Socratic Mode helps mentors teach thinking—not just answers. Instead of delivering full solutions, mentorAI gives a concise nudge and follows up with guiding questions that drive analysis, application, and comparison.
It’s ideal for universities shifting away from rote memorization toward deeper critical-thinking skills.
Administrator · Instructor
(students benefit, but do not configure)
Each response gives a 1–3 sentence high-leverage insight, then 2–4 guiding questions to push reasoning forward.
When paired with Document Retrieval, replies can cite the exact section/page (e.g., “Intro to Political Science — Ch. 3, civil liberties”) and offer hints or case studies from the text.
In any mentor’s System Prompt, set the interaction style to “Socratic by default.” Save changes—edit anytime.
Add built-in question starters so learners can begin even when they’re unsure how to ask.
Admins/instructors refine tone, question patterns, and citation behavior; students cannot alter configuration.
- Click the mentor’s name → Prompts → System Prompt
Add language such as:
Core interaction style is Socratic by default. In each reply, share a brief (1–3 sentence) high-level insight, then ask 2–4 guiding questions that prompt the student to reason, apply, compare, or connect concepts. Avoid full, exhaustive answers by default. Offer hints or case studies on request. Cite sources when available.
Click Save.
Enable Document Retrieval so replies cite specific sections/pages and the Source Panel lists the documents used.
In Prompts, create Suggested/Guided starters to help students begin.
- Use (for example) a Political Science 101 mentor trained on an OpenStax text
- Ask:
“What factors impact civil liberties in democracies?”
- Expect a concise 1–3 sentence overview plus guiding questions like:
- How might changes in public opinion influence the protection of civil liberties?
- In what ways can judicial decisions enhance or restrict civil liberties?
- If Document Retrieval is enabled, the reply may cite a specific chapter/section.
- Example:
“Can you explain political legitimacy further?”
- The mentor again provides a high-level nudge, cites source(s) if enabled, and follows with 2–4 new guiding questions
- Adjust the System Prompt wording, tone, or number of guiding questions as you review outcomes in History
Replace answer-dumping with guided questioning that elicits reasoning, evidence use, and counter-examples.
Prompt students to weigh competing theories, cases, or policy choices (e.g., civil liberties trade-offs).
Pair with Document Retrieval so students jump into a cited passage/case and apply concepts to real examples.
Give hints + questions instead of full solutions; learners articulate steps and self-correct.
Use guiding questions to structure thesis, evidence, and rebuttals while avoiding over-scaffolding.
Works for:
- Humanities (interpretation/ethics)
- Social Sciences (institutions/legitimacy)
- STEM (conceptual understanding before computation)
Socratic Mode turns mentorAI into a coach for thinking: concise cues, targeted questions, and source-aware nudges that help students build durable understanding—without reverting to rote memorization.