Much educational research documents that, in order to achieve real understanding and knowledge that persists over time, learners must actively restructure the information they absorb. In this restructuring, the new knowledge must be integrated with prior knowledge, experiences, and beliefs; contradictions must be identified and resolved; and generalizations and implications must be articulated and applied in solving problems.

One of the hallmarks of active learners is that they relentlessly explore through questioning—they want to understand the hows and whys of situations at hand. The answers to their questions provide them with new conceptions and understandings which they then integrate into their current knowledge base. All too often, the natural curiosity of young children expressed in their inquisitive (if exhausting) “but why?” need-to-know becomes, as they grow, only passive participation where the goal is memorizing and absorbing information, rather than seeking to understand.

Critical Thinking Questions present an opportunity which is explicit in the flow of a classroom activity (Critical Thinking Questions are step 6d of the Learning Process Methodology) and implicit in more generic learning situations to help students explore models and guide their inquiry through the multiple Levels of Learner Knowledge (Bloom’s taxonomy), thus improving their performance capabilities, and challenging them to become increasingly active learners.

Critical thinking questions should be selected and sequenced so that they are:

  • Relevant: must help students meet performance criteria for activity

  • Growth-Oriented: must promote growth for learners at multiple levels of development

  • Logical: must be thoughtfully sequenced from lower- to higher-level questions

Directed Questions focus on Level 1 knowledge consisting of information and facts. Such questions often begin with who, what, when, where, and which. The answers can be found by examining the model presented in the activity, using the information resources listed, or by drawing on personal experience and prior knowledge and activities. Such questions have a definite answer and build the foundation for more challenging questions.
Criteria Examples

• Preparatory: measure readiness for the learning activity

• Exploratory: require the learner to use the resources needed for the activity

• Accessible: motivate learners through initial success

• Foundational: deconstruct misconceptions & build infrastructure for future learning

Can you list the three...?

Who was...?

What facts show...?

Which one...?

Convergent Questions build Level 2 knowledge (understanding of concepts) and help students build a foundation for later elevation of their knowledge to Level 3 (applying knowledge to new situations). Convergent questions require students to organize, interpret, analyze, and synthesize. They may have more than one correct answer, and the level of difficulty progresses within a sequence of questions. A good convergent question makes important connections, links concepts together, leads to better understanding, and requires that students reach conclusions.
Criteria Examples

• Challenging: answers are not directly available in the resources (model, readings, lectures, and real-life experiences)

• Rich: allow for more than one correct answer or approach

• Integrative: make links between key information in the resources

What is the effect or consequence of...?

How might x influence…?

How would you summarize...?

Why is it necessary to...?

Divergent Questions send students in new and interesting directions. They may have no right or wrong answer, but require students to ponder, explore, generalize, and expand their current knowledge. Divergent questions require the highest level of thinking and produce outcomes and conclusions that vary among learning teams and individuals. They help identify holes in knowledge and test understanding by challenging the knowledge structure that was built.
Criteria Examples

• Difficult: require the learner to go beyond the performance criteria for the activity

• Open-ended: encourage learners to travel down different paths of inquiry

• Validating: motivate learners to test and generalize boundary conditions

• Deep: are possible research questions

What do you predict would happen if….?

How can x be used for….?

What is a situation that illustrates…?

What would you recommend for….?


To learn more, see the module Writing Critical Thinking Questions
by Dave Hanson in the Faculty Guidebook, 4th Edition.