How Socrates can stimulate your brain activity: Matthew Stoltzfus at TEDxOhioStateUniversity

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Dr. Stoltzfus talks about how, in an time period with many online distractions, the way students are taught hasn't kept up. Even with modern technology, the way students are taught is archaic, so he "flipped his classroom."
Dr. Matthew W. Stoltzfus is an accomplished chemistry lecturer at The Ohio State University, where he has taught general and advanced inorganic chemistry. He implements the "flipping the classroom" lecture approach, which has garnered media attention from Apple, NPR, ESPN, and Inside Higher Education.
Dr. Stoltzfus was an inaugural recipient of the Provost's Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Lecturer; is recognized as an Apple Distinguished Educator; is a contributing author of the 13th Edition of "Chemistry the Central Science" textbook, and has an iTunesU General Chemistry course with a global enrollment of more than 137,000 students. He also serves as an advisor and mentor for many organizations at OSU.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@rbliss1275]

This presentation essentially suggests that the only way to truly teach someone is to get them to engage in their own thought regarding the subject, this directly correlates to the Socratic method. great video!

[@RenatusChristoph]

In fact it doesn't correlate, because The Socratic Method is about dialogue, none of that here. Socrates hated the persuasive monologues of rhetorsthe (the whole TedTalk concept is very unsocratic) and was thus highly critical of the father of rhetoric, namely Gorgias. Of course engagement in one's own thought is a component of philosophy, but students surely don't start there.

[@WOLFMAN305]

I appreciated this speech, thank you.

[@AlluneedisLuve]

Not that this wasn't a good talk, but I'm dissapointed that it wasn't really about Socrates.

[@jasonkelly9067]

Fantastic, I love Socrates, very well put together.

[@lienphan6446]

Thank you very much.

[@redillasqueenniefaye2529]

Content, Curiosity & Relationships

[@flyngcat.-9068]

Thanks Mr. @Sotarks

[@crismeloearth]

I learn more online that I ever learned in school. But I don't like groups, prefer to learn one-to-one, and video is a superb tool, I agree.

[@user-qq8gm5pr5n]

I love this.

[@zakkdavis1704]

to spark discussion ..brilliant

[@SudheerDhulipala]

Excellent talk on the way the classrooms should evolve

[@rup.prasad]

Excellent.

[@yadbayad]

finally someone realizes that its not the students faults alone! great vid!!

[@lambusaab]

What has Socrates got to do here??????????

[@artemis12061966]

+Abhilash S It requires that the students question and dialogue.... Socrates said to "Question Everything" and The Un-examined life is not worth living" It is he who invented Socratic dialogue.... well, that is the best explanation i could come up with, what do i know?

[@Muthukrishnan_LR]

How tо bоost уооur brain poооowеr in 14 daаааys => twitter.com/aab1113af7197bdfd/status/804578733948444672 Hоw Sосrаtеs сan stimulаtе уоur brаin асtivity Маtthеw Stоltzfus аt ТЕDxOhiоStаteUniversitу

[@sal2417]

Abhilash S I agree with you lol not once did I even here know thyself or nothing

[@johnnytruelove2678]

Socratic dialogue obviously ?

[@susanjob2285]

It's really helpful.

[@robertdavis4192]

At about 8:00 is when the genius ideas show up for any Teacher or person interested in teaching techniques, how ingenious of him, his use of technology is inspiring, I'm going to be working on some new concepts based off this

[@kimmikstreet]

Good talk! The Socratic method is a method used by teachers, speakers, and trainers to elicit communication from the students by using strategic questions. He explains HOW he uses it... and doesn't mention WHAT Socrates has to do with the talk, he perhaps could have cleared that up for people who are not lecturers/trainers.

[@mstepita271]

This was awesome! How could we integrate this into medical education where many things aren't cut and dry, there's no "one textbook" on a subject, and the difficulty of translating basic science to clinical practice. I think this type of teaching could play a major role.

