Connections

In order to give the students a unique opportunity to reflect on their learning, Mrs. Woodruff and the school’s Instructional Technology Facilitator (ITF) discussed using the Socratic Seminar format to facilitate the students’ reflection. This gave the students autonomy and agency over the reflection and evaluation process.

What was learned while preparing the students for this experience was that they needed several rounds of practice to be able to engage in the seminar format. Going into the experience, there was an assumption that the students would be able to engage in one practice seminar and then be prepared to engage within the seminar format seamlessly whenever called for. In reality, it took about four practice sessions before the students felt confident to control the conversations without adult facilitation.

The biggest challenge was ensuring that the students in the outer observation circle kept their backchannel conversations focused on the discussion inside the fishbowl. Students did not necessarily talk off-task, but often gave brief, disconnected responses to comments made in the inner discussion (e.g., “I agree”). Through clear directions and reminders from adult facilitators, students soon increased their engagement and began to express the deeper connections they discovered with the inner conversations.

What we Learned

International Society for Technology in Education Standard (7): Global Collaborator
Using a digital backchannel tool, such as TodaysMeet, allowed the students to become Global Collaborators because they used the tool to connect with their peers and reflect upon their learning. By using this tool, and engaging in the Socratic Seminar discussion, the students assumed different roles to collaborate with their peers toward the common goal of reflection.

SAMR Level: Redefinition
By using a tool for simultaneous discussion while observing a primary conversation, the students effectively redefined the concept of a Socratic Seminar. Previously, observation participants simply examined the conversation in front of them; however, using a backchannel allowed them to effectively engage with the conversation in real time while allowing discussion participants to fully engage in the primary conversation.

LAUSD Task Force Recommendation (1): Learner Agency
Students took ownership of the reflection process with regards to their learning. After a bit of initial guidance from teacher facilitators, the students began to construct their own conversations around the previous learning experience. As they became confident with the process, they initiated their own questions and wonderings. By engaging in this process, the students effectively took ownership of their reflection and evaluation of the learning cycle.