Socratic Seminars in Air Pollution Research
Socratic Seminars Deepen Student Understanding about the Role of Science in Society
Socratic Seminars are a type of structured discussion that can be used in the science
classroom to promote dialogue and a deeper understanding of the material being discussed
or studied. In Socratic Seminars, students, not teachers, lead the discussion, which
can result in deeper engagement. One of the characteristics of Socratic Seminars
is that the seminar and discussion will be centered around a text, although some educators
have used film clips or even data sets. As a result, students should use the text
(or whichever piece of media was selected for the seminar) to support their ideas
during the discussion.
In the fall of 2021, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with the Louisiana
State University Superfund Research Program (LSU SRP) worked in teams to identify
four journal articles about air pollution that would be suitable for Socratic Seminars.
Each journal article is accompanied by a review or editorial article that is less
technical and may be more suitable for the general public or younger students. LSU
SRP trainees, with the help of the LSU SRP research translation coordinator, developed
one-page summaries for each article, guiding questions, and self and peer evaluation
rubrics. The summaries also have links to the full-text articles. These materials
can be downloaded and printed or accessed electronically.
In traditional Socratic Seminars, the classroom or group is divided into two circles:
an inner circle of students participating in the discussion and an outer circle of
students observing the discussion. Since Socratic Seminars are student-led, the teacher
also usually sits in the outer circle where they can observe the discussion. Many
students (and teachers!) may be unfamiliar with participating in a classroom-based
discussion without a teacher to lead it by calling on students or asking questions.
To help with this, we suggest all participants review the “Rules of Engagement” and
“Tips for Joining the Discussion” documents.
How to Use Socratic Seminars in Air Pollution
“Socratic Seminars in Air Pollution Research” is a resource for K-12 teachers. The four Socratic seminars linked within the web page can be used in a variety of ways. These materials can be used to base class discussions around and can help engage students and potentially increase class participation.
Each document contains multiple linked sources such as newspaper articles and research studies published in scientific journals. The instructor may choose to use one of the sources, all the sources, or a combination of the sources depending on the context of the course and how prepared the students are. In general, the newspaper articles are more geared towards a general audience and may be more appropriate for younger students.
For questions or concerns regarding this material, please contact Jennifer Irving at jirvin6@lsu.edu.
Socratic Seminar Planning and Evaluation Materials
Rules of Engagement for Socratic Seminars
Tips for Joining the Discussion
Socratic Seminar Planning Guide
Self-reflection
Peer-evaluation
Socratic Seminar Discussion Materials
Air Pollution from Farms (Socratic Seminar #1)
Reducing Deaths from Air Pollution (Socratic Seminar #2)
Trees as Pollutant Traps (Socratic Seminar #3)
Role of Air Pollution in COVID-19 (Socratic Seminar #4)
Additional Resources for Instructors
Journal article “Socratic Seminars in Science Class” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4322762/) published in Science Teacher
Chapter on Socratic Seminars (https://edtechbooks.org/studentguide/socratic_seminar) in The Student’s Guide to Learning Design and Research
YouTube video from the Northwest Association for Biomedical Research about implementing a Socratic Seminar in Science (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TckVl4e3Y0)
YouTube video from edutopia about Scaffolding Discussion Skills (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3IBLKYaK1E) using a Socratic Circle (example is from history class)