Reinforcing the 21st Century Pedagogical Skills through the Application of the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) in Secondary Schools in South Eastern Region of Kenya

Abstract

Studies show that only 27% of graduates believe that Universities and colleges taught them how to ask their own questions. The Question Formulation Technique (QFT) imparts students a way that makes them to think critically every time they read, connect the concepts and when deciding whether to take facts and information at face value or to dig a little deeper. Generally, it is reported that students ask less than a fifth of the questions teachers estimated would be elicited and deemed desirable Poor participation by students in the questioning during teaching and learning process has often led to poor learning outcomes which are manifested by poor performance in academics. The study was instituted to evaluate the equipping of 21st skills to secondary schools’ students using QFT trained teachers in ten schools in the South Eastern Region of Kenya. The teachers and students were trained to develop skills in producing of questions, categorizing questions, prioritizing questions and in reflections. The study found that teachers were eager to be trained in QFT skills so as to enhance an observed low student engagement and poor performance. The assessment of the implementation of QFT in content delivery found that students had many questions to ask if given opportunity and not judged during the teaching and learning process. The analysis of the questions showed that the QFT sparked student’s potentials into divergent, convergent and metacognition types of thinking during and after the teaching and learning process. The teachers had a challenge of focusing the student class questions to achieve the lesson objectives in the stipulated time of the lesson. However, online engagement of students with teacher was observed to be a key in spurring more learners’ curiosity in learning and in developing patterns in their thinking and ask questions and facilitate lifelong learning.

Full text

Research Manuscript
Reinforcing the 21st Century Pedagogical Skills through the application of the Question
Formulation Technique (QFT) in Secondary Schools in South Eastern Region of Kenya
112*1
11 !, "##"!
$%&%
February, 2024
1 '()'#(#*+,-./01/2//

2'()'#'##3'##+
,-./01/2//
33#+,-4# 
4 5#6/%/7,33
3(78 9 # 
Abstract
'2.:")#
 ;&<=&#;><=&?
   ##   ##  ## #
 ##
 ;#"#
"#";##
##"###&
;2 ##@
<=&#  #'(  &#  
               #    ;  #A  ;
A;#&#"
<=&       #  "      #  &
      <=&   #         
; 8##&
1

      ;        <=&     @      
## ##
&  #      #    #      #  ;    #     
"8#      *     
#"" @#
  ;#
Key Words7  &#B  B  (B  3B  #B  3"B
5
Introduction
Historical background of Question Formulation Technique (QFT)
&<=&#;><=&?)'$#>)'$?
#1C/5##
@#5# " 
### 
; "#@#&#    # 
 "#; #
&;;#;####
&# 8##&
##;
##$#### " 
# "###( 
##
#;&####
##"<=&
;###
"; '
;#&;
'#" " 
    #    '              "#  
2

###<=&##
       & < = &#; ><=&?  
#"#"  Make Just
One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their OwnQuestions >'2/6?'#
"#" "#
The Question Formulation Technique (QFT) as a learning strategy
'####
#>=# 2//%?= ;
>D$(#2/?*# 
"#""  
##'""#"
<  =&#; ><=&?   #  
# &<=&"##;  
-"8#"'
 ##
-    "8#       # $     
A#@";# 
#
&<=&""-#####
  >,#2/.?#"#
";#* ##"
"## " 
;##5 #<=& 
"#
The Elements of the Question Formulation Technique
&<=&  #     & first element    
<=#>Q Focus?##;& 
   ;       four rules  
;7>? ;#>?8# 
3

;>?;-#-##
>?#;5second element" 
;&";E#0
;##"FGFGB0;
##"#;-
;";F3G#0F+G
 0D-      "  
;#;##
##;#00
;0#05third element<=&"
A;;"prioritization
#""#=-#
;##"F#;
#8#G$A 
      A # ;     < =#  
; ;;#
;;-"-
#E  "  #     5   fourth and final
element<=&reflect
 "##
#      <=&  4            -"    #    #  
    #            "      #    
"8#
Spurring Creative thinking and QFT
&<=& ;&
 divergent thinking which means t #&
#;-####
";#>Q Focus?#"#&#onvergent thinking- This
means n####
;  A   ;& # 
   ; "  5  
4

<=&etacognition t #
"#"8 5#"5#<=&#
@#;#
<=&  ####
### ## 
<=&  ;  
H  ## 0##"  
#'2.:")#
 ;>$2/I? 
J6;#"#">'11IB 
*2/2?   # "      ;  #  
###"#
##5"# ;
"-#"#&<=&
;"#'">D%?
# ;#5"<=&
#

<=&"#" # 
"D<=&"##
#A      # 4  <=&  "     
#####5
###" 
  #   # & 8#    #  
##A##
The Methodology
&53#K#&
& >K&&?    '  (   )        #
####2# 
&###
5

##&AK&&>?>%? 
###'(&D
L         #  #  &#    -        
#    2 3         #  ##  &#    ,
3"  >,3  3?          #          
#     &  ,3 #        
# &#;#
&##          #  #
<=&#;><=&?##5 
#/##D 4 ' L
3($  D" 5  / " 
'() //####"8# #>&"?&
- C/(### ## 
"# '#####
     53&  #  #               ;   
#;"
Table 1. Target Schools and Population
S/n Secondary School Number of teachers
1D'#'# 2
2'#'# /
3 '#'# /
44 '#'# 2
5' L'#'# I
6'#'# 
7"'#'# %
8'D'#'# 
9'#'# 2
10 '#'# 
TOTAL 100
QFT Assessment methodology
&#-;-##; 
###&<=&
##
6

