Socratic Method

[niviene]

I'm curious to know... what do you think of the Socratic method? It's common in teaching law, but do you think it's a good method for all subjects? If not, which types of subjects do you think it would benefit more? (obviously, I wouldn't suggest teaching dodge ball using the socratic method... :eek:)

[Buffy]

What do you think the goal of the Socratic method is? In law school, does it appear to be effective in giving you a better understanding of the subject? Does it sometimes seem like the professor is just making you do all the work? What are the parallels between the Socratic method in practice and the Eliza artificial intelligence program? Have you seen examples of classes outside of law where the Socratic method was used? Were they effective? Why would dodge ball not be appropriate for the Socratic method?

 

Cheers?

Buffy

[karlfreak]

Socratic method ?

 

i don't plan on goin to uni or any thing liike that so could u plz explain

 

seriosly i plan on joining the navy haha

[niviene]

I forgot I ever posted this....

 

Well, good luck with the navy considering that you spend almost a full time job's worth of hours in front of the TV.

[karlfreak]

ok thanks i guess, but what is this Socratic method and what does it do, is it usefull or did another crazy person make up

[infamous]

ok thanks i guess, but what is this Socratic method and what does it do, is it usefull or did another crazy person make up

 

Basicaly it's teaching by asking questions instead of explaining ideas to students.

 

Try Google-ing Socratic method, I'm sure you'll get some good information on that search engine.

[UncleAl]

The Socratic method is unsuitable for bulk production. Dialog is slow and inefficient. Socratic method in public schools at tremendous expense (investment with loss up front because we do not yet know who is capable and valuable), large lectures in universities (sink or swim on your own nickel), then Socratic mentoring when the grain has been separated from the chaff.

 

Dialog's great strength is discovery. Memorizing from a book only gets you more of the same, like asexual reproduction. What you want is cross-fertilization. Not every student's question arising from ignorance is stupid. A tonne of kimberlite might contain one part in a million, a single gram, of diamond. A five-carat diamond is worth the look if you are efficient in the search and clever with the discards.

 

American zero goal-education (lower the average until every child is above it) does not foster success, it allocates for its suppression. A crippled polity on the Dole wll vote as it is told to vote or the goodies stop arriving. Discard the diamonds and warehouse the dross.

 

Support evolution - shoot back.

[nkt]

Basicaly it's teaching by asking questions instead of explaining ideas to students..

As beautifully demostrated by Buffy's riposte!

[infamous]

As beautifully demostrated by Buffy's riposte!

 

Exactly nkt; but sometimes karlfreak needs a little more help than the rest of us do, if you get my drift???

[nkt]

:)

[justforfun]

Any method of teaching which stresses how we learn rather than memorizing facts is to be applauded. The Socratic method is excellent as an internal Dialogue. I suspect that Plato wrote his books as an expression of his internal dialogue. Who knows?

[nkt]

Any method of teaching which stresses how we learn rather than memorizing facts is to be applauded. The Socratic method is excellent as an internal Dialogue. I suspect that Plato wrote his books as an expression of his internal dialogue. Who knows?

This does lead to the interesting and often visited topic of "How does our internal dialogue change the way we think?". Obviously, Plato thought in Greek, in his head. But, would you or I understand it if those thoughts could be played back in our heads? Would we know the meanings of the unknown words? How do we change once we get language, as without words, how does an internal dialogue work? Coming up with a new concept might be easy, but naming it can be hard.

 

Somewhat like 37 words for snow-based weather, it's only useful in a cold country, and how do you explain a snowflake accurately without those words when you meet a man from the African Savannah, who has never seen snow or ice.

 

The importance of the learning method is what we need more of. Static learning is useless, since once everyone knows it, it conveys no advantage.

 

Of course, in a few years, AIs will know everything, even if they are not creative or "alive and intelligent" - they will just parrot back answers that they found for themselves. At this point, most people will be worthless as employees, and the mechanisms for AI learning will be a big issue, since how will the machines learn to tell the truth from the fiction?

 

As someone on another thread said, "Not everything you read on the internet is the truth", which was a riposte to the erroreous quote "Everything you read on the internet is not the truth". How would an AI tell the difference? Google probably isn't going to help!

 

Now, a machine that can comprehend, and follow the Socratic Method - that would at once be a wonder and a horror to behold!

[Chacmool]

I'm not sure whether it would be such a good idea to use the Socratic method in school, because classes are often very large, and some children might get left out of the discussions. Consequently, they could also be left behind in the learning process.

 

However, I think the Socratic method is a great tool for parents teaching their children. They already have the advantage of close, intimate contact, and this type of teaching will encourage children to develop their critical thinking. I also think you learn better when you discover or deduct something for yourself, instead of simply being fed the information. Children are inquisitive by nature, and should respond well to this interactive learning method.

[nkt]

Chacmool,

 

the Socratic method can only really work with one teacher and one student, or, perhaps, one observer. Any more than that, and it becomes too clumsy. Plus, of course, the observer and the student need to reverse the roles every so often.

 

Then certain topics can be revisited, and the conversations will turn very differently, leading in turn to further learning.

 

I have heard about a class in (I think) one university, and as they work on computers, they are searching on-line, and jumping around all over the place, and the professor just guides it on the syllabus, and lets the motivation of the students drive the class forwards. Great with a small class of motivated people, I bet!

[Turtle]

...

Dialog's great strength is discovery. Memorizing from a book only gets you more of the same, like asexual reproduction. What you want is cross-fertilization. Not every student's question arising from ignorance is stupid. A tonne of kimberlite might contain one part in a million, a single gram, of diamond. A five-carat diamond is worth the look if you are efficient in the search and clever with the discards...

Well enough said in the first succinct sentence, and the rest rings of hope in uncovering truth. :)

What no one has mentioned is the employment of the Socratic method in showing up those who suppose to know a thing, that they know it not. Whatsmore, this employment is as public as possible in order to enlighten more folks on the ignorance of this or that authority. This is what cost Socrates his trial, if not his life.

Real Prosecutors Beef: Making us look like asses

Prosecuors Charge In Court: Corrupting the Youth

 

Is this worth discussing? :D

[HydrogenBond]

I believe it was Socrates who would get together with students, teachers and scholars and have heated discussions in the evening over wine. By the end of the night, Socrates was the only one left, talking away while all the rest of the crowd was passed out.

 

I think it is a method best used in small groups or one-on-one. It teaches the student how to question things and then try to answer the question logically. The logic often creates new questions that need to be answered. Eventually, the loop will close and understanding will evolve, often putting an original spin on something thought to be closed.

[InfiniteNow]

Is this worth discussing? :hyper:

Is it worth discussing to you? Why do you ask? [/socratically]