1. A meaningful question is as good as the right answer….
Socratic Method
A meaningful question is as good as the right answer….
Actively engaging students in the critical thinking process or ways of thinking and ways of knowing…
Dr. Noe Pablo Lozano

2. Outline Socratic Method Using the Socratic Method Definition
Key Points
Advantages
Disadvantages
Using the Socratic Method
General Guidelines
Forming Questions
“Techie” Classroom Settings

3. What is the Socratic Method?
General: Foundation of Western Pedagogical Tradition.
A controlled debate used as a method of inquiry for the examination of conceptual, philosophical, and moral ideas.
Teaching: A shared dialogue between teacher and students, where both are responsible for continuing the dialogue through questioning
Probing questions by Teachers lead the discussion
Questions are asked, by an individual, by the other Students and by the instructor to determine uncertainty, examine complexity and understand difficulty;
Teachers are equally participant and a guide or source of knowledge;
Open-ended inquiry: lead with or without a lesson plan; the dialogue of teacher/student leads to the new knowledge;

4. Socratic Questioning Fundamental part of the Method Objectives:
Examine the student's thoughts:
Use to demonstrate complexity, difficulty and uncertainty
Learn what is known
Learn what is not known
Force evaluation of current beliefs
Know facts, yet what do students thinks about these facts
Strengthen Socratic ability
Focus on what specific students thinks and avoid what the World or others think;
Encourage questioning self and others
Teach how to construct deep, meaningful questions
You do not need to know all the knowledge

5. Key Differences Lecturer Students
Does not lecture
Poses a question, but does not answer
Fosters the analysis through Socratic Questions
Students
Must listen and actively engage
Focus on the underlying principles
Account for beliefs in class
Ask questions of Lecturer and fellow students
Environment of familiarity, yet “productive discomfort” verses intimidation and panic

6. Key Differences Three Way Dialogue with equal status
The Individual student contribution
The other students’ perspectives
The lecturer’s focus and emphasis

7. Effectiveness Advantages Disadvantages
Fosters critical thought above memorization
Enforces the beliefs of students as ideas are subject to examination
Teaches to question, understand, and extend
Reveals the complexity of seemingly simple statements
Focus students on articulating their values and on their ideas holding up to scrutiny
Disadvantages
Difficult to apply in certain classroom settings
Not as suited for imparting worldly facts and standard lecture
Not optimal for imparting logical facts, theorems, and knowledge generated by conventional lectures.

8. Method in Practice Participate in the dialogue Silence is productive
Professor and student must be willing to accept new ideas
“I don't know” is an acceptable answer for anyone
Remove deference to authority
Silence is productive
Be reasonable (10 seconds)‏
Do not answer questions, rephrase instead

9. Environment for the Method
Create the proper environment
Learn the names of each person
Short interventions, not speeches, when needed
Small groups for larger classes
Encouraging Thought
Alternative positions are acceptable
Follow-up on responses
Emphasize active participation

10. Forming the Question Ask a single question Concise, clear questions
“How are A and B the same, and why are they different”? vs. “Why is A different from B?”
Concise, clear questions
Eliminate unnecessary words
Easily understood, yet accurate language
Ask appropriate kind of question
Analysis
Comparison
Observation

11. In “Techie” Environments
Application Classes
Seminars for theoretical understanding
Substitute for pure lecture may be undesirable
Possibility: Schedule “Socratic Seminar” periods with standard lecture
Theoretical Classes
Seminars can be used to advance the class
Teaches required critical thought with the concepts involved
Possibility: Focus on extending concepts learned

12. In “Techie” Environments
“The unexamined life is not worth living”
Equally True: “The unexamined problem set is not worth doing.”
How many questions do you need to ask yourself in order to optimize your learning for each class?
Focus is on content and principals and not personal narratives…