問題或專案時

I'll give them about 15 to 20 minutes to brainstorm

我會給 15 到 20 分鐘做腦力激盪

how to solve the problem

討論如何解決問題

or how to go about completing the project.

如何完成案子

And this 15 to 20 minutes happens

我會預估

well before I expect a lot of work

在案子還沒進行太多之前

to be done on the project.

安排這 15 到 20 分鐘的腦力激盪

I don't want them to try to produce too much

我不要他們先完成太多進度

because I want them to try to figure out in their brains,

因為我希望他們試著在腦中思考整理

give themselves a chance

給他們自己一個機會

to struggle with the information overnight,

在他們在進行每天例行活動的同時

while they go about their daily activities.

可以為這些資訊掙扎一夜

For example, I might give a project

例如，我可能給他們一個專案

where you need to explain or teach a 6th grader

要向一個六年級學生

the simple concept of endosymbiosis.

簡單解釋內共生（endosymbiosis）的概念

And the students then have

然後學生們

a whole bunch of questions generated

就會提出一大堆

related to this project.

相關的問題

They have things that they need to know

他們會想從我這邊

from me,

或是其他來源處

from other resources.

得到答案

But I have not given them

但我不會給他們

the questions and the answers to memorize,

制式的背誦問題和解答

their brain is actively seeking out

他們自己的大腦會想辦法

the understanding of this concept

理解這些概念

so that they can teach it to others.

然後學生之間就可以互相教學

We would like to, as teachers,

我們當老師的

常以為學生喜歡我們教他們一切

think that students love everything that we teach them,

and we think that they understand everything

我們以為學生都懂了

and want to engage with our content

離開學校之後

outside of the school day.

也會和我們教學的內容產生連結

Students don't do that.

但學生並不是這樣

Most students don't do that.

大部分學生都不是這樣的

So, through mass one-way text messaging,

所以我會經由發送單向訊息

I'm able to resend them the question

把當天學到的問題或主題

or the topic from that day.

重新寄給學生

To get them to re-engage

讓他們再次連結

and touch the content one more time.

再次接觸這些內容

And, hopefully, get that seed planted in their brain

希望藉此把種子植入他們腦中

so that they want to think about it more,

讓他們願意多琢磨一下問題

so that their brains come up with

使他們的大腦

those "Ah-ha!" moments at obscure times.

在問題難解時產生頓悟

My goal is for students to generate the story,

我的目標是讓學生

their story,

能在我教學的內容上

of the content that I teach.

產生他們各自版本的解答

I would love for them

我也會想要讓他們

to completely understand my story

完全接受我的教學版本

and understand it deeply,

而且是深度的接收

but I know if I just get them to understand it

但我知道如果我只要求他們

as I understand it,

完全遵循我的版本

that will simply ooze out of their brains,

那只會輕易的從他們腦中流失

and they will not have information and the knowledge

他們也不會把學到的資訊或知識

that is applicable in other situations.

應用在其他情況

They will not have knowledge

他們將不會學到

that they can ask more questions about.

可以追問更多問題的能力

They are simply understanding to please me,

他們只會單純的學到討我開心

and then it's gone.

然後就忘光了

"It's not that I'm so smart,

愛因斯坦說：“並不因為我特別聰明

it's just that I stay with problems longer."

只因為我和問題相處得久一點”

We, as teachers, need to encourage and facilitate

我們身為老師，要鼓勵、促成學生

students staying with problems longer.

可以和問題相處得久一點

Thanks.

謝謝