 ;& #;
""#&#<=&
###"#@###
#&#AA;# 
#" Make Just One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their
OwnQuestions >'2/6?
The Results
Evaluations of the QFT brainstorming class sessions
+"###
#"8####
#>=?
Curiosity Engagement Innovativeness Creativity Inclusiveness
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Before Trained Total
Teaching and Learning Aspects
The % Level
Figure 1&#<=&###
###"8####
'(
&3;<=#><#?"#
"8#5"#"8# 3;#
-###&"#
#8 #
7

     ""
"#&# ;"
###*# 
###
5"#"8###" 
#<#><#?#; 

Refining the questions
$; 
#&#"##"8#
#>=2?=-#M@
####;B#
A###
 ##  
###
School Subject Topic Teacher
0
50
100
150
200
250
Before Trained Total
Student Participating Influencing Factor
Percent Aspect
Figure 2$ #  ##;
A'##<=&&#
####;#; 

8

5;-;"
#;#"&
M@M@"&"8
#"M@N*#### 
; & ;
&##"8
#;&#"""# 
#&; 
*##";
" A;#"8#
Summary of observed challenges
&"#I/:#"
"<#;#      #
&#""-##
"8# 

&#<=&##
##"##" 
%/    &    "#    "    ;            "
A=-##+*"4& 
"#;5#HNWNWNWNWNWN&
; "8#>'##*#?
&;"8### 
###*<=&#;"8#
###"8###
>=!?
9

How What Where When Who Why
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Sciences Languages Humanities Maths
Type of Question Asked
% level of Questioning skills
Figure 3$; "; 
#"8###'(#
 <=&# "@  # # #
>2/2!?
5"<=&#& 
"#-## ;,
<=& #-#;&#8<=&
####"
"#00@#
&#-#"  #   
&##
"###5"##
###"    ##"    
##+"#
;"####
#
10

Discussions and Conclusions
QFT and Stimulation of curiosity in lifelong learning
&##>,#
2/.?';##>2/2/?'
#""#-#
 ###&
;###"
#      .:>32/2/?'
####>32/%?*
"#"-##
>O2/!?*#A"
<=#"#'
" "##
;###<=&+" 
#3<=&####"8#
# ;"
& #         @ #  -#   -# 
-#><#?5# $>2//!?
#"#&# 
0 ;##;
-#-
11
Equation I
Curiosity + Question Formulation Techniques =
(Motivation+ Empowerment) Life-Long Learning
Abbreviated as:
C + QFT = (M + E) LLL

&#-<=&"#;5
;###;&<=&# 
80&30,>CBL?"##"
5#"# 5;0,
>IBL?;",(PBL) 
0#0#>2/.B# 42/2?
Conclusions
& < = &#; ><=&?        #   
##;#""8#
 ;$"#
##;#5
"##<=&"#"#
";=""#;#
    #  +    "            
;###&#A
##<=&"#
-#&"####"
        -  &            #   
##'""2/2/
<=&##"3#, 
3#>3,3?
The inclusivity and innovativeness of QFT
&<=&##"###
&"#"" 
"-#&<=& 
;;";"#" 
-#*# ;# 
&"#-##;
""& "##
"'0;# 
12

#;##
+                  0  0;   
@"6/:>*1!?
13

References
 $  >2//!? F) #    # (53
G  (53  3    5    &#  '#  DL  D
(%.1C%2
2 3    *          4    O      >2/%?  $## 
##7&##
LO$##%!CC%PC1I7///.J/1I%0/!0//C60%
! 3>2/2/?$-0##;
#;##### 
#@#$##
    #        #    #    '  @
)DL 
% =# $,3O$*>2//%?'#7
###(##.%>?61P/1
6 "3&"#$>2/2/?5
<=&#;&#'"((
(#$#'#((#
I # 4$(>2/2?F3"7#
##Q53#5&#,
*(#&>5&*(&?0I
. *2//CK"7$'+C//0$
$#
C  &  >2/2/? Q)  '0  <     3  
'Q'#(#'38#6.2
1 ,#*D'>2/.?'3
$"=&##<    (##3#3) 
<=&#;><=&?1.C006/1/0612/0J.J5(((
14

/       $  O    '  >2/!?      (  #
(=3#I2L" ##$#
2%0!1
  $     >2/.?''5;'@
<'#(#KCD62I102.2
2 D  $    (#    >2/?    
7JJ#JJ2/0000#0
! $"0"4'#>2/2!?>4 ?
5<=&5#33#5#(##
3#3D0((8$#'#((#
%   $  3  >2/I?Q& ;#;7    
##G$"7JJ##
6 '>2/6?FMake just one change7# 
;G*(#3"$
I '>2/.?Make Just One Change7&#'$ 
&+<*(#
. & ;      ##    #7 $ ##    # 
##3")3"(#D%C
15

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