USING THE SOCRATIC METHOD IN LARGE LECTURE COURSE - INCREASING STUDENT INTEREST AND INVOLVEMENT BY FORMING INSTANTANEOUS GROUPS

In this paper, I describe the use of the Socratic method in large lecture courses as implemented in freshman general chemistry at the University of South Dakota. Rather than question individuals at random, I address questions to groups of five or six students who are sitting close to each other in the lecture hall. Material is thus developed largely by student response to questions, increasing the overall engagement of the students in the lecture. The success of the method is presented in terms of student opinions obtained by survey.