Why invite Socrates into the classroom?
- As I’ve speculated before, the modern classroom is often poorly designed. What if we could improve it by tweaking the learning process a bit?
- We can shift from frontal teaching, which most of us are all too familiar with, to group discussions. As I recall, discussions often begin with questions, and the more intriguing or paradoxical the question, the more engaged the students become.
- Recently, I had an engaging discussion with medical students when I asked them about what qualifies as a living organism.
- Their answers were predictable: it can replicate, breed, and be irritable.
- Naturally, the next question arose: can a computer virus be considered a living organism since it exhibits all of the aforementioned qualities?
- From there, we delved into Harari’s idea about the source code of civilization and AI bots. Soon after, the lesson concluded.
- The students were both shocked and amazed, highlighting the importance of a well-structured questioning framework. I believe such a framework can be found within Plato’s Dialogues, though an interpreter is essential.
- The Socratic method is an excellent way to introduce problematic or even paradoxical situations. Its value lies precisely in this.
- It fosters a specific mindset that is invaluable when grappling with complex problems or significant issues.
- The challenge is determining how to integrate it into daily activities, helping make sense of life’s complexities and better understanding the actions one considers taking.
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Source:: The Socratic Method - Ward Farnsworth Friend:: Child:: Next:: Key Elements of the Socratic Method
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