Wie beantworte ich schwierige Fragen während einer Vorlesung am besten?

In my experience, proactive preparation is crucial for handling challenging lecture questions. Before each class, I invest time in foreseeing potential student queries. When questions arise, I approach them patiently, nurturing their curiosity. Understanding the essence of the question is key for a relevant response. I aim to link their queries to existing knowledge, offering a scientifically supported, comprehensive answer, often accompanied by a real-world example. If uncertain, I provide a basic overview and promise a more informed response the next day. Additionally, I actively engage in dialogues with colleagues, seeking diverse viewpoints to bolster my subject comprehension.

Responding to difficult questions during a lecture: Acknowledge respect 👋 Pause & reflect ⏸️ Clarify if unclear ❓ Stay calm 😌 Empathize 🤝 Stay on topic 📚 Be honest Provide concise, evidence-based answers 💬 Encourage discussion 💬 Redirect if off-topic 🔄 Maintain respect 🙏 Summarize complex questions 📝 End positively 👍 Manage time ⏱️

When possible, I prefer to show the student the path to the answer, leading him with simpler questions, going along the path together, rather than taking him blindfolded to it. However, this method that I frequently use in my lectures in Engineering might not be appropriate in other areas of knowledge.

A question is engagement, and a question is thinking in action. So remember questions are gifts, and a great opportunity to deepen learning, and leverage for interaction. So I try to truly welcome questions, and ensure my body language and response crate a welcoming environment for more. A difficult question can be challenging though. It can disrupt and put us on the spot. These are internally focused reactions. Try to take the emotion out of our responses by changing how we perceive questions into fun engagement, a chance for some back and forth, and a chance to probe. If we feel on the spot, spin the question around for with a “interesting, why do you ask that?” Or see if another student would like to answer.

To handle difficult questions in a lecture, maintain composure, listen attentively, and gather your thoughts. Be honest and transparent, admitting if you don't know the answer but are willing to research. Break down complex concepts into simpler terms, encourage collaborative discussion, and be confident in your knowledge. Engage with your audience and provide credible sources to back up your response.

Listening to the question carefully to understand it fully is very important. Stay calm and composed, even when you are unsure about the answer. Admit that you may not have an immediate answer and reassure the students that you will provide insights on that in the next class. Honesty is appreciated. Encourage other students to provide inputs or ideas; this way, you can promote a collaborative learning environment. Sometimes, rephrasing the question or reiterating it might help shed light on the topic. Don't rush, take your time to formulate a thoughtful response. Lastly, always be respectful and appreciative of the students' curiosity and critical thinking.

Even if my students are asking hard questions, I would rather they ask questions then sit in silence. Asking questions means engagement. So, I say something like "that's a great question" or "thanks for your question" to acknowledge that engagement.

often, using the Rogerian technique, rephrasing and asking the question back helps to clairfy what information is needed from both the speaker and the questioner.

With challenging questions, I always check to see if I understand the student's intent. I teach in a highly politicized field (Gender/Queer Studies). Sometimes students seem more aggressive than they mean to be. Sometimes they are truly confused. Other times they might be trying to challenge me directly or introduce conflict to the room. Understanding intent helps me decide which direction to go in my response. I always presume scholarly curiosity and answer questions as if they are serious, even when I perceive a more aggressive intent. I also know that students are more likely to challenge women professors than men, still, in 2024. So it is up to us to know our material thoroughly and guide them to respectful interactions.

When faced with difficult questions during a lecture, it's essential to maintain honesty and integrity as an educator. If you're unsure of the answer, it's perfectly acceptable to admit that you're guessing or uncertain about the response. In such cases, promise to research the question and provide a more accurate answer later. This not only reinforces the importance of intellectual integrity but also sets a positive example for students, encouraging them to seek knowledge and admit when they don't know something. Additionally, consider opening the floor to the class, inviting others to share their insights, fostering a collaborative and inclusive learning environment.

Firstly, a teacher's own content clarity matters the most. if she/he has complete knowledge of the content being taught, no question is difficult. Otherwise, probing students with relevant questions can not only help the teacher bring out the required answer, but can polish problem solving attitude in students.

Perfect! appreciate their ability to think differently and having the guts to ask it. Further the teacher can take it forward as a discussion instead as a discourse. Also, the teacher can ask a follow-up question to see how the child figured the question in the first place this would create more opportunity of discussing it with an open mind and might lead to the answers as a discovery.

Admit if you don't know the answer: It's okay to not have all the answers. If you're unsure about a question, be honest and admit it. However, assure the student that you will find the answer and get back to them. For example, you can say, "I'm not entirely sure about that, but I will look into it and provide you with a detailed response later." Encourage discussion: If the question is complex or requires a deeper analysis, encourage other students to share their thoughts and engage in a class discussion. This allows for a collaborative learning experience and can lead to a more comprehensive answer. For example, you can say, "That's a thought-provoking question. Let's open it up to the class and see what others think."

