The role of questions in the science classroom – how girls and boys respond to teachers’ questions^*

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to explore (a) to what extent male and female science teachers pose different types of questions and (b) if the type of science question posed influences the extent to which boys or girls respond to them. Transcripts of the teacher–student interaction in a whole-class situation were analysed, with attention paid to interactions that involved science questions. Closed and open questions were used. Results revealed that the percentage of closed questions posed corresponded to 87%. Results show that teachers mainly use closed questions, and responses from boys to closed questions are in the majority regardless of if the question is posed by a female teacher (56%) or a male teacher (64%). Both categories of closed questions are mainly considered lower order questions that do not facilitate higher cognitive levels in students. Thus, a direct consequence of an excessive use of this type of questions may be that both boys and girls will be given less opportunities to practise their ability to talk about science. Less access to general classroom interaction may also affect girls’ attitudes to science in a negative way which could ultimately hamper the recruitment of girls to higher scientific studies.

KEYWORDS:

• Science education
• gender
• open or closed question

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

* Research conducted at Mid Sweden University, Department of Science Education and Mathematics.

1. SONAT is a Swedish–Danish research project with members from Malmö University, Linnæus University, Aarhus University, Mälardalen University, and Mid Sweden University, with focus on relations between trends in large-scale studies and how teaching and learning are constituted in the science classroom.

2. Average increment credit for Swedish schools is 215, and maximum credit is 320 (2014). http://siris.skolverket.se/siris/f?p=101:54:0::NO.

3. Three levels of parents’ educational are used: passed primary or lower secondary education, passed upper secondary school and tertiary education. http://siris.skolverket.se/siris/f?p=SIRIS:164:0::NO.

Additional information

Funding

This study is conducted within the framework of SONAT, ‘The relation between trends in large-scale studies and how teaching and learning are constituted in the science classroom’, which is financially supported by the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation [grant number MAW 2012.0094].