[@MishelFayad]

0:05 shows the full title. I think he just forgot to mention Socrates when taking about "enabling students to discuss". He does seem a bit nervous which is not unusual for public speaking.

[@DJBURBZ]

If education is a video game, then people will be really smart.

[@LlewellynvonHellen]

What the hell leads to people entitling their videos with completely irrelevant subjects? Don't use the name Socrates as click bait!

[@abhanshul]

Llewellyn von Hellen he is talking about Socrates method of lecturing.

[@kevingavin1864]

He most assuredly is NOT.

[@crismeloearth]

It's fucking stupid click-bait. Even TED is doing that now?! what BS

[@johnnytruelove2678]

It’s the Socratic dialogue? Question everything...

[@jordanarnold71]

One might even call it the mindful parts of academia. Finding peers And sharing your opinion. Which is often a good thing In my books anyways.

[@cainmorano4956]

One reason the lecture space has not been reinvented because it is in the configuration that offers the best efficiency for the operation of the administration. The administration is an organization and the goal of all organizations is to increase its span of control, resources, influence, whatever... but to grow its 'self'. Than add 'organizational inertia' to that idea: "This is the way we've always done it".

[@taedopalleb1373]

this cool vid with a cool idea has nothing to do with my boi socrates

[@wendiellencreativebeing5888]

Taedo Palleb Think again! Which manner did Socrates advocate an individual learns?

[@lucashiroshins]

Catalytics?

[@FunWithAaron]

I can confirm that I have zero brain activity in any lecture class that I attend lol. The current classroom structure makes no sense. Humans obviously work better in groups. Our ancestors hunted in small groups of 4-5 people at a time (I saw this on a documentary) and worked together to solve problems. Large lecture classes where people cannot talk freely put students in a hypnotic like "day dream" state of consciousness. Anyways, good speech by Dr. Stoltzfus! It's about time people start to talk about this.

[@FunWithAaron]

For some reason I can learn better when I watch a KZbin video at my house. Probably because I actually wanted to learn about a certain topic, so I retain the information better.

[@FunWithAaron]

Yeah. Any way to make learning more interesting and/or engaging is always good.

[@MilciadesAndrion]

It is a good video that describes fails on education but I still don't see the relation with Socrates. Curiosity and Imagination are excellent points to transform students.

[@words007]

I read Socrates. And i got clickbaited. Still video was totally worth it. Socrates always loved discussion over text book. He be proud 😎

[@LeanaCopperfield]

what a thought

[@davincisteam8014]

While I did not find an easy connection with Socrates I understand the Socratic method as a way to stimulate a conversation and the brain among students. In general the position of a teacher is to provide information while takes a way the interaction needed to stimulate those who may not be in tune. People like Seymour Papert, Natalie Rusk and Mitch Resnick and the MIT media Lab as many others have talk consistently about children experimenting and team interaction to achieve what the Learning Catalytic software argues to provide. The title should have been more clear and the connection with Socrates should have been, at least commented.

[@MitchGoldhvu]

a learning experience for the teacher - if he learned anything from it. curious at best.

[@lucycarmichael4602]

Tittle should be, how to intergrate the socratic method in to modern class rooms. Socratic method is a teaching methodology in which the tutors ask the pupils a question and go off there answer lead class room discussion. Socratic debate, is a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue between individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to draw out ideas and underlying presuppositions- wiki

[@chriskotaridis1709]

This felt more like an episode of Shark Tank that a Ted Talk.

[@intoconjunctions]

Eight minutes in and not a single mention of Socrates ...

[@intoconjunctions]

+intoconjunctions Ugh! Waste of time. Nothing about Socrates. Just a lesson about how now kids don't get to see the science teacher actually light up a real strip of magnesium, they must now watch a video of that happening before they get to class. Or something.

[@stonetusk1]

Title mistaken?

