Edcamp Co-Founder Kristen Swanson did an absolutely PHENOMENAL job sharing the story behind Edcamp at TEDxPhillyEd on Saturday, June 25th!
Kristen made it look easy as she told the audience how the first Edcamp came to be, paying homage to the events that inspired ours: BarCamp Philly, TeachMeet and of course, EduBloggerCon. We are, as she so aptly put it, ‘standing on the shoulders of giants.’
She passionately explained that it’s TIME FOR US TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR OWN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING – by working with our districts to embrace and integrate the Edcamp model into district PD. Several forward thinking districts are already doing just that!
The EdCamp Movement gets the juices flowing, if you care about serious reform of “Professional Learning” in North America.
Setting aside the ongoing tug-of-war between substance (core knowledge) and process(learning to learn), the real issue is which process is most likely to produce the best synergy and the most lasting results.
Simply preaching, hectoring, and pontificating will only get you so far, whatever ideas you are pedaling, and whether you think “The Answer” lies in Finland or Alberta, Canada.
EdCampers like Kristen Swanson sound very messianic in presenting their “formula” for Professional Development. Having attended, enjoyed, and endured PD for forty years, I find the whole notion of one preferred formula to be counter-intuitive. Blowing up the standard PD format (opening speaker/panel, followed by drone-on sessions or thinly-attended workshops) is a great idea, but only if it leads to a variety of different formats for professional learning.
The TEACHMEET model is likely to be more sustainable, since it recognizes that “some” participants (not the pedantic droners) have more to offer than others and might be encouraged to share that “expertise” (so maligned by radical crowd-sourcers).
The TeachMeet Evolution looks far superior to the EdCamp “skit night” model and deserves a closer look. Assuming a full PD Day, what would a TeachMeets conference look like?
* 7 minute short presentation (sometimes 2 or 3 lined up)
* 2 minute nano presentation (3-5 one after the other)
* Break out sessions (4 speakers at 4 different locations, participants float )
* Random speakers – Classtools fruit machine.
* Web conference participants (speak from Islay. Yugma? Skype?)
For a fuller review of the TM Model and its advantages, see:
Does anyone in the EdCamp Movement know about the late Ted Sizer and the National Coalition for Essential Schools? Horace Smith (Horace’s School) showed you the way! Have you ever considered forming “Critical Friends Groups” in your own schools? Ever heard of the notion of starting at home base and achieving small victories first?
The NCES has a clear progressive education focus, but (at least) has a coherent educational vision for schooling…and a model for professional learning that might actually improve teacher culture in the school you inhabit.
Ready for a little constructive criticism? (It’s all intended to provoke a little “tweaking” of the singular formula)
Today’s EdCamp reminds me too much of apostles attending “camp meetings” under tents. Without ordained ministers, everyone is a lay preacher (shades of Occupy Wall Street). No movement has ever had so many co-founders.. EdCamp writ large looks evangelical because it seeks to jettison traditional PD and appeals to Gen Y’s and Gen X’s experiencing an epiphany. Having discovered “The Answer,” they pay lip-service to “TeachMeet Evolution,” seemingly oblivious to the “Critical Friends Group” movement, and march forward as secular soldiers to the cause.
Take that, EdCampers! Under advisement, I mean (Smile)
Thanks for extending the conversation from your post on the EduChatter blog here onto our blog. I think I do speak for all the founders when I say this is precisely the kind of dialog we were hoping for when we established this space.
I’d like to add to the points Dan Callahan made in his excellent reply to you.
On motivation – edcampers often say they are attracted to these events due to dissatisfaction with the status quo (sic: existing PD). That may be true but I think there is an even greater force at work here – SHARED PASSION. Edcampers, in my view at least, are passionate about a) their jobs – what they do every day, b) improving themselves professionally, and c) improving education as a whole. SHARED PASSION is what brought us (the group that organized the first edcamp) together and it is what keeps up together (and excited about the growth of what we see as a viable, inexpensive, fun and effective framework for professional development – either provided by a school/district or held on a weekend or over the summer.
