(JP/ENG)【Open-ended question（開かれた質問→正解のない質問）/ Closed-ended question（閉ざされた質問→正解のある質問）】前回、TeachingとTellingの違いについて書きましたが、伝えるだけのTellingではなく、教える/Teachingにするポイントは「質問」なのだと思っています。そしてその質問の仕方がとても大事。授業やガイディングなど、そのシチュエーションによって違ってきますが、私は出来る限りOpen-ended questionを中心としながらも、Closed-ended questionも入れるようにしています。
「質問」にはざっくりと、このOpen-ended questionとClosed-ended questionがある訳ですが、どのように違うのでしょうか。
Open-ended questionとは、所謂「正解のない質問」の仕方で、どのような答えが返ってきても良しとするスタイル。“自由度”が高いので、相手の答え方次第でその人の関心事項や知識レベルまで、かなり相手の人物像が見えてくることがあります。「発散的思考」を要するので、想像力が豊かになり、新しいアイディアや視点を得ることもできるかもしれません。
（例）
What is the mood of this painting?
How do you feel about this work?
Tell me about the style of this work.
If you were to create a work of art with a similar theme but in different art forms, what would you make?
Why do you think the artist used abstraction to convey the story?
What did you learn today about the artist?
Closed-ended questionとは、YesかNoで答えるような“選択型”の質問。広がりがあまり期待できない、アッと言う間に会話も終わってしまう質問スタイル。答えがあり、その答えに到達するまでどんどん考えを絞っていく必要がありますので、「集中的思考」を要します。
（例）
Do you like this painting?
How many colors did the artist use in this work?
Where is the focal point of this drawing?
What is the name of this Saint?
Why did Gauguin move to Tahiti?
美術系の講座では、Open-ended questionを中心とするのが理想ではありますが、対象となる生徒さんによって変えていく必要があります。
美大の１年生対象の基礎講座（あるいは美術初心者向けの講座）で、いきなり作品を見せて、What do you think about this work?（この作品についてどう思う？）だと、質問が抽象的すぎて、皆さん途方に暮れてしまうと思うのです。ですので、範囲を狭めて、What do you think about the use of colors in this work?（この作品に使われている色についてどう思いますか？）と一か所限定で感想を聞くことにしています。
最終的には、What do you think about this work?（あるいは、What is your impression of this work?この作品の印象は？）というなんともアバウトな質問に答えられる人を育てたいと思っています。なぜなら、これは究極の質問であって、「自分軸」のある人にしか答えられないからなのです。
作品を目の前にして、真っ先に何が見えて、それをどう解釈してどう感じたのか。。それを即座に捉えて発言するのは簡単そうで、実は難しいことなのですね。色とか画風とか作品のエレメンツ的なことが一番印象に残ったのか、あるいは、作品のメッセージを読み取り、その内容を興味深いと思ったのか。。本来このようなオープンな質問に対して、先生は特定な答えを求めておらず、返ってきた生徒のコメントに合わせて、対話を深めていきますので、エレメンツについてでも、内容についての感想でも、なんでもいいのです。
しかし、マーク方式教育を受けてきた者にとっては、自由度がありすぎると困る。。というのも理解できます。マーク方式では、「答えが一つ」。だとすると、オープンな質問であっても、先生が求めている答えは一つなのではなかろうかと心配し、「色についてコメントしたら、ズレてるって思われるかな。。」とか、「私にとってはこの絵は不快なんだけれども、そんな発言をしたら、皆からおかしいって思われるかな。。」なんて、あれこれ考えている内に時間切れになります。
結局のところ、選択方式の方が楽なのです。
その真逆なのが、アメリカでの美術講座で、先生が質問する前から「自分の意見を話したくてたまらない」生徒が多くて。。向こうの先生は、生徒たちのバラバラの意見をどうまとめよう。。と恐らく苦労されているのだと思います。
私が、どのようにOpen-ended とClosed-ended questionを使い分けているのか、次回書きたいと思います☆
As I have written before, “teaching” and “telling” is different. Telling could be a one-way lecture, whereas teaching requires involvement with the student. To make students think and absorb the content that you are teaching, it is important to ask questions. To give “open-ended questions” rather than “closed-ended questions” in an art related classroom might be ideal. I try to give open-ended questions as much as possible but also combining it with closed-ended questions.
So what is the difference between an “open-ended” and “closed-ended” question?
Open-ended questions are questions without a precise answer. It’s a style of questioning which requires a divergent thinking. Therefore, you can expect answers that vary and often times you can actually find out what the individual’s interests and perceptions are as well as their level of knowledge concerning the subject. Since there is no “correct” answer, it invites everyone to participate in the discussion and encourages creativity.
Some examples:
What is the mood of this painting?
How do you feel about this work?
Tell me about the style of this work.
If you were to create a work of art with a similar theme but in different art forms, what would you make?
Why do you think the artist used abstraction to convey the story?
What did you learn today about the artist?
Closed-ended questions are questions with a Yes/No answer. It requests factual or specific information. Since it requires a convergent thinking, it does not invite all participants to get involved, but only the ones who may know the answer. The question might not expand the student’s imagination and help produce new ideas.
Samples:
Do you like this painting?
How many colors did the artist use in this work?
Where is the focal point of this drawing?
What is the name of this Saint?
Why did Gauguin move to Tahiti?
When was this work made?
It might be ideal to present open-ended questions in an art class. But it depends upon who your students are.
To ask “What do you think about this work?” to a freshman class in Japan is probably not a good idea. The questioning is too abstract, and the students will totally be at loss. I usually narrow down the question to a (for example) “What do you think about the use of colors in this work?” Otherwise, if I ask the first question, students will spend too much time to think about what the question itself means. This is what goes on in their mind…
…does she want us to talk about color? But maybe that’s not the point of the question. What if I’m wrong.. what if the question is concerning the subject matter. But wait, I might be wrong about the subject matter. My classmates might think I’m ignorant if I say this.. hmmm.. I think I’ll just keep quiet….
Hopefully at the end of the semester, students would feel more comfortable to answer a What do you think about this work?/What is your impression of this work? question, But this takes time, and most of all it is a questioning style which requires confidence in yourself, and this becomes an obstacle in a country where the education system is based on convergent thinking.
Having a correct answer makes things so much easier here.
This is the opposite from the education system in the US, where a divergent thinking is encouraged. I remember my university days in the US where students will speak about their personal thoughts even without being asked.
I’d like to write more on how I use both open-ended and closed-ended questions in my classroom. Next time!