[@7kidvid]

Tedx Talks are lectures

[@LYAOpro]

HA! 9:27 my name was in the video. I've never seen it spelled the same way as me before!

[@adamcarter1051]

"A lot of the same similarities" ? . . . Is interacting with a phone handset/iPad really conducive to effective interpersonal communication ?!

[@DJSTOEK]

💘

[@peternguyen9599]

I’m watching this when I’m supposed to be doing homework

[@chicha1456]

I’m supposed to do my homework about this

[@owentomos2306]

My favourite footballer of all time.

[@lindsaygutsell6698]

Where is Socrates?

[@VladyslavKL]

🕊

[@katieboo4211]

Got bored and had trouble paying attention to this lecture, ironically.

[@GeorgeMariolis]

Did he even mention the word 'Socrates'.. Might as well been about fishing!

[@cameliaignat5261]

Socrates taught through discussion, that's the point I guess

[@wendiellencreativebeing5888]

Brilliant use of technology in a world where people only function on surface levels such as being upset that this talk did not mention the word Socrates. Society as a whole is not willing to live like the Amish so it takes creative individuals who can blend technology with formal wisdom to come up with solutions that may enhance our learning & brain abilities. When you come up with a better solution please feel free to criticize this man!

[@PreciousBoxer]

Didn't Confucius say, "In ancient times people studied for the sake of self-improvement; nowadays people study in order to impress other people" or something to that effect? And Einstein thought it was a miracle curiosity survived formal education for some odd reason. I guess he wasn't thinking far back enough, or had other things he really needed to know (everything for a reason). What I do know is that if a person genuinely wants to learn, and accepts the professor as a mentor, learning will occur and it'll go way beyond the classroom. If they aren't turning off their phone, they are sending you a message that they aren't there to listen without unnecessary distractions. Much like driving or anything else we care to take seriously in life. Or possibly because the teacher might not genuinely be interested in teaching. Teachers are only marketing their services, but why should a campus limit who a student chooses to learn from anyway? What the professor has to say at the end of the day is important to the student's future after all. We need to seriously look at how we do things, but I know it goes far beyond the Department of Education. It starts with the economy when it comes to searching a society of students wanting to learn for the right reasons.

[@guerito.2788]

Lmao thank god i always read the comments first 😬

[@paulnicolosi4884]

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 dad

[@DMRoper1]

I get the point of this talk but I think it was a wrong title. Why didn't he just call his talk "How can the SOCRATIC METHOD stimulate your brain activity?"

[@franciseylim11]

MATTHEW W. STOLTZFUS, you are so handsome...

[@alejandrovillalobos63]

Teach through dreams yo

[@Meta-trope]

Came here for a lecture about stimulating my brain activity. Came out with my brain more bored.

[@pyroyergen5986]

its time to stop making education a business, education becomes cheaper, skilled workers become more available, those skilled workers often decide to become more skilled and break new grounds, creating new jobs. this also leaves a level for the unskilled to make a living and a constant pyramid of potential. feel free but Tim Berners-Lee gave us this amazing internet for free, the potential for human interaction, debate and guilty pleasures is infinte

[@RobertF-]

Dat Socrates clickbait doe

[@devotedtodoing6425]

Who else googled Bill Simmons?

[@lucasshilagwa5273]

What was this man talking about ?

[@chazkeiteriv4680]

He doesn't understand that the classroom is unnecessary. Did he even listen to his own lecture? Teachers and classrooms are people just trying keep their artificial power :(

[@artemis12061966]

+Chaz Keiter IV Agreed. Socratese , for example, did NOT use a classroom format, and Plato turned out OK.....

[@spalsolo4862]

Warning : The title has no relation to what your gonna see and hear.

[@someonewithsomename.4044]

Where is Socrates!!!????....

[@thenotchosen]

Distraction ,remember that ,coz this is a distraction from ,,lol

[@ringerthomas8944]

Hardlesson....

