Oldies but Goodies: Socratic Circles to explore Bradbury's futuristic vision

?Used in ancient Greece to encourage independent thought, the Socratic Circle predates the alleged antiquated lecture (the passive absorption of knowledge). Although, I am dying to know what went wrong between 399 BC and 2021 to have made the Socratic discourse less enticing to institutions than the mind-numbing rattling-on of tweeded professors, I can only whimsically speculate. Perhaps, if Alexander the Great were asleep on his marble desk (you know he had one) during Aristotle's Socratic style seminars, he wouldn't have conquered Babylon and Egypt? The fear of limitless thinking had crushed the Socratic Circle out of existence in common learning institutes for years. Yet, one thing is understood, Socrates was on to something, as he believed it was essential for learners to use their own critical thinking than “merely having their heads filled with so-called right answers.”(SELspace. com).

For my Science Fiction unit, I teach the American Gothic classic, “The Veldt’’ by Ray Bradbury. My objective for reading this short story is for students to examine text with a purpose:?looking for ways AI technology has taken over the lives of these futuristic fictional characters, as well as, in retrospect, our own. In my opinion, the plot is highly relatable to the Gen Z crowd as they were raised on iPads and Minecraft instead of throwing a ball around in the back yard with grandpa.?Like many of us today, the main characters, George and Lydia Hadley leave artificial intelligence to do most of the heavy lifting. The machines bathe, clothes, and feed their children. There is a hi-powered nursery that creates a?simulated 3-D environment for child's play. Like parents today, the Hadley’s let computer games entertain their little darlings until one day their kids are unrecognizable to them. Unfortunately, these seemingly quaint children become too emotionally connected to machines and eventually murder their parents (with the help of virtually construed lions). Shockingly, the children feel little remorse in the process, perhaps insensitive to violence due to their obsessions with hyper gruesome games displayed 24/7 on their digital console. In the end, children raised by machine, according to Bradbury, creates psychopathic monsters out for parental blood. Okay, my daughter is off her phone tomorrow, pronto!

Of course, Bradbury was thick on the hyperbolic (weren't they all back in the Mid-Twenty Century...remember The Twilight Zone's pig faced planet in "Eye of the Beholder"). Yet, there is an element of truth to this story-"The Veldt." Machines have taken over many aspects of our lives on a personal and academic level. Although it was written in 1950,“The Veldt” is remarkably relatable today. Bradbury wrote the tale?as a response to the writings of journalist and computer enthusiast Alan Turing, who led the discussion on thinking machines. Turing posed: Do computers have a consciousness and ultimately can humanity be replaced by machines? Such ideas are strikingly modern and are debated today in Neil deGrasse Tysons’ podcast or resurrected in films like?The Terminator?and?The Matrix. However, what makes "The Veldt" so incredible to me as an English teacher, is its real-world application of conflict and themes. The dissention-humanity vs. machine- is plastered all over the media -especially streaming in our living rooms via TV platforms. Moreover, the extraordinary ambivalent and arguable author’s purpose of the “Veldt” (“How is Bradbury warning us?”) sets the stage for a discussion with multiple responses and valid perspectives.?To me, “The Veldt” is a perfect piece for a Socratic Circle with the intent of promoting active learning. This open forum welcomes all reasonable points of view about engaging topics, inadvertently creating a tolerant space for thought in all forms of expression (hennessy.iat.sfu.ca).

When setting up my class for a Socratic Circle, it is important for students to prepare written responses to questions that would be discussed in the seminar. The ultimate objective of the lesson is for students to make authentic connections between the technological horrors preconceived more than 70 years ago, with now. The night before the discourse, students would have written reflectively on Bradbury’s future vision. I do this by asking learners to make observations about their own lives and society. In addition, students must present evidence from the text that answers the inquiry: How are the Hadley’s horrific parents? Or, Explain, how the Hadley's are victims of technological mayhem? Literature that uses “real world” ideas such as "parenting," "family dynamics" or "community" enables students to better relate to the universality in literature, since it correlates with their own humanity and everyday life. All of my students can relate to the notion: Technology has brought us together, but also farther apart as a nation (facinghistoryandourselves.com).??

The next day, in class, there is a table in the middle of the room for 8-10 students to discuss their responses. One student (from the discussion group) is the facilitator making sure each student has a turn to talk, and follows the rules of discussion especially concerning disagreeing respectfully. Tucker Carlson-like arguing isn't allowed. Sorry Tuck.

The audience plays an essential part in the Socratic Circle as well. While the audience watches and listen quietly, they become active spectators by completing an online survey for these "performers." Each member of the audience makes a critique about all discussion group members by evaluating how well their peers have presented arguable points, and if their colleagues have effectively supported their claims using evidence extrapolated from text and in real life. In this structure, students take the leading roles. They become facilitators, evaluators and leaders of challenging discourse for the purpose of critical thinking and developing proposals for their final products at the end of the unit.??

Eventually, the roles switch. When a new group is asked to sit in the middle of the class for a new circle discussion, the other group becomes the audience. When all students have performed in the circle, I ask the class to research a modern AI machine that perhaps may demonstrate consciousness, and/or is dangerously taking over our lives (I am not talking about the Roomba that gives cats funny little rides-that machine is pure joy). Students can choose to argue for or against the use of AI in everyday applications. In one of the group discussions, a student argues how Siri might be perceived as a beloved best friend. The next day, learners present their findings using Google Slides, Peer Deck, iMovie or Padlet showcasing their research as it relates to both what had been discussed in the forums and Bradbury’s story. Finally, students write an essay arguing if the technology in “The Veldt” is similar or different from modern reality, as it relates to their research. Additionally, they must explain how technology impacts the family unit or society as presented in Bradbury's scary tale, past and present.

Conclusively, the Socratic Circle is effective for Active Learning if grounded on a subject that can be connected to real world ideas, and be debated on many levels. Moreover, the Socratic Circle encourages students to take an active role in their learning whether as facilitator, debater, evaluator or investigator. Furthermore, students transform their learning using new platforms showcasing their ability to think critically on multiple levels and collaborating with peers for the best academic outcome. It is amazing how the Socratic Circle is such a useful discussion strategy, but yet it isn't often used, in my experience as a learner, at the university level. Conversely, there is always the lecture. The prognosis is grime: more sleeping in the class. Come on Prof! What's the worst thing that can happen? Students may learn to think for themselves, be motivated and have a darn good time at the end of the day. But there is hope. As Rod Sterling stated at the end of an episode of the Twilight Zone: "No matter what the future brings, man's capacity to rise to the occasion will remain unaltered" (meta.com).

“Works Cited”

Bradbury, Ray.?The Veldt. Perfection Learning Corporation, 2000.?

Hennessy “A Comparative Review of The Veldt and Computing Machinery and Intelligence.”?IAT 803 Spring 2018, hennessy.iat.sfu.ca/wp/stc2018/2018/02/08/a-comparative-review-of-the-veldt-and-computing-machinery-and-intelligence/.?

“Socratic Circles/Seminars.”?SELspace, 29 July 2019, selspace.ca/socratic-seminars/.?

“Socratic Seminar.”?Facing History and Ourselves, www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/socratic-seminar.?

“The 10 Most Powerful Closing Statements from The Twilight Zone.”?Me, www.metv.com/lists/the-10-most-powerful-closing-statements-from-the-twilight-zone.?