Another way to approach the idea of "validating the question" is expressing gratitude for the question. If we approach the question as an opportunity, rather than an interruption or inconvenience, it shifts our perspective, our energy, and our ability to connect with that audience member. Even if a question feels like it might be a direct challenge, practice gratitude. Go beyond saying the words- mean them. Thank you for your question! This person has given you an opportunity to further clarify, to provide additional information, and to have an even greater impact with your audience. And, beyond the impact it has in the moment, it also might give you valuable insights into how to frame future presentations.

Find a positive initial response to every question. Not just a stock, “that’s an interesting question”, but make your habit to find the gift in every question. This forces us to find some positive intent, and nurture and encourage this. Learners should be encouraged to engage with learning and be active in their processing of material. Even if a question is coming from a place of ego, this can still be turned positive with our response. We have the stage, and our students are looking to us as examples. So choose positive.

I would definitely acknowledge the question and validate it, but like some of the other educators have said, I would ask further questions and guide the students to think through and answer their own questions. Once they gave answers, I would prompt them to tell us WHY they chose to look at the question that way, etc., but I would definitely NOT answer the question for them, unless they were stumped. In certain instances, like in grammar, where there are specific answers to questions, the speaker has to stop and answer the question when the prompting does not lead the students to make the correct responses. That's when I would stop and explain things a bit more and perhaps also say WHY certain responses might not be appropriate.

Understand that sometimes your best answer is going to be "I don't know, but we can find out". This shows honesty and continuation of the communication. For students this lets them see it is okay to not know something and that does not have to be the end of it. We need to foster curiosity. For adult learners this shows them that you are validating their question and intend to find the right answer rather than the "right now" answer.

Similar to what some others have mentioned, the act of not answering the question can, in some circumstances, be a learning experience. If there are no difficult questions for me to respond to, am I even doing my job? A lesson or lecture that truly has rigor means there must be difficult questions. It means learners are engaging with the content and thinking about it in new and fresh ways. This is the ultimate goal of academic research as they approach college and beyond. They are not to regurgitate or respond in an echo chamber, but to add to a school of thought like researchers do when synthesizing their findings through inquiry, ultimately formulating original ideas that fill in what's missing from what's already been said.

From my prior response: I would ask further questions and guide the students to think through and answer their own questions. Once they gave answers, I would prompt them to tell us WHY they chose to look at the question that way, etc., but I would definitely NOT answer the question for them, unless they were stumped. In certain instances, like in grammar, where there are specific answers to questions, the speaker has to stop and answer the question when the prompting does not lead the students to make the correct responses. That's when I would stop and explain things a bit more and perhaps also say WHY certain responses might not be appropriate.

I usually throw the question back to the class and solicit ideas. It is amazing how the students come up with great ideas. After getting them, I help them polish them and I add the final touches to the answers provided.

Answers to some questions will be subjective and stemming out the teacher's personal experience. In such cases, It is important to announce that it an opinion and invite the students to express theirs as well. It can build up to a discussion rather than a simple Q&A. Also, at times when I do not know the answer, I make it a point to look for answers and get back to the student at the earliest. This build trust and a positive relationship with the student.

Break down the question: If the question is multifaceted or too broad, break it down into smaller parts and address each component separately. This helps you provide a more organized and comprehensive response. For example, you can say, "Let's break this question into two parts. First, we'll address the historical context, and then we'll discuss the implications for the present." Relate the question to the lecture material: Connect the question to the content you've covered in the lecture. This helps students see the relevance and application of the topic. For example, you can say, "Your question is related to the concept we discussed earlier about X. Let's explore it further in the context of your question."

My best advice comes from the world of improv/comedy: "Yes...and". The premise being that one performer/improviser accepts what another improviser has stated ("yes") and then expands on that (“and”), even if the performers disagree. In a lecture situation it could be "Do you agree that x content is flawed" "yes, and it has still influenced hundreds of years of practice". This can help position you as an open-minded, curious educator rather than someone who is afraid of being challenged.

When it comes to hard questions, saying 'I don't know' as always an option. But you need to give them something to follow up on, like committing to exploring the question and responding at a specific future point once the topic is fully considered.

All the times I have found myself in that situation, I do not pretend to know the answer. I admit I don't have it and then ask to get back with the answer. I do a follow up research and then get back as promised.

I think to begin with the lecture should consider an interactive mode, which means questions are welcomed in-between, and the flow of your listeners is ensured to be with yours. The questions tend to become difficult if you, your listeners and your lecture are not in sync.

You should check for understanding by posing secondary questions based on your answer to verify if your students totally understand the answer. Only asking if the answer is clear will not be enough to elicit full understanding from your students.

Summarize and provide a concise answer: After considering the question and any relevant discussion, provide a clear and concise answer. Use simple language and avoid jargon to ensure understanding. For example, you can say, "In summary, the answer to your question is X. This is because of Y and Z."

Some questions may sound silly or stupid to the teacher, but it indicates the point of view of the student. Instead of dismissing such questions, it is crucial to find out why that question and its answer is important to the student. This may open up new avenues for discussion as well.

