What is it about?
The goal of the study was to accomplish two key goals--to outline how one might go about actually using the Socratic method in teaching a discussion based course, and whether this approach had any evidence of its efficacy. There is a link to a brief (6 minute) video of students discussing their experience and course syllabi. Findings support the benefits of this teaching style in successfully scaffolding students' epistemological development.
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Why is it important?
If debates about the best way to teach could be based on reliable and valid assessments of desired outcomes, it might do a lot to improve teaching. The thoughtful examination of passionate but empirically unverified claims about the efficacy of different teaching strategies has steadily increased in importance. The Socratic method can be meaningfully assessed, and is aligned with APA (2013) goals—consistently challenging faculty and students to reflect deeply, and to strive to ask ever more insightful questions about cognition, behavior, and experience.
Perspectives
Learning to use the Socratic method is a process of continuous improvement. I've found it challenging and rewarding to engage students in discussion about their understanding of psychological principles. If anything, using this approach has required as much or more reflection on my own part. I suppose that has played a significant role in my own motivation for seeking to better understand and articulate why and how the course was designed. My passion for the approach certainly buffered the many bumps along the way!
Lawrence Burns
Grand Valley State University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Socratic Method: Empirical Assessment of a Psychology Capstone Course, Psychology Learning & Teaching, October 2016, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/1475725716671824.
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