Effects of Student-Initiated Questions on Reasoning Ability and Geometry Achievement

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

This study used a quasi-experimental design to determine if there is a significant difference in the reasoning ability and geometry achievement of high school students who are deliberately taught to ask questions and answer them (experimental group), compared to those who are taught in the conventional way of teacher-posed questions (control group). Their level of ability to ask questions at the beginning and at the end of a 5-week experimental period was examined.

METHODS

Two average sections in a typical high school in Laguna were randomly assigned as experimental and control groups. Data analysis only included participants who were able to take all the tests. The final research sample consisted of63 males and53 females. Three instruments were used: A Questioning Skills Test; a Geometry Achievement Test and a Reasoning Ability Test. These instruments underwent content validation, item analysis, and reliability testing to ensure stability. Levene's test was used to test the two groups' equality of variances, while, t-test for independent means assessed their comparability. After the intervention, the t-test for independent sample means examined the significance of the differences between the two group's reasoning ability, geometry achievement, and questioning skills.

RESULTS

Before the intervention, participants in both groups were either not able to write questions, or their questions were unclear and incorrect. After the intervention, the questioning skill levels of the Teacher-Posed-Questioning (TPQ) Group and the Student-Initiated-Questioning (SIQ) Group were raised to factual and conceptual levels, respectively. Furthermore, SIQ had a significant positive effect on the students' questioning skills and reasoning ability. However, no significant difference was found in the two groups' geometry achievement.

DISCUSSIONS

Teacher-Posed-Questioning and Student-Initiated-Questioning strategies raised students' level of questioning skills to factual and conceptual levels, respectively. Student-Initiated-Questions affect the level of students' questioning skill and reasoning ability. Gagnon & Collay (2001) says that giving students a chance to formulate different levels of questions engage them in thinking activity that affects their quality of thought. Nowadays, mathematics classroom must focus on developing learners' questioning skills to help realize the twin goals of Philippines K to 12 Mathematics Curriculum, the development of their problem solving and critical thinking skills.