Transparency is very important for a lecturer/teacher. Which means, the courage and openness to say "I dont know" if you wouldnt know how to respond to a question. Pretentions and Obfuscations to be avoided in your interactions with your listeners.

As far as the difficult questions are concerned which students might ask during lecture, one important point is to be concise and specific. Sometimes when students ask a bit difficult question during the lecture, the teacher tend to answer it in detail trying to prevent getting in awkward situation of NOT KNOWING the particular thing. Best way to avoid this is to be brief and to the point and most importantly instead of beating around the bush one must have the courage to say I DON'T KNOW THIS AT THIS VERY MOMENT BUT I COULD ANSWER YOU LATER. That's what a smart teacher do.

Depends on situation but these are things that I have done. Respond totally honestly and if you know nothing then say you don’t .You may have option to ask if anyone knows any info in audience if appropriate for setting you are in. I have said it is worth researching and getting back to you if I truly will do so. If it is not an appropriate question for public response then I might suggest speaking directly about it afterward if possible. I think how when and where and to whom you are speaking certainly affects how you handle difficult questions. I have allowed two way interaction if I know audience well. I set parameters on when in lecture and how to take any questions and that helps obviously.

Learning happens best when it is co-learning, and everyone involved in the teaching process is a learner. This means, you have to be in touch with your subject, and update all the time!

Prepare possible questions that your students may ask during your lesson beforehand. By doing this you can avoid personal embarrassment or giving your students insufficient answers. By encouraging your students to ask questions, you can elicit parts of the lesson that they do not understand or understand incorrectly and adjust your lesson accordingly.

One of the best ways to respond to difficult questions during a lecture is to take a few moments to pause and think before answering. This allows you to frame your response in a way that is respectful, thoughtful, and accurate. Additionally, it may be helpful to ask for clarification if the question is unclear, and then provide a response.

A difficult question is only difficult if it is defined as such. Reframe the question to a line of inquiry and take your curiosity to the next level by engaging in dialog with the individual who asked the question. Invite them to describe the inspiration of the question, and ask them to elaborate on their hopes for your answer. Encourage them to describe how they reached the point to ask the question. Avoid getting into a 'gotcha' situation for yourself or the questioner. Show dialog skills, and model discussion presence that engages not only the person but the audience by showing them aloud how you think of your answer and how you reached your conclusion. A difficult question is a gift to open and explore.

Being a lecturer doesn’t mean that you are required to know everything, and that showing authenticity and humility is okay, too. It’s okay to acknowledge that you don’t know the answer but that you will do some research and get back to the group with a response; or better yet, if it’s a class of learners, make the opportunity an active learning space whereby the learners are encouraged to look up the answers and analyze the information, creating a collaborative learning environment for all. For my classes, I often only lecture for 10-15 minutes at a time, and then I turn to the class and make the experience as active and experiential as possible.

Giving a lecture is inherently risky because the lecturer is constrained to only that which they know and perhaps not so well as other parts of their lecture. Expecting difficult questions also depends on the experience, preparedness and qualities of the audience. For example and expert audience in your field may ask nuanced questions requiring external processing and back and forth showing vulnerability on both sides to develop a collaborative response. Where a question integrates two variables, while difficult this could be an enjoyable excursion on a subject. If a third variable is added. The lecturer gets to show their stuff and demonstrate with their audience how to construe a response. Questions are gifts.

Be honest. If a “teacher” has no meaningful “answer” why pretend to know it all? That’s the quickest way to lose the respect of those “students” who can see right through the arrogance. Always keep in mind that all are teachers and all are students. We all learn from one another.

Sometimes, it is not possible to answer all the questions. And it is okay! You cannot be an expert in everything, but you can find a learning opportunity in everything. Acknowledge the interesting questions and points of view. Admit that you do not know the answer or that you are unsure. Encourage the student to try to find the answer themselves and promise them to research it yourself. Discuss it later. This develops their skills and your expertise is a valuable tool in helping them differentiate between sources and navigate jargon and terminology they are unfamiliar with. You are just human and your students know that, but they do not value you less for it.

Totally agree with this approach! Many "experts" in the audience want you to stumble on your response; pointing out your flaws. Taking the time to thoughtfully reply, or ask for clarification solidifies your position as the real expert in the room (on your own presentation)! Additionally, pausing at times during your presentation adds emphasis to the point and refocuses your audience attention to you (not their personal devices)!

After I have responded or engaged the class to participate with responses, I always ask the questioner if that was helpful. If it wasn't, I try to dig further as I may have misinterpreted what was being asked or the questioner may not have framed the question to elicit what he/she/they is seeking.

It's important to create a safe and respectful environment where students feel comfortable asking difficult questions. By using these strategies, you can effectively respond to challenging queries and foster a positive learning experience for everyone.

For most experts there are no difficult questions. There are a couple of reasons why the questions might seem difficult. 1. Asking in a confusing way, not being clear on the topic and 2. Wrong, deliberately confusing intentions. Consider which one might be and handle it from these two perspectives.