In reading Rob Kelly’s “A Plan for Effective Discussion Boards” appearing in Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning Tools: 15 Strategies for Engaging Online Students Using Real-Time Chat, Threaded Discussions, and Blogs at http://www.facultyfocus.com, I found the following helpful:

Types of questions to ask…Six Socratic questioning techniques as delineated by Richard Paul to get students involved in discussions that go beyond simply opinion:

Conceptual Clarification Questions

Questions that get students to think about concepts behind their arguments:

• Why are you saying that?
• What exactly does this mean?
• How does this relate to what we have been talking about?
• Can you give me an example?

Probing Assumptions – questions that get students to think about the beliefs that they base their arguments on.

• What else could we assume?
• How did you choose those assumptions?
• How can you verify or disprove that assumption?
• What would happen if…?

Probing rationale, reasons, and evidence – questions that get students to think about the support for their arguments.

• Why is that happening?
• How do you know this?
• Can you give me an example?
• What do you think causes…?
• On what authority are you basing your argument?

Questioning Viewpoints and Perspectives – questions that get students to consider other viewpoints.

• What are some alternate ways of looking at this?
• Who benefits from this?
• How are x and y similar?

Probe Implications and Consequences – questions that get students to think about the what follows from their arguments.

• Then what would happen?
• What are the consequences of that assumption?

Questions about the Question – questions that turn the question in on itself.

• What was the point of asking that question?
• Why do you think I asked this question?

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