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Socratic Seminar with Data: A Strategy to Support Student Discourse and Understanding
Joan Griswold1, Loren Shaw2, Maureen Munn3
1Genome Sciences Education Outreach (GSEO) at the University of Washington, Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195; jcgriz@uw.edu.
Socratic seminars enhance student data analysis and interpretation skills by facilitating group reasoning on complex information. This method also offers teachers valuable insights into student understanding and misconceptions.
Area of Science:
- Science education
- Pedagogical strategies
- Data interpretation
Background:
- Socratic seminars are typically used for text-based discussions.
- Engaging students with data analysis is crucial for scientific literacy.
- Understanding gene-environment interactions is key in type 2 diabetes research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the effectiveness of Socratic seminars in teaching data analysis.
- To investigate how Socratic seminars facilitate group reasoning with complex data.
- To examine the application of Socratic seminars in a high school type 2 diabetes curriculum.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Socratic seminar methodology for data-driven discussions.
- Implemented the approach within a high school curriculum focused on type 2 diabetes and gene-environment interactions.
- Employed a case study to illustrate classroom application and student engagement.
Main Results:
- Socratic seminars foster improved student ability to analyze and interpret data.
- Group reasoning through complex information enhances student understanding.
- Teacher observation of student-led discussions provides insights into misconceptions.
Conclusions:
- Socratic seminars are an effective pedagogical tool for data analysis in science education.
- This method supports collaborative learning and deepens comprehension of complex scientific concepts.
- The approach offers valuable diagnostic information for educators regarding student learning.
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