Accelerating children's question-asking performance
Date
1971
Authors
Surkes, Steven
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
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Abstract
The question-asking behavior of boys in grades 1, 3 and 5 was studied. Subjects were required to ask questions which would permit them to locate a preselected "correct" picture from a stimulus display of 3" by 5" picture cards. Pre and posttreatment measurement of the number of questions required to solve question-asking problems, and the proportion of guesses and constraints used was taken. Pretreatment measurement suggested that these 3 dependent variables were grade-related. The Solomon Four Group Design was followed in the experimental procedure. Practice with question-asking tasks was provided by two groups by pretreatment measurement. The other treatments consisted of modeling, which exposed subjects to a tape rec6rding of relatively efficient question-asking and combined practice-modeling. Chi-square analysis suggested an association between the modeling treatment and the proportion of guesses and constraints. Treatment failed to reduce the number of questions required to reach solution. Following practice, both the proportion of constraints and the proportion of guesses used differentiated between grade 1 and grade 5 groups. Following combined practice-modeling, the proportion of guesses used differentiated between grade and grade 3 groups. Comparison of the three treatment methods on each of the dependent variables suggested that only the proportion of constraints used was differentially affected by the three treatment methods. At the grade 1 level the modeling treatment was most effective. Both modeling and combined, practice-modeling treatments were relatively effective at the grade 3 level. At the grade 5 level, no differences among treatments in terms of constraint use was found. It was tentatively concluded that modeling might prove a valuable teaching resource; although further study of modeling parameters would be required.
The question-asking behavior of boys in grades 1, 3 and 5 was studied. Subjects were required to ask questions which would permit them to locate a preselected "correct" picture from a stimulus display of 3" by 5" picture cards. Pre and posttreatment measurement of the number of questions required to solve question-asking problems, and the proportion of guesses and constraints used was taken. Pretreatment measurement suggested that these 3 dependent variables were grade-related. The Solomon Four Group Design was followed in the experimental procedure. Practice with question-asking tasks was provided by two groups by pretreatment measurement. The other treatments consisted of modeling, which exposed subjects to a tape rec6rding of relatively efficient question-asking and combined practice-modeling. Chi-square analysis suggested an association between the modeling treatment and the proportion of guesses and constraints. Treatment failed to reduce the number of questions required to reach solution. Following practice, both the proportion of constraints and the proportion of guesses used differentiated between grade 1 and grade 5 groups. Following combined practice-modeling, the proportion of guesses used differentiated between grade and grade 3 groups. Comparison of the three treatment methods on each of the dependent variables suggested that only the proportion of constraints used was differentially affected by the three treatment methods. At the grade 1 level the modeling treatment was most effective. Both modeling and combined, practice-modeling treatments were relatively effective at the grade 3 level. At the grade 5 level, no differences among treatments in terms of constraint use was found. It was tentatively concluded that modeling might prove a valuable teaching resource; although further study of modeling parameters would be required.
The question-asking behavior of boys in grades 1, 3 and 5 was studied. Subjects were required to ask questions which would permit them to locate a preselected "correct" picture from a stimulus display of 3" by 5" picture cards. Pre and posttreatment measurement of the number of questions required to solve question-asking problems, and the proportion of guesses and constraints used was taken. Pretreatment measurement suggested that these 3 dependent variables were grade-related. The Solomon Four Group Design was followed in the experimental procedure. Practice with question-asking tasks was provided by two groups by pretreatment measurement. The other treatments consisted of modeling, which exposed subjects to a tape rec6rding of relatively efficient question-asking and combined practice-modeling. Chi-square analysis suggested an association between the modeling treatment and the proportion of guesses and constraints. Treatment failed to reduce the number of questions required to reach solution. Following practice, both the proportion of constraints and the proportion of guesses used differentiated between grade 1 and grade 5 groups. Following combined practice-modeling, the proportion of guesses used differentiated between grade and grade 3 groups. Comparison of the three treatment methods on each of the dependent variables suggested that only the proportion of constraints used was differentially affected by the three treatment methods. At the grade 1 level the modeling treatment was most effective. Both modeling and combined, practice-modeling treatments were relatively effective at the grade 3 level. At the grade 5 level, no differences among treatments in terms of constraint use was found. It was tentatively concluded that modeling might prove a valuable teaching resource; although further study of modeling parameters would be required.