Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 2025

Abstract

This work critiques the exclusionary nature of the traditional Socratic method and introduces The New Pedagogy: Online Socrates as a foundational framework for building more inclusive, equitable, and student-centered approaches to legal education.

It challenges the continued reliance on the traditional Socratic method in legal education, arguing that its hierarchical and exclusionary nature undermines meaningful inclusion and student engagement—both online and in the classroom. It contends that the barriers often attributed to online learning expose deeper inequities within traditional legal pedagogy itself.

Building on this critique, the work proposes that the shift to online education provides a unique opportunity to transcend tradition by developing intentionally inclusive, collaborative, and student-centered approaches to teaching law. It introduces the foundational concept of The New Pedagogy: Online Socrates, which begins the work of reimagining the rigor of Socratic dialogue through practices that promote equity, belonging, and accessibility. This conceptual framing lays the groundwork for further development of The New Pedagogy: Online Socrates in future scholarship and envisions a more just and inclusive model for legal education.

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