21st Century Socratic Seminar

The Socratic Seminar has thrived for centuries because it's a powerful method for deeply discussing a topic. In the classroom, this is an excellent way for students to learn how to conduct effective conversations.

It's engaging, too. Every student has a role in a Socratic Seminar, so there is generally little to no evidence of space-out or distraction... except for when there is.

Today's students, are accustomed to having a digital application (or three) open and active while working on unrelated tasks.

We can argue the pros and cons of multitasking, or we can set that aside for a moment and consider this: What happens when we encourage our students to utilize multiple modes of engagement for a single task?

We essentially create focused multitasking, which allows students to satisfy that neurological craving to engage with multiple media concurrently, but keeps them focused on one learning experience or activity.

In my mixed grade-level (7-9) English Language Arts class we used TodaysMeet during a Socratic Seminar and the results were sensational.

The conversationalists' brains were fully activated with the tasks of tracking shifting lines of thinking with each peer's input, but the observers might've struggled with lack of engagement without TodaysMeet.

Here's why: each observer was assigned one conversationalist to monitor and evaluate, so their attention was largely on one person for the duration of the 15 minute discussion. Although each observer had his or her notebook and pen handy (to jot any ideas that challenged or validated their own thinking about the discussion topic), as well as a template for tracking their appointed conversationalist's talk moves, there could easily have been lulls in their attention (for example, when their subject sat silent for many minutes at a time).

Enter an engaging digital tool designed to keep the focus on the discussion, but allowing for increased observer activity.

The tool is essentially a texting app that creates a message thread in real time, so participants can see one another's thoughts immediately. Like Twitter, each entry is limited to 140 characters, so texting and reading the thread is quick, making it an excellent alternate point of focus during the Socratic Seminar.

Because I want students to learn how to have effective conversations, I instructed the observers to avoid critiquing the conversationalists and instead to note only when they made positive moves in the discussion. In this way, (bonus!) the text thread is kept respectful and encouraging.

At the end of the seminar, the class gathered as a whole to debrief the discussion. Both conversationalists and observers weighed in and I was immensely pleased at how collegial their contributions were.

The discussion at the center of the activity was excellent—stretching students' ideas and challenging preconceived notions. Both observers and participants experienced some enlightenment from it.

Finally, we read the TodaysMeet thread and had a few giggles at some of the entries, but overall the students (conversationalists and observers alike) were validated for the great work they did and the whole class wanted to know when we'd get to do that again!

Active engagement in the classroom nearly always leads to good feelings all around. Students are proud of their work and the teacher is pleased with the results.