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I had to duck out early this morning, but wanted to make a note here of what I learned and what further questions I had... I could hear/want to emphasize the very strong challenge that inquiry-based learning offers to conventional content-based and standards-based education. I don't want to blink about this, or walk away from it: what I'm saying is that education, as I understand and value it, is not about socialization, but about exploration; not about covering what others have agreed is important, but about making your own map--AND collaborating with others to make a fuller one than any of us could possibility construct alone (see the recent NYTimes article about "a map of the world created by all the people of the world...the end result is that there will be a much richer description of the earth"). Inquiry-based learning, as I understand (and try to practice) it, is about helping everyone both find their voice AND learning to ask questions and be skeptical about what that voice has to say.

So my (immediate) question is about our current project: what does a summer institute that is inquiry-based look like? What dimensions of our current shared exploration need tweaking, in what directions? What questions do we have for one another?