Socratic Discussion in Higher Education Classrooms

Philosophers are often glamorized to be solitary thinkers, readers, and writers. Socrates, however, is said to have produced very little writing and instead roamed ancient Athens to ask questions and talk with people from all walks of life, inclusive of all demographics. From these discussions, his disciples and contemporaries gathered common threads known as “Socratic accounts” to describe his value for collaboratively examining life, ongoing learning instead of fixed knowledge, and much more (Ambury, 2025). 

What is the Socratic method? 

While it is difficult to confirm his exact methodology, Socrates’ impact on society and education endures: actively asking and answering questions is essential to develop critical thinking skills and evolve as humanity (Demirci, 2012). Today, the practice of posing and answering probing questions in a classroom setting is referred to as the Socratic method, Socratic discussion, Socratic discourse, Socratic seminar, or Socratic circles.

Colorado State University defines the Socratic method as an active learning strategy to promote critical thinking involving dialogue between teacher and students (Conor, n.d). Using probing questions, a teacher invites students to evaluate, share, and consistently reexamine their beliefs in an engaging classroom discussion throughout a course.

For example, a professor might open a class discussion by posing a reflection question based on a pre-assigned reading (Socratic Seminar, 2020). As students respond, the professor might feign no prior knowledge on the subject and ask probing questions to encourage student critical thinking. Eventually, students also ask open-ended questions of one another and the professor interjects to help direct discussion rather than lead.

The Socratic method is commonly used in law school, but it can be equally effective across all disciplines. Distinguished political science professor at Stanford University, Dr. Rob Reich, emphasizes its goal of productive discomfort as learning rather than an intention of anxiety and intimidation. He clarifies that a Socratic teacher’s role is neither the "sage on the stage” nor "the guide on the side” (The Socratic Method, 2003). Rather, a professor guides students to examine and question both content and their thinking. The key, as in any instructional practice, is professor preparation in advance of facilitating a Socratic discussion.

How can I implement Socratic Discussion in my class?

1. Create a culture of learning through discussion. By acknowledging the potential “fear of getting it wrong,” you normalize this common concern and encourage a welcoming learning space. It can be helpful to set guidelines and norms for students for how to interact, such as I statements, assuming the best, and asking one another to clarify what they share out (Sedlovskaya, A., 2024). Setting up clear and inclusive discussion guidelines also supports differences across student cultures, where conversation might not be common in everyone’s prior educational experiences (Raja, 2017).

2. Prepare and scaffold different types of probing Socratic questions. Socratic discussion is designed to deepen thinking rather than rehearse replies based on rote memorization, such as definitions or calculations. To effectively invite student critical thinking in your Socratic discussion, craft several types of probing questions in advance, such as:

   
   

   • Open reflection: “What generalizations can you make from the assigned reading?” 

   • Clarification: “Can you rephrase your thoughts to clarify what you meant?”

   • Perspective: “What’s an alternative?”

   • Questioning the question (a classic Socratic practice): “What was the point of me asking this question?” (Socratic questions, n.d.). 

     
     

Instructors can also leverage generative AI to revise existing questions into open-ended questions. By preparing open-ended questions before class, a professor can be the steward of flowing, productive discussion rather than stagnating or aimless conversation.

3. Gradually Release. Socratic discourse can be implemented for the duration of a class, or it can be isolated to just a portion of a class depending on professor discretion. After students have had a chance to experience the format of Socratic discussion at least a few times, professors might eventually encourage students to also ask probing questions of one another. For example, if a student shares their take on the use of generative AI to support academic scholarship, a fellow student might probe with, “I see what you’re saying. Are there reasons that might counter this?”

A professor should still prepare and pose probing questions to help drive discussion in a meaningful direction, but by inviting students to not only respond to questions but to add their own probing questions, it promotes student critical thinking skills.

The Socratic method, or Socratic discussion, is just one of many active learning practices in higher education. For additional strategies to enhance student discussion opportunities in the classroom, check out the Nexus blog, Strengthen Student Discussion, or register for the Facilitating Student Discussions workshop (NYU login required).

References

Ambury, J. M. (n.d.). Socrates (469 - 399 B.C.E.). In the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https://iep.utm.edu/socrates/

Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Socratic questions. University of Connecticut. Retrieved from: https://cetl.uconn.edu/resources/teaching-your-course/leading-effective-discussions/socratic-questions/ 

Center for Teaching and Learning. (2003). The Socratic method: What it is and how to use it in the classroom. Speaking of Teaching, 13(1). Stanford University. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20220511021023/https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/810

Conor, P. (n.d.). The Socratic method: Fostering critical thinking. Teaching Tips. Colorado State University. Retrieved on February 25, 2025 from https://tilt.colostate.edu/the-socratic-method/

Demirci, F. (2012). Socrates: The prophet of lifelong learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46(1), 4481-4486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.281

Facing History & Ourselves. (2020, May 12). Socratic seminar. Retrieved from https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/socratic-seminar

Raja, F. (2017). Anxiety level in students of public speaking: Causes and remedies. Journal of Education and Educational Development. 4(1), 94-110. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1161521.pdf 

Wilberding, E. & Ivezić, D. TED-Ed. (2021). This tool will help improve your critical thinking. Retrieved on April 15, 2025 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNDYUlxNIAA 

Image by Rosy / Bad Homburg / Germany from Pixabay