FAA Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI)The Teaching Process and MethodsMedium
During a ground lesson, an instructor asks a student: 'What are the effects of carburetor icing on engine performance, and how would you use the checklist to identify structural ice on the wings?' This question is poorly constructed because it violates which characteristic of an effective instructional question?
- ACenters on a single idea
- BBrevity and clarity
- CAdaptability to the student's experience level
- DProvides a challenge to the student
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Centers on a single idea
Effective questions should focus on only one idea at a time; this question improperly combines two unrelated concepts (carburetor icing effects and structural icing checklist use) into a single compound question, which confuses students and makes evaluation of understanding difficult.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. The question is not necessarily unclear or wordy, just compound.
- C. Nothing indicates it's mismatched to the student's experience level.
- D. The question could still be challenging, but its main flaw is combining two ideas.
Characteristics of Effective Questions
Guidelines instructors should follow when asking questions to check understanding and stimulate thinking.
- Should apply to the subject at hand
- Should be brief, clear, and definite
- Should center on a single idea
- Should be adapted to student ability/experience
- Should present a challenge to the student
Memory trick: 'ABCDE' of questions: Applicable, Brief, Centered, Definite, Engaging