The Socratic Mind, an AI-driven oral assessment tool developed by a team at Georgia Tech, is pioneering a new way to test students’ comprehension using the Socratic method. This innovative platform aims to deter plagiarism and foster deeper understanding and critical thinking skills.
A recent development at Georgia Tech promises to revolutionize the way students are assessed, potentially transforming the landscape of education.
Ray Hung, a master’s student in computer science, collaborated with Thad Starner, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Interactive Computing, Eunhee Sohn, an assistant professor at the Scheller College of Business, and researchers from the Georgia Tech Center for 21st Century Universities (C21U) to develop The Socratic Mind, an AI-powered oral assessment platform.
The tool leverages Socratic questioning to challenge students, requiring them to explain, justify and defend their answers, thus showcasing their understanding.
Hung had previously constructed an AI-powered anti-plagiarism tool for Starner’s Intro to Artificial Intelligence (CS3600) course. While effective, Hung believed more could be done to deter plagiarism and enhance the education system.
So Hung turned his attention to oral examinations, a method rooted in the Socratic method and commonly used in European education systems. Oral assessments naturally curb cheating, as they require genuine understanding and the ability to respond to follow-up questions, making it difficult to rely on prepared answers.
Inspired by a scene from the 2009 reboot of “Star Trek,” Hung envisioned a scalable solution.
“I think we can do something similar,” Hung said in a news release. “Research has shown that oral assessment improves people’s material understanding, critical thinking and communication skills.”
However, the practical application of oral assessments for large classes is a challenge.
“A professor may have 600 students. Even with teaching assistants, it’s not practical to conduct oral assessments,” Hung added. “But with AI, it’s now possible.”
Thus, The Socratic Mind was born.
“We believe that if you truly understand something, you should be able to explain it,” Hung added.
He emphasized the importance of fostering genuine understanding and cultivating high-order thinking skills in education.
Hung entered The Socratic Mind into the Learning Engineering Tools Competition, resulting in Hung and his team winning a Catalyst Award and a $50,000 prize.
This semester, The Socratic Mind will be piloted in several classes at Georgia Tech, impacting around 2,000 students. The tool promises to be a valuable resource for students preparing their dissertations, teaching classes or honing their public speaking and interview skills.
Hung envisions AI as a pivotal force in the future of education.
“We are in an era in which information is abundant, but wisdom is scarce,” Hung said. “Shallow and rapid interactions drive social media, for example. We think it’s a golden time to elevate people’s critical thinking and communication skills.”