I think too that students fear asking questions because they don't want to appear "stupid". In reality other students have the same questions. This is my very first Toot bu the way...
@SteelFolk @Drosmel I am a big fan of open book exams where you are not asking to regurgitate facts but rather apply whatever we talked about and apply it to a practical situation. I think students appreciate this type of assessment because it's much closer to what they'll experience in real life.