Guiding Knowledge Construction in the Classroom: Effects of Teaching Children How to Question and How to Explain

Following teacher-presented science lessons, pairs of fourth and fifth graders studied the material by asking and answering each others’ self-generated questions. In one condition students’ discussion was guided by questions designed to promote connections among ideas within a lesson. In a second condition discussion was guided by similar lesson-based questions as well as ones intended to access prior knowledge/experience and promote connections between the lesson and that knowledge. All students were trained to generate explanations (one manifestation of complex knowledge construction). Analysis of post-lesson knowledge maps and verbal interaction during study showed that students trained to ask both kinds of questions engaged in more complex knowledge construction than those trained in lesson-based questioning only and controls. These findings, together with performance on comprehension tests for material studied, support the conclusion that, although both kinds of questions induce complex knowledge construction, questions designed to access prior knowledge/experience are more effective in enhancing learning.