Part 3 of 10

Socratic Playground (SPL) - Guided Inquiry

⏱️ 40 minutes 10:00 - 10:40 AM

3.1 SPL Theory & Design (10 minutes)

Pedagogical Foundation:

Five Hint Agent Types:

  1. Conceptual: "What principle applies?"
  2. Procedural: "What's the next step?"
  3. Reflection: "Why didn't that work?"
  4. Worked Example: Complete solution
  5. Error Analysis: Systematic mistake identification

Four Interaction Modes:

Agent Coordination (Level 3, 20 agents):

All 11 from KE plus Problem Generation, Worked Example Generation, Metacognitive Support, Curriculum Alignment, Assessment, Dialogue Management, Tutoring Strategy, Hint Generation, and Scaffolding agents.

3.2 Hands-On Activity: Solve Problems in SPL (20 minutes)

Instructions:

  1. From photosynthesis KE, click "Practice in SPL"
  2. Attempt first problem (plant health scenario):
    • Try solving without hints first
    • Request conceptual hint if stuck
    • Request procedural hint if still stuck
    • View worked example as last resort
  3. Use "Study Mate" mode for conversational support
  4. Complete 2-3 problems with varying difficulty

Observation Prompts:

  • How do hints guide without giving away answers?
  • What happens when you make a mistake?
  • How does the EMT framework address misconceptions?
  • How does difficulty adapt to your performance?
Try Socratic Playground

3.3 Demo: Five Hint Agent Types (5 minutes)

Instructor Demonstration:

  • Show same problem with different hint agents
  • Explain when each agent type is most helpful
  • Demonstrate "Worked Example Agent" for complex problems

3.4 Group Discussion: SPL Applications (5 minutes)

Discussion Questions:

  • How is SPL different from traditional problem sets?
  • When would scaffolding (demonstrative mode) be needed vs. Socratic mode?
  • How could SPL support struggling vs. advanced learners?

Key Takeaways