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Response to Intervention in the Blended Learning Environment

Sept. 22, 2015

A Guide to Common Core

Aug. 21, 2015

Three Strategies for Consistently Engaging Learners

Aug. 10, 2015

The importance of cultivating a growth mindset with students

July 15, 2015

Becoming a reflective educator

July 7, 2015

Developing prosocial behaviors and interactions within the classroom experience

June 30, 2015

Identifying at-risk learners. Two critical components

June 15, 2015

Three key factors in igniting the fire in learners

June 9, 2015

Memories of school veterans. Thank you

May 24, 2015

Keeping early course finishers engaged

May 17, 2015

The right curriculum for blended learning

May 11, 2015

Blended Learning Technology. Selection Process

April 26, 2015

Students who finish early. Four ways to keep grads-to-be engaged

April 20, 2015

Generation DIY. Benefits of blended learning that transcend instruction

March 30, 2015

Generation DIY. Benefits from the Blended Learning homefront

March 23, 2015

Top 6 Lessons from Madness. NCAA March Madness

March 16, 2015

Preventing the Dreaded: "Why Do We Need to Learn This?"

March 9, 2015

8 Blended Learning Space Considerations

March 2, 2015

5 Favorite Practices for Effective Communication

Feb. 23, 2015

Second-Order Change: The Blended Learning Mandate

Feb. 16, 2015

6 Ways to Match Blended Learning Models

Feb. 9, 2015

Using the SAMR Model in Blended Learning

Feb. 2, 2015

Planning for 1 to 1 Learning: Making the Blended Learning Model Local

Jan. 24, 2015

Eight Elite Questions to Ask When Selecting Online Content Providers

Jan. 17, 2015

Five Tips to Overcome the "January Syndrome" in Professional Development

Jan. 11, 2015

Blended education: Student-led discussions

Jan. 5, 2015

Next Generation Learning Spaces eBook offer and conference information

Dec. 9, 2014

Learning from Reality TV. Five Important Presentation Lessons for Teachers

Oct. 31, 2014

Six steps to great technology training

Oct. 27, 2014

Why I’m "Bullish" on Blended Learning

Oct. 20, 2014

Lessons from the One-Room Schoolhouse

Oct. 13, 2014

6 Keys to Deliberate Practice in Blended Learning

Oct. 6, 2014

Top Fifteen Skills Students Need for College and Career Readiness

Sept. 29, 2014

6 Ways Google Drive Docs Rocks in Blended Education

Sept. 22, 2014

Effective Instructional Probing Questions

Sept. 12, 2014

6 Career Types for Personalizing Learning

Sept. 8, 2014

Back to school thoughts

Aug. 29, 2014

Using data to inform instruction. Rigor, Relevance, and Results

Aug. 25, 2014

Teaching to Learn

Aug. 14, 2014

Social and Emotional learning matters

Aug. 9, 2014

Infographic: 7 Blended Activities to Start the New Year

Aug. 4, 2014

Tips for electrifying instruction (even when the lights go out)

Aug. 1, 2014

Lansing's Woodcreek Achievement Center: Blended Learning ideas to improve reading comprehension

July 26, 2014

Top Five Blended Learning Tweets (of the summer so far)

July 21, 2014

Infographic: 8 key points to include in digital citizenship

July 8, 2014

Deliberate practice makes remember-able perfect

July 4, 2014

The 'One Minute Manager's' advice to teachers and students

June 27, 2014

Ways to Get the Most from ISTE 2014

June 23, 2014

Educators advocate for new programs, more technology, increased funding. 3 simple steps.

June 16, 2014

7 Favorite Ways Students Like to Learn

June 9, 2014

Adapting Teacher Observations to Blended Learning Environments

June 2, 2014

Celebrating Successes. Student Learning in a Blended, Personalized Environment

May 26, 2014

Teaching in a Blended Environment: 12 Questions for Reflection and Discussion

May 19, 2014

Great ways to support teachers in blended, personalized, and online learning classrooms

May 12, 2014

Engagement doesn't necessarily equal buy-in. Working through pushback in Blended Learning environments

May 5, 2014

Connecting Classroom Instruction to Online Content

April 28, 2014

Blended Learning Classrooms Start with Blended Learning Professional Development

April 21, 2014

Top 3 Ways Blended Learning Really Works in Professional Development

April 14, 2014

Must Follow Organizations Supporting Blended, Personalized Learning

April 7, 2014

Great Probes for Blended, Personalized, Online Teaching

March 31, 2014

Four Key Considerations for Selecting Blended, Personalized, and Online Learning Tools

March 24, 2014

Four Creative Ways to Share the Vision for Blended, Personalized, Online Learning

March 17, 2014

Series: Planning for Blended and Personalized Learning: Blended Learning Goals

March 10, 2014

Planning for Blended and Personalized Learning Series: Crafting a Vision

March 3, 2014

News from the Field: eLearn Magazine – Call for K12 Blended Learning Articles

Feb. 24, 2014

Does Big Bird "Tweet"? Teaching Generation Z

Feb. 17, 2014

Five Characteristics of Great Blended Learning Teachers

Feb. 10, 2014

Empowering Students with the Top Four Blended Learning Models

Feb. 5, 2014

Three Interrelated Parts of Real Blended Learning

Jan. 28, 2014
Effective Instructional Probing Questions
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Sept. 12, 2014
Tags: blended learning, advancepath, advancepath academics, personalized learning, instructional probes, effective instruction, student responses
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While reviewing my previous posts, the one on "Great Probes for Blended, Personalized, Online Teaching" (March 31, 2014) got me thinking about the purposes of instructional probes. What is it that we’re trying to accomplish when we ask our students questions or probe them to move forward? How many of us make our brain think that far ahead of the actual question we ask? So, this week’s post categorizes types of probes and why we may want to use them. Personally, I am going to try to put this in action everyday—to think first, probe second.

Explain or Clarify

Teachers frequently use this type of probe when students respond with one or two word answers. Directing the student to “explain further” or “elaborate that point for me” helps us to stay engaged with the student as well as to evaluate how deeply the student knows the material.

Be Puzzled or Bewildered

As a professional development provider and coach, I learned a very long time ago that admitting you don’t know something or you didn’t quite understand what the participant said, helps to build a strong working relationship. The same holds true in today’s blended classrooms. I like to use a calm, questioning, yet supportive voice to say something like “I’m not sure I understand your answer.” Then, as I pause, it allows the student to consider and to respond.

Gently Reinforce or Encourage

Gentle probes such as “See, you’re moving in the right direction” or, “Absolutely right! You’ve got it,” increase the feeling of support. They keep the student moving forward toward the goal or the correct response.

Redirect or Guide

Good learning and teaching includes making good mistakes. Great teachers guide students and redirect them. Encourage them to be careful, think things thorough, look for missing steps, etc.

Prove It

Again, this type of probe works great for students who give us one-word responses. I often ask something like, “So, if I was a judge in a courtroom and you had to prove to me that this is correct, how would you do that?” Of course, there is also the simple question of “why?”

Relate to Something Already Known

This type serves two purposes. First, it ties what the student is working on to something they’ve already learned. I use something things like, “So, relate that to what we learned about XYZ.” Second, when used in group settings, it refocuses the student back on the current topic. Simply ask, “What’s the connection?” or state, “I’m not sure I see the connection to XYZ. How do you connect the two?”

Today’s Challenge: Think first about why you’re asking the student the question or probing for responses. Then, ask the question. Watch what happens to student body language when you use the various types of probes.

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