Reading response: Socratic Dialogue in Self-Directed Learning

Despite the "self" part, social interaction and dialogue is a big part of self-directed learning. The social realm is in itself a subject explored by many self-directed learners, and other people are an important resource for learning.

The term "Socratic dialogue" describes the exchange between teacher and student, or between learners. The term stems from the philosophical tradition of Plato and Socrates. But, as anyone who has had to read classics like the Republic may have noticed, there wasn't much of a two-way conversation. The following is a conversation between Socrates and Glaucon in book 8 of the Republic:

And what do the Muses say next?

When discord arose, then the two races were drawn different ways: the
iron and brass fell to acquiring money and land and houses and gold and
silver; but the gold and silver races, not wanting money but having the
true riches in their own nature, inclined towards virtue and the ancient
order of things. There was a battle between them, and at last they
agreed to distribute their land and houses among individual owners; and
they enslaved their friends and maintainers, whom they had formerly
protected in the condition of freemen, and made of them subjects and
servants; and they themselves were engaged in war and in keeping a watch
against them.

I believe that you have rightly conceived the origin of the change.

And the new government which thus arises will be of a form intermediate
between oligarchy and aristocracy?

Very true.

Such will be the change, and after the change has been made, how will
they proceed? Clearly, the new State, being in a mean between oligarchy
and the perfect State, will partly follow one and partly the other, and
will also have some peculiarities.

True, he said.

In the honour given to rulers, in the abstinence of the warrior class
from agriculture, handicrafts, and trade in general, in the institution
of common meals, and in the attention paid to gymnastics and military
training -- in all these respects this State will resemble the former.

True.

Here's a hint: Socrates is the one with the long bits, and Glaucon is the guy that agrees with him. Rather than being a free exchange where the learner is able to deduce and choose a path to understanding, the narrator constructs the argument and leads the others participating in the dialogue to a predetermined conclusion.

Fortunately for all of us, the concept of the Socratic dialogue in education has been refined, and expanded to include dialogue amongst a group: "the Nelsonian Socratic Dialogue is a conversation in a group. Each participant has the opportunity to act as a 'midwife' for the development of the ideas of every other participant. Ideally this leads not to the insight of a single individual, but to philosophical or mathematical knowledge that is shared by all members of the group" (Saran & Neisser, p. 10). Now there are differences in opinion about how and where such a dialogue progresses. Can a group come to a consensus? Can a group discover universal truth? No one is really sure. The only constant with the concept seems to be that this dialogue method requires a facilitator - someone who functions to mediate the conversation, keep it on track and keep everyone involved. I've seen this happen, particularly in online formal learning environments, and I know that it's important, and that it works.

But, of course, I still have questions. What about non-formal and informal learning environments? There rarely seems to be a formal facilitator of sorts. So does that mean that authority is spread out among group members? Are learners in this type of environment more self-directing and take more initiative to manage their own learning? And what about learning outcomes? Is learning achieved effectively? Is it more effective, or less? Does this work better in some situations, or for some learners?

... I'm talking to myself here.

I have some ideas about the role of dialogue in in/non-formal self-directed learning:

• People are resources. Other people know things you don't. This plays an obvious, and huge role in education in general.
• Talking to people helps us to externalize our ideas. Studies have proven that this can accelerate and solidify the learning process.
  
• Ideas feed off each other. When exploring different viewpoints and possibilities, we can rule out some ideas, come up with others, and eventually come to some sort of conclusion.
  

Of course, I'm sure lots of other people have done research on this, which I will have to find at some point. If not, well, I guess I'll have to do it myself ;)


References:
Plato (360 B.C.E.). The Repubic Book VIII.
Retrieved from: http://www.saliu.com/philosophy/Republic_VIII.html

Saran, R., & Neisser, B., Eds. (2004). Socratic Dialogue in Self-Directed Learning. In Enquiring Minds: Socratic Dialogue in Education. Staffordshire: Trentham Books.