Definition
Open questions invite students to respond in their own words to a prompt, problem or situation in different ways that show understanding, reasoning and thoughtful connections.
Students engage in a process where they:
- generate ideas, justify reasoning and consider alternative perspectives
- explain, analyse, evaluate or create in response to prompts that stretch their thinking
- reveal the depth and diversity of their understanding and how they are making sense of ideas
- engage with tasks that vary in complexity, from short responses (“Why do you think …?”) to extended ones (“How might this idea apply in a new context?”).
Design considerations
When designing open questions, use the identified formative focus to consider:
- what prompt will invite a range of valid and original responses
- how the question will encourage students to generate ideas, justify reasoning or consider alternative perspectives
- what evidence student responses will provide about the depth, diversity and quality of their thinking.
For you and your students, consider:
- whether the level of openness suits the stage of learning (for example, short reflective responses versus extended reasoning or discussion)
- what scaffolds (for example, think-alouds, reading or writing prompts) will clarify your expectations and ensure all students can access and respond to the task
- what digital tools could enhance assessment design, delivery or analysis.
Aim
Open questions help assess students’ ability to:
- explain their thinking or connect ideas
- plan, choose, use or adjust strategies when they solve problems or respond to challenges
- apply their learning in different ways or in new situations.
Timing
Open questions are helpful:
- during the lesson to check student learning and guide teacher response in real time
- after learning when time between lessons is needed to analyse evidence and decide whether to revisit or move forward
- across lessons to track how students build, connect or transfer learning over time.
Evidence
Students demonstrate their learning through practical demonstrations, or by constructing short or extended responses.
In the classroom
These examples show how assessment with open questions can provide evidence of students’ ability to reason, reflect and connect ideas in their own words.
- Advice, opinions or recommendations: students apply reasoning to construct a response, revealing how they justify and support their ideas.
- Analogies, metaphors or examples: students explain ideas in new ways by creating comparisons that show their understanding.
- Brainstorms or shared boards: students generate and organise ideas collaboratively, showing diversity of thought and collective understanding.
- Debates and dialogues: students defend a position using evidence and articulate their thinking through structured discussion.
- Hypothetical scenarios: students respond creatively to imagined situations (for example, “what if …?” or “how might …?”), applying concepts in new contexts.
- Journals, learning logs and exit tickets: students respond to prompts, making their thinking, questions and learning visible.
- “Why” or “how” questions: students respond to prompts that encourage explanation and reflection, revealing how they understand ideas and make connections.
