Saturday, July 8, 2017

FROM THE CENTER FOR OPEN EDUCATION TO AN INQUIRY "WHAT"

"It is not enough for people to come together in dialogue in order to gain knowledge of their social reality.  They must act together upon their environment in order critically to reflect upon their reality and so transform it through further action and critical reflection." (Paulo Freire)

And those environments include the settings, schools, classrooms where "formal" education takes place. 

"Al que le sirva la falda, que se la ponga" (An old Puerto Rican saying). 

If opening the educational space allows for all forms of knowledge acquisition and exploration, including what sounds like a very religious but not dogmatic idea: "revelation", the Inquiry-based approach is limited by its scientifically based foundations and methods. Lillian Weber understood very well this difference; unfortunately, what came later under the so-called Inquiry-based approach betrayed many of the WCOE founder's beliefs and intentions. 

Una hipótesis por aquí, una hipótesis por allá, y los poetas, pintores, cuentistas, techies, músicos, teatreros y "homos liberados" a buscar inspiración, sabiduría y creación por otros lares..... 

"Las tentaciones no son científicas" (poema inédito: mío, of course) 

(Inquiry-based learning is a form of education that starts by posing questions, problems or scenarios—rather than simply presenting established facts or portraying a smooth path to knowledge. Inquirers will identify and research issues and questions to develop their knowledge or solutions.)


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