Boston: July 13-14, 2015
Conference Description:
What is one ancient, profoundly important, inexpensive, but hardly used technology that could improve education for all students? We just used it. A question.
The ability to ask questions is, however, a technology that most students rarely learn to use. Students passively waiting for instructions on what to do and think, not probing deeply, feeling unmotivated, and falling behind their peers all share a common trait: they are not asking questions to drive their learning. The problem contributes directly to disparities in achievement and opportunities. And, in all communities, even students who meet conventional achievement standards, focus far too often on giving the right answers to their teachers’ questions and never discover how asking questions opens up new pathways to deeper learning. And, perhaps, most importantly, beyond the world of education, students who learn to ask questions can become innovative, effective contributors to a vibrant economy, a more just society and a stronger democracy.
We invite you to participate in a unique international working conference to unpack, analyze, and develop solutions to the core problem of students not learning to ask their own questions. Together, we can address this problem and make a major contribution to improving education for all students.
During the conference, participants, working together, will:
- Identify and analyze obvious as well as overlooked obstacles to student questioning
- Share ideas and learn from experienced practitioners who are using various methods to increase student voice, independent thinking and student questioning and make them relevant to new standards and frameworks and teacher assessment systems (CCSS, C3, NGSS, Danielson’s)
- Generate recommendations for changes in policy, practice and public discourse
- Develop practical action plans that can be implemented immediately to ensure that all students can learn to ask their own questions
Space is limited!
Source organization: The Right Question Institute