When to use it
Use it when a Poll or Quiz would flatten the thinking: explain a step, give an example, or say what is still unclear.
Engage
Open-ended — hear student reasoning
An open-ended question in Sendsteps is a question type in Engage. Students write a short answer in their own words. You hear reasoning, examples, and misconceptions, not only a tap on an option.
How it feeds the loop
Written answers are slower to scan than a Poll, but they show why students chose what they chose. That is high-value evidence for Validate and Improve.
Questions about open-ended prompts
Frequently asked questions about open-ended questions in Sendsteps
What is an open-ended question in Sendsteps?
An open-ended prompt asks students to write a short answer in their own words during Engage. It is useful when you want reasoning, not only a tap on an option. Responses can feed Validate.
How is an open-ended question different from Q&A?
Q&A collects questions students want to ask you. Open-ended collects answers to a prompt you set. Use Q&A when they should steer the discussion. Use open-ended when you want their thinking on a topic you chose.
Will I drown in long answers?
Keep the prompt short and specific. You are asking for a sentence or two, not an essay. You stay in control of how you read them in the lesson.
How do open answers help me teach?
Written answers show language and reasoning you would miss with multiple choice alone. That is evidence for Validate, and it still gives quieter students a way to contribute without speaking first.
Every lesson improves the next
Use these question types in Engage. Then see who understands in Validate.