 Socratic Learning by Win Wenger, Ph.D. We are preparing articles around the core of our case for use of modern Socratic method in the classroom. In the meantime, here are elements of that core: 1) Inarguable fact: that nearly all human learning is by association. This is especially significant in learning which involves some conceptual understanding. As Jean Piaget, Jerome S. Bruner and others demonstrate, each current learning involves a long succession of concepts previously experienced and learned. 2) Inarguable fact: each of us, in our wide variety as human beings and in our varying life histories,  has his
or her
own individual associations to
bring to bear in learning whatever content.3) Observation that we invite anyone to challenge: that it is much easier to get each various student to make his own associations with current learning content - regardless of his educational background and level, preferred learning style, preferred cognitive style, Gardnerian intelligence, etc. - than it is for even the best teachers to provide the appropriate associations to the range of their various students. 4) Further observation: that an astonishingly easy way to arrange that students provide their own associations for whatever topic of learning, is via the group-focusing "buzz-discussion" easy control technique known as "Dynamic Format" (http://www.winwenger.com/ 5) Further Fact: such leading educators as Maria Montessori, John Dewey, and O.K. Moore, plus the father of neurophysiology Santiago Ramon y Cajal, plus the leading neurophysiologist of our time Marion Diamond, have found that not only learning, but sheer raw physical growth and development of the physical brain, derives best and mainly from feedback upon one's own actions. See article beginning at http://www.winwenger.com/ This conclusion supports strongly the use of focused interactive "buzzgroup" methods such as the above-cited "Dynamic Format." 6) Our contentions: A) The easily-used "Dynamic Format" is easier to work with, and focuses students more immediately, more readily and more deeply on the key concepts of a lesson, than any classroom method now in widespread conventional use. B) "Dynamic Format" is, in fact, easier for teachers to use than any other teaching method this side of simply flipping on a media switch. Its use also affords teachers the opportunity to regroup themselves in mid-lesson, and to really observe and discover where their students are in relation to what they are trying to teach them. C) Besides spectacular leaps of understanding common to both this modern form and the classical forms of Socratic Method, the extensive practiced use of thoughtful, reasoned, perceptive language which Dynamic Format occasions, rapidly builds cumulative skills in students which benefit and feed into almost every facet of their educational experience. D) Classical Socratic Method, the best-tested and consistently best-productive teaching and accelerated-learning method throughout 2400 years of history, had both strong points and weak points. Our version of modern Socratic method, centered on use of Dynamic Format which can be used to turn everyone in the classroom including every student, into being a Socrates to each other and to himself, has only the strong points and these have even been strengthened. This includes the fact that classical Socratic method was so costly it could only be afforded by the very elite, while our modern method can be afforded virtually for free, for everyone once it becomes known. We request that you bring this information to the attention of educators and education-related officials, together with our invitation to anyone to challenge any of the above, together with our invitation to consider what it means if it turns out that the above points are indeed correct, which they are.  Comments to Win Wenger |
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