The Effects of The Socratic Method on the Students' Critical
Thinking Skill
Teaching the critical thinking skill to the students in the
teaching and learning activity now days is a must although it is not easy.
Since, teaching the critical thinking requires patience and stages, and each
student has diverse potency in thinking. Therefore, it needs the suitable or
alternative method that can encourage or merge the students’ potency in
thinking, and one of the alternative methods can be used is Socratic Method.
There are some items that should be noticed or comprehended in advance in
applying the Socratic method, namely the definition, effect and results of
Socratic Method on the students’ critical thinking skill.
A. The Definition of Socratic
Method
The Socratic method is a cooperative arguing dialogue style that
centers on questioning and answering in order to elicit critical thinking and
shed light on concepts. It is named after the ancient Greek philosopher
Socrates. Using a sequence of questions and replies, participants in this
method are prompted to reflect carefully on their ideas, presumptions, and
logic. The Socratic method is a process of inquiry that seeks to define an idea
or subject more precisely, expose underlying assumptions, and confront
conflicts. It is frequently employed in philosophical conversation and
education to promote deeper understanding of difficult subjects and encourage
intellectual inquiry.
Within the context of education, the Socratic method is a
pedagogical strategy in which instructors or facilitators use a series of
questions and discussions to get pupils thinking critically. By asking insightful
questions that motivate students to assess, evaluate, and apply what they have
learned, the instructor helps them to actively engage in the learning process
as opposed to merely imparting knowledge through lectures or presentations. The principal elements of the Socratic approach in teaching are
as follows:
1. Questioning: The teacher's open-ended inquiries let students
think critically about the content, take into account a variety of
perspectives, and voice their opinions.
2.Dialogue: Student-teacher and student-student interactions are
characterized by a back-and-forth exchange of ideas, opinions, and disputes.
3. Critical thinking: Through questioning and dialogue, students
develop critical thinking skills such as analysis, evaluation, inference, and
reflection.
4. Active learning: Students actively engage in the learning
process as opposed to passively receiving information. They are encouraged to
raise doubts, ask questions, and form their own theories regarding the topic.
5. Idea exploration: By encouraging pupils to explore, the Socratic
method piques their intellectual curiosity.
B. The Definition of Critical thinking Skill
Critical thinking skills are fundamental cognitive abilities that
allow people to assess, analyze, and synthesize data to arrive at well-reasoned
conclusions. These abilities are essential for learning, decision-making, and
problem-solving. Here are some key critical thinking skills:
1. Analysis: The capacity to carefully review data, concepts, or
arguments in order to pinpoint important details, recurring themes, or
interrelationships between them.
2. Evaluation: The capacity to judge the veracity, applicability,
and caliber of data, arguments, or assertions while taking bias, logic, and
supporting evidence into account.
3. Interpretation: The ability to deduce implications and establish
links between various ideas or viewpoints in order to comprehend and explain
the importance or meaning of facts, information, or phenomena.
4. The capacity to recognize underlying assumptions and
consequences and make logical judgments or predictions based on information or
evidence at hand is known as inference.
5. Explanation: The ability to explain and justify one's opinions
or decisions by articulating one's reasoning, rationale, or conclusions in a
clear and cohesive manner.
The ability to recognize, categorize, and methodically handle
difficult issues or situations by applying critical
The ability to recognize, categorize, and methodically approach
difficult issues or obstacles while applying critical thinking to produce and
assess viable solutions is known as problem-solving.
6. Creativity: The capacity for original thought that results in
fresh viewpoints, ideas, or methods for approaching problems and making
decisions.
7. Metacognition: Metacognition is the awareness and capacity to
consider one's own methods, prejudices, and thought processes. It is the act of
monitoring and modifying one's own thinking to increase efficacy and
comprehension.
8. Skepticism: The propensity to critically examine presumptions,
assertions, or beliefs in order to retain a healthy skepticism and look for
proof or an argument to support or contradict them.
Being open-minded means having the ability to analyze and weigh
other points of view, arguments, and positions. It also means being receptive
to new concepts and willing to change one's mind in response to new information
or logic.
C. The Effects of Socratic Method on the Students’ Critical
Thinking Skill
The Socratic method's effects on students' critical thinking
abilities can differ based on a number of variables, including how the approach
is applied, the environment in which it is utilized, and the unique qualities
of each student. Nonetheless, studies and firsthand accounts point to a number
of advantageous results:
1. Better Analytical Skills: Socratic discussion pushes students to
consider complicated problems from several angles, which enhances their
analytical abilities. Students get better at analyzing arguments, spotting
underlying presumptions, and critically evaluating the evidence by asking
probing questions and having meaningful conversations.
2. Improved Ability to Solve Problems: One of the main features of
the Socratic method is that students are frequently given difficult questions
or problems from real life to answer. The Socratic technique fosters critical
and creative thinking in pupils, which aids in the development of their
problem-solving skills.
3. Enhanced Metacognitive Awareness: By engaging in Socratic
dialogue, students are inspired to consider how they think and to recognize the
strengths and flaws of their own cognitive processes. Over time, this
metacognitive awareness helps students develop into more proficient critical
thinkers by encouraging self-regulated learning.
4. Deeper Understanding of Content: Students learn more about the
subject matter by asking and discussing with one another. They actively
interact with the content rather than merely absorbing it, which produces more
significant learning effects.
5. Development of Communication Skills: Students must be able to
articulate their thoughts convincingly and clearly in order to participate in
Socratic dialogue. Students gain valuable communication skills as a result,
which are necessary for success in both academic and professional contexts.
These abilities include active listening, effective speaking, and courteous
debating.
6. Enhanced Self-Belief: Taking part in Socratic dialogues might
help students feel more assured about their capacity for critical thought and
intellectual investigation. Students gain confidence in their critical thinking
skills as they feel more at ease sharing their opinions and conversing with
their peers.
E. Conclusion
In summary, pupils' critical thinking abilities are improved by the
Socratic approach. The Socratic approach encourages students to understand
complicated issues, assess arguments, and think critically about multiple
perspectives because it places a strong emphasis on inquiry, dialogue, and
active engagement. The Socratic method assists students in developing critical
thinking abilities that are necessary for success in school, the workplace, and
daily life. These abilities are developed through questioning presumptions,
encouraging metacognitive awareness, and promoting deep comprehension of the
material. While the Socratic method's efficacy may vary based on implementation
and environment, educators looking to foster critical thinking in their
students will find the method to be a worthwhile pedagogical technique because
of its capacity to foster critical thinking.
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