The Critical Incident Questionnaire
Brookfield (1995) contends that teaching can be rendered meaningless or at the very least misguided if applied without the "foundational, first order knowledge we need to do good work as teachers" (p. 94). CIQ data can help lay open "hidden agendas, power centers, and assumptions that inhibit, repress, and constrain" and can help us challenge assumptions that permeate our classrooms (Thomas, 1993, pp. 2-3). Regular teacher solicitation of vivid learnings produces a "running commentary" on the emotional climate of a class as opposed to end-of-the-term learner ratings of instruction which are after the fact and do not provide a window into the routine dynamics, tenor, or rhythm of learner experience (Brookfield, 1995).
Integrating the CIQ into the Classroom
Campus bookstores and other copy centers can copy the CIQ's instructions and five questions onto a single page attached to a tear-off carbon copy (Brookfield, 1995, see Appendix A). The questions can be altered to fit the needs of any classroom. I distributed the CIQ during the final ten minutes of the last weekly class period, instructing students to keep the carbon copies and leave the originals in a box by the door as they left class. When I could remain separate from the students completing the CIQ forms I was better able to protect learner privacy and to reinforce the students' anonymity.
The effectiveness of the CIQ is partly a function of their routine use in a course. Weekly use does take time and I found myself using them periodically given the nature of course activities, so the important point is their routine use. How did I do this? First, I explained them in my course syllabi and used quotes about their usefulness from past learners. Second, I talked about the CIQ and its purpose during the first week of class and used examples from past courses. Third, I discussed the CIQs' weekly themes in succeeding weeks and integrated their content into the course. Fourth, I found that CIQs used in conjunction with journals and portfolios required the learners to reflect on CIQ information, which helps to legitimize their use.
I urge you not to assume that learners initially will understand why and how the CIQs are integral to your teaching and their learning. In fact, I found that some resisted filling out the CIQs and were never convinced of their value. Also, not all learners will remember what to report at the end of the week and may even express frustration while completing the forms. I suggest that teachers consciously summarize course activities and topics during the week and again before the CIQ is handed out. I also reassured students that if they do not have a response for a question it is okay to leave a blank.
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