November 2024
Socratic Seminars and Sustainable Development Goal 16
Socratic Seminars
A Socratic seminar is an innovative educational strategy rooted in the practices of Socrates, emphasizing dialogue and inquiry as tools for learning. In this method, students engage in structured, open-ended discussions centered around a specific text, topic, or question. The goal is to promote critical thinking, active listening, and deep understanding by encouraging participants to articulate their ideas, respond thoughtfully to others, and build on each other's contributions. The teacher typically acts as a facilitator, guiding the discussion without dominating it, to ensure that the conversation remains focused and inclusive. This approach fosters a collaborative learning environment where students learn to question assumptions, consider diverse perspectives, and refine their arguments.
SDG16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Goal 16 is about promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. People everywhere should be free of fear from all forms of violence and feel safe as they go about their lives whatever their ethnicity, faith or sexual orientation.
However, ongoing and new violent conflicts around the world are derailing the global path to peace and achievement of Goal 16. Alarmingly, the year 2022 witnessed a more than 50 per cent increase in conflict-related civilian deaths – the first since the adoption of Agenda 2030 – largely due to the war in Ukraine.
Socratic Seminars activity
Peace & Justice in the world
STEP 1 - Introduction to the topic: In the plenary session, students will watch the video "Understand Goal 16: Peace and Justice (Primary)" on Youtube about SDG 16.
Video link: https://youtu.be/-3cDFEw1bhY?si=WmboHcMABm7lAUWe
STEP 2 - Preparation: Students, in teams, discuss about peace and justice trying to prepare the answers to the following questions and keep notes:
• Why do we need rules in our classroom and school?
• What does it mean to be fair? Can you think of a time when something wasn't fair?
• How can we make sure everyone feels safe and happy in our school?
• Why is it important for people to work together peacefully?
STEP 3 - Opening circle and discussion: The teacher poses the first question and the discussion about peace and justice begins. The teacher can use ChatGPT (or another tool) to generate simple examples or stories about peace and fairness, which can be shared with the class during the discussion on the projector.
STEP 4 – The Word Cloud: The most important words heard in the discussion and linked to peace and justice are written down on the classroom whiteboard by the student responsible of each group. Through DeepL AI tool, students translate the words into English and share them in a TwinSpace word cloud (AnswerGarden), common to all the partner schools.
STEP 5 – Reflection: After the discussion, each group, using OpenArt AI tool (or another tool), create a picture of how they imagine peace and justice in the world. In a common Canva, they share their picture. Another partner school gives a title to the picture.
Learning Goals
To introduce students to the concepts of peace, justice, and strong institutions using a simplified Socratic seminar approach (https://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/socratic-seminars), enhanced by appropriate Web 2.0 and AI tools, to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and basic digital literacy.
