The power of questions in teaching chemistry : Questions, a teaching tool to increase motivation and interest

The aim of this study is to find out how the education of chemistry is thought through out questions. Additional goal is to find out how questions affects pupils motivation and interest in the school subject chemistry. The fallowing questions are posed: What types of questions are asked in the classroom? By whom are the questions asked, the teacher or the pupils? Can questions increase the motivation and higher the interest in chemistry? The study is based on four observations and one interview. By observing the teachers classes I aim to analyze what type of questions the observations shows and draw a line between wither the questions are indicative of teaching pupils the subject and develop different skills that is aimed to develop. I will through the interview aim to get closer to the purpose of the study by asking for pupils opinions and arguments about what methods they prefer in the classroom and what methods increases the motivation and higher the interest in chemistry. By observations I have analyzed what types of questions are mostly used in classroom activities. The results shows that questions used in classroom activities are mostly closed questions. The theories and previous researches that are used to analyze the observations; all indicates that closed questions do not develop different skills that are aimd to develop. Theories and previous research also shows that opened questions can increase and higher the interest in chemistry witch effects children’s learning in a positive way. I have through interviews analyzed the pupils answers and came with the conclusion that children does not find activities through closed questions satisfying. Hopefully this study raises awareness of how questions can affect children’s acquiring knowledge in chemistry.