Which of the following best describes a divergent question?
Do you think all things expand on heating?
A divergent question is open-ended: it does not have one single fixed answer, and it invites learners to think, explore possibilities, offer opinions and justify them with reasoning and examples, rather than simply recall or state one accepted fact.
Asking students whether they think all things expand on heating invites them to state an opinion and then test, discuss and justify it with different examples and possible exceptions, such as the anomalous behaviour of water, opening up multiple lines of reasoning and discussion.
By contrast, asking for the process of heat transfer in solids, liquids and gases, or asking for the difference between heat and temperature, each seeks one specific, correct factual answer, making them convergent recall questions.
Asking what materials can be used to wrap ice to prevent it from melting in summer is a practical application question with an expected set of correct materials, so it too converges on a defined kind of answer rather than opening up reasoning and opinion the way the first question does.
Hence, asking whether all things expand on heating best describes a divergent question.
Similar Questions
Shanu wants to demonstrate to the class that air has mass. Which one of the following activities will be most suitable for the purpose?
Read the statements given below and choose the correct option:
Assertion: Concept Mapping promotes meaning making through active learning.
Reason: Concept mapping helps students make connections between new ideas that they are attempting to visually represent and those that already exist in their minds.
Important Questions from Methods of Teaching Science
Which of the following are common features of a learner-centred social science classroom?
I. Reading beyond the textbook
II. Creating space for exploration into social issues
III. Using audiovisual content
Which of the following suggestions cannot help you make teaching-learning process participatory in social science?
In which of the following ways is the pattern-seeking test method different from the unbiased test checking method?
I. In pattern-seeking, pupils cannot easily manipulate or control variables because they are working with natural systems.
II. In pattern-seeking, students should keep in mind the increased importance of selecting an appropriate sample size, taking into account the natural variation within samples.
Which of the following statement regarding Observational learning is correct?
I. It is a key learning method for children when acquiring basic tasks such as language and cultural norms.
II. In Observational learning, students think and judge and learn not only how to do certain things but also what the consequences of their action are likely to be.
Who is credited with originating Discovery Learning?
