this post was submitted on 25 Dec 2024
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Asklemmy
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I don't like the Socratic method as it is employed in classrooms. I think the method of questioning is fine, and dissecting a subject can be fun with the right group and foreknowledge, but most instructors absolutely suck at making sure all students are up to speed with whatever is being discussed.
I don't see its value as a teaching tool without a strong enough instructor to prepare the students for its use and to guide the discussions in a productive manner.
Every professor I've ever had who used this method basically wasted class time with fill in the blank response questions. These are not higher order thinking discussions and do nothing to actually broaden understanding of whichever subject is being discussed. It seems like a cop out for the professor to me, at least how I've seen it used in multiple major universities.
I've had better Socratic discussions while high as fuck with my buddies after class than when we were actually in the lecture hall.
The Socratic method is used extensively in medical training to the point that I think most doctors wouldn't think of it as the Socratic method but rather just as the way you speak to students and trainees.
I can't imagine how it could work in a lecture hall, it's best used one on one or at most small groups.
Absolutely. Small group is a must. I think the variations with seminars (always around 20 because universities want to maximize their profits) and lecture halls are terrible.
I see it working with 10ish people at the absolute max.
Do you think maybe some of your teachers were still developing their Socratic method skills?
Lol no. These guys were tenured professors doing the same shit for years. It's a systemic issue where they rely on a definition of the "Socratic method" that is completely divorced from the original and functional tool. It's a buzz word they've been misinterpreting for over a century.
Anyone?, Anyone?
Seriously, lol. Just lecture if you're gonna lecture. I hate playing hide the ball with my own students because it's just a waste of time for everyone involved.
I knew it was going to be that shithead Ben Stein.