[@alejorabirog1679]

when Sócrates becomes a clickbait

[@stevensimoneschi9029]

Um....the solution is people need to want to learn.

[@lorenzomonreal5590]

This guy just put a ding in my IQ

[@crismeloearth]

I am stopping this video 1/2 way into it, and moving on, and giving it thumbs down b/c the title is click-bait. There's no Socrates mentioning here. Thanks to those who warned me of the BS before I watched the whole damn thing.

[@AntRalston42]

That clickbait tho. Socrates was not mentioned even once.

[@pacifista00]

TEDx titles have been consistently misleading lately

[@shariecebrewster5962]

And math 🧮 class is boring even I been filling sleep 💤 as well:::::!

[@feridazemi6424]

I must disagree, the brain activities are much higher during sleeping than when we are awake. This is why we dream and in dream ( which last only few seconds) we experience acts and actions of lasting a week or more. Brain is a mystery still and if you want to know more check out my latest book Unknown Mysteries of Life and the Path to Success.

[@widg3tswidgets416]

Its nice to know you disagree....but unless you have access to the supernatural, or you happen to be God himself...you're wrong.

[@Sweze]

You're advertising your own book... Also is there evidence to prove your point?

[@natep1636]

Maybe students will "increase their brain activity" by spotting the number of fallacies in this talk.

[@robertburnett5561]

The ghost of Socratese will get you in your sleep.

[@orkunatasever4022]

BEYLER BUNUN TÜRKÇE MEALİ VAR MI

[@marianavalbuena5824]

I just watched the whole video expecting something about socrates. I literally lost 15 minutes of my life i don't even care about what that guy is talking about

[@HaasMaan]

WTH - where is Socrates in this whole lecture.. waste of time (good talk though...but still missing honesty!! in title!!)

[@youtubeisevil]

Twitter buzzfeed candy crush flappy bird

[@manonw5478]

This just seems like more rhetoric about giving the dumber students more attention at the expense of the smarter ones. Maybe these kids who can't pay attention or read the textbook without a massive manipulation on the part of the professor don't need to be in high school or college but should just go to a trade school and learn a valuable skill. The pedagogical instructional methods of the ancient world and Middle Ages produced some of the most brilliant minds in history. If we're not doing the same today, don't blame the form of instruction--correlation is not causation. There are plenty of people who thrive in learning that way. It is just sad to hear a university professor reduced to putting up slides of jive talk because the quality of the students he's teaching is so poor.

[@neofitos123]

I do not agree about the surgeon...First you can not prove it and second he could do it easier then a surgeon from this decade.Just because back then tools were limited.

[@benjaminrobinson5552]

It's kinda weird your using people stuck in the past to argue for change

[@MarkWrightPsuedo]

You missed it. You begin well, describe the situation, and then promptly ask the wrong question. How can I captivate...? Fine. Everyone wants to do that. Easy--make a story. Lots of sources out there about story structure (see Robert McKee). The better question is for the listener to ask how he or she might get the most from a lecture in the first place? This is more rare. Students don't really know how to listen. There are strategies to listening that are not taught. Students spend most of their time ostensibly listening, and yet are give ZERO instruction as to the logic of listening. They don't know it's a discipline. They don't know to put down their goddamn phones. They don't know to listen proactively. They don't realize they are going into life-crushing debt for nothing. They're not learning a goddamn thing and they're having their futures stolen from them by a system not even designed to educate them.

[@Sweze]

how do you learn to listen?

[@zacharysmith5490]

He needs to transform the lecture space because clearly he can't lecture.

[@Dazzletoad]

Ridiculous title.

[@rogeliosoto4074]

A good title for a bad video

[@pinkCEO]

Poor talk and disappointing.

[@earthminus10]

does anybody know or care that the word "sexy" means sexually attractive or exciting. really inappropriate. Unimpressed. Lectures are awsome but not his