MSTLTT Summer 2012 Team (From right to left: Kevin, Jeremy, Harish and Marina) present the project to graduate student (mathematics and science teachers from BC, China, Vietnam and USA) at UBC Faculty of Education Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy.
Good questions bring learning to life
Our project began with a simple conviction: to use educational technologies meaningfully, teachers need access to good questions—questions that spark curiosity, reveal students’ thinking, challenge misconceptions, and open up discussion.
When we began this work nearly 15 years ago, electronic response systems, often called “clickers,” were creating new opportunities for participation in mathematics and science classrooms. These tools allowed every student to respond to a question and helped teachers see students’ answers immediately. Yet the technology was only part of the story. Its educational value depended on the questions teachers asked and the conversations that followed.
As researchers and teacher educators at the University of British Columbia, we wanted to connect our research on educational technologies with the everyday work of teaching. We brought together faculty members, practicing and future teachers, and undergraduate and graduate students to create a shared collection of mathematics and science questions and solutions. Our goal was to make thoughtful resources accessible and to invite educators in Canada and beyond to contribute their ideas and expertise.
From a question bank to a shared teaching resource
Over the years, the project grew beyond its initial focus on clickers into a broader collection of resources for elementary and secondary mathematics and science. Throughout this history, the questions have offered starting points for classroom learning: inviting students to predict, explain, compare answers, and reconsider their reasoning.
A question might introduce a new topic, prompt a small-group discussion, or help a teacher discover why an apparently straightforward idea is proving difficult. A solution can become an opportunity to examine an explanation and ask, “Why does this work?” or “What would happen if we changed the conditions?”
The technologies have evolved, but our purpose has remained consistent: to support teachers in making students’ thinking visible and helping them build deeper understanding.
Why this work matters in the age of AI
Today, artificial intelligence can generate questions and answers in seconds. But producing a question is not the same as designing a meaningful learning opportunity. Scientific accuracy, clear explanations, an understanding of common misconceptions, and sensitivity to learners’ needs still require careful professional judgment.
Resources created for teachers, by teachers and students, matter more than ever. They bring disciplinary knowledge into conversation with classroom experience and learners’ perspectives. They also offer material that educators can critically examine, adapt, and use as a reference when evaluating AI-generated content.
We see new technologies as opportunities to extend this work while keeping educational purpose at its heart. Our ambition remains to connect educators, encourage thoughtful sharing, and support learning through questions worth asking.
Good questions invite answers. Great teaching turns those answers into opportunities to learn.