Learning by Questions
1. What is Learning by Questions?
Learning by Questions (LbQ) is a learning platform for primary and secondary schools that has been developed with input from teachers since 2016, supported by the Bowland Charitable Trust and building on work by the former UK charity the Institute for Effective Education/University of York. Now covering many UK subject areas (English, Mathematics, Primary Science, Primary Geography, Primary History, Biology, Chemistry and Physics) it works on the basis of self-paced Question Sets, that offer immediate personalised feedback for pupils and real-time lesson analysis for teachers to support effective intervention during lessons. The pre-prepared question sets (80,000 +) are all available through the free service and can be used for teaching in front of a class. A subscription service allows access to all features for students and the creation by a teacher of additional question sets for any purpose.
2. How can Learning by Questions make learning more personalized?
It allows teachers to set clear and well-pitched goals for students on a progression, which takes them from the known to the unknown, with sufficient chance to develop fluency and mastery in the subject. Students are supported in developing self-regulation and perseverance by receiving immediate feedback and personalised suggestions to correct misconceptions or mistaken strategies. Teachers are able to monitor a whole class in the moment as well as in review and make judgements based on evidence rather than assumptions to inform further intervention and plan appropriate next steps. The platform makes use of features such as randomisation to provide different questions for individuals, and automatically advancing students to the next level of challenge. Within a level, the student navigation feature if used allows students to answer questions in any order and for a teacher to review completed questions with a student on their own device. The platform has been shown to be effective for remote and blended approaches as well as physically in class.
3. What to consider when implementing Learning by questions?
Learning by Questions is available on a free 30 day trial and at the end of that period a teacher will continue to have access to the complete questions sets to use for teaching purposes. Full access for students requires a modest annual subscription after the trial period and the platform can be accessed via a browser on may platforms and devices or through the dedicated apps, though only some features work on a smartphone, so tablet or computers work best. Teachers report time-saving efficiencies due to the automatic marking function and reduction of planning time. The platform is designed to be used alongside other teaching methods and strategies.
4. Where can I get started with Learning by questions?
Further detailed information is available on the Learning by Questions website https://www.lbq.org/ with teacher reviews available on the edtech impact website at https://edtechimpact.com/products/learning-by-questions