21st International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

Use of the Socratic Method in higher education engages students in the learning process and gives them ownership over what they know more effectively than if they just absorb information from lectures alone. While professors must be seen as experts, classes are not productive, if the students do not foster their own understanding of the topics covered. Hence, purposeful (shorter) lectures should be combined with in class discussions organized according to the Socratic Method; whereby the professor facilitates discussion and prompts students to engage actively in core, discipline-specific debate. Such discussions are moreover ideal for the introduction of diversity and inclusion into student debate, whereby students question and evaluate what they know without feeling like their entire world view is under attack. This paper examines how to best teach what would normally be covered in person online, as prompted by the outbreak of COVID-19. It aims to create a ‘best practice’ toolbox for those interested in shifting Socratic debate online by reviewing existing literature for online education and testing it against the experience of shifting seminar classes (predominantly involving in-class discussions) abruptly online, March 2020. The purpose of this project is to test the effectiveness livestreaming in-person lectures (thus allowing those unable to attend class in-person to participate virtually) via Zoom and fostering Socratic debate between the students present in class and those online. This pilot study will later be expanded into a more formalized study consisting of multiple professors in the social sciences in different universities.