To Ask A Question, One Must Know Enough to Know What Is Not Known.

摘要

Is some appropriate level of prior knowledge a prerequisite for asking questions about a new topic matter. The hypothesis that learners should ask the most questions when their knowledge is well matched to the level of presentation was tested using two levels of background knowledge and two levels of difficulty of material to-be-learned. Subjects said aloud their questions and thoughts while learning. Novice learners asked more questions on the easier material than learners with some training; trained learners asked more questions than novices on the harder material. Accordingly, theories of question asking in learning should address interactions between knowledge levels of askers and material. (Author)