Chemical Forums

General Forums => Comments for Staff and Comments from Staff => Topic started by: Mitch on November 08, 2006, 07:08:44 AM

Title: Answer Student Questions Using the Socratic Method.
Post by: Mitch on November 08, 2006, 07:08:44 AM

I use to send a pm to forum regulars espousing the Socratic Method of learning years ago. Due to the size of CF, I can no longer do this. The general idea of the Socratic method is as follows. When a student asks a question, you are to answer the question with an other question until the student discovers the answer themselves. You do not need to always answer in the form of a question, but the general spirit of the answer should be Socratic.

To this end the Forum F.A.Q. and Policy link at the top of every page on this website has been updated and now contains the following.

Quote

ChemicalForums members subscribe to the Socratic Method of learning. Where by students can ask a question and will learn the answer for themselves from the gentle prodding and questioning by forum staff and regulars. If you will be answering student questions please follow the Socratic Method too. This isn't rigorously enforced and not all answers have to be in the form of a question, but all answers should be within the spirit of the Socratic Model.

Title: Re: Answer Student Questions Using the Socratic Method.
Post by: FeLiXe on December 05, 2006, 03:58:31 PM

there is a downside to the Socratic Model though. Socrates was not liked by most people and finally executed with coniine because no-one could handle him ...

Title: Re: Answer Student Questions Using the Socratic Method.
Post by: Borek on December 05, 2006, 04:07:44 PM

That was not just because of his method :)