On growth of the movement – simply put, edcamps seem to have helped others discover their SHARED PASSION. In my opinion, this exponential growth is a classic representation of the Hype Cycle. Having pulled the “Technology Trigger” in 2010 with the first edcamp (philly), we are now on our way to “The Peak of Inflated Expectations.” Will the movement survive the “Trough of Disillusionment,” scale the “Slope of Enlightenment” and eventually reach the “Plateau of Productivity?” Time will tell. One thing we know for sure (speaking for the people I am honored to be working with on the Edcamp Foundation team): we are enjoying ourselves, learning continuously, and committed to helping others experience organic, participant-driven professional development for themselves. (We’ll let nature take its course from there.)
On history and learning from others – we (the edcamp philly team) came together at an unconference (BarCamp Philly) in 2009. We saw the power of the model firsthand that day. Though it was a group epiphany, it was not the first unconference for us. Many had been to EduBloggerCon for years; others were familiar with the Open Space model. Others were familiar with the work being done by Bud Hunt and his colleagues in Colorado whose “Colorado Conversation” series started in 2008. We created “edcamp” after parsing and processing these experiences. We used what worked for us and discarded what didn’t. We ended up with a model based on established principles and informed by practices of experienced people. That process is ongoing (and why we thank you for your contributions to this discussion.)
On the future – edcamps and unconferences are growing in popularity but won’t effect mainstream PD unless and until high level school district leaders experience them and begin integrating them into district PD offerings. THIS IS ALREADY HAPPENING in several districts. Also, in New Jersey, plans are underway (thanks to the vision of edcamp founders Mike Ritzius and Chrissi Miles) to bring this model directly to Superintendents, Principals, and Supervisors at an event being planned for early next year. Seems to me for that audience to be impressed enough to implement the model in their districts, they will need EVIDENCE that the model will help them achieve organizational learning objectives (while saving money and empowering learners.)
Sorry for the lengthy reply – but THANK YOU again – this is precisely the kind of dialog we need to help the movement change district PD practices and, perhaps, education as a whole. I know that’s what excites me about being an educator today.
The Edcamp Foundation is a Delaware non-profit, your contributions are not tax deductible. We are in the process of securing Federal non-profit status, please contact us for more information.
The EdCamp Movement gets the juices flowing, if you care about serious reform of “Professional Learning” in North America.
Setting aside the ongoing tug-of-war between substance (core knowledge) and process(learning to learn), the real issue is which process is most likely to produce the best synergy and the most lasting results.
Simply preaching, hectoring, and pontificating will only get you so far, whatever ideas you are pedaling, and whether you think “The Answer” lies in Finland or Alberta, Canada.
EdCampers like Kristen Swanson sound very messianic in presenting their “formula” for Professional Development. Having attended, enjoyed, and endured PD for forty years, I find the whole notion of one preferred formula to be counter-intuitive. Blowing up the standard PD format (opening speaker/panel, followed by drone-on sessions or thinly-attended workshops) is a great idea, but only if it leads to a variety of different formats for professional learning.
The TEACHMEET model is likely to be more sustainable, since it recognizes that “some” participants (not the pedantic droners) have more to offer than others and might be encouraged to share that “expertise” (so maligned by radical crowd-sourcers).
The TeachMeet Evolution looks far superior to the EdCamp “skit night” model and deserves a closer look. Assuming a full PD Day, what would a TeachMeets conference look like?
* 7 minute short presentation (sometimes 2 or 3 lined up)
* 2 minute nano presentation (3-5 one after the other)
* Break out sessions (4 speakers at 4 different locations, participants float )
* Random speakers – Classtools fruit machine.
* Web conference participants (speak from Islay. Yugma? Skype?)
For a fuller review of the TM Model and its advantages, see:
http://teachmeet.pbworks.com/w/page/19975394/TeachMeet-Evolution
Does anyone in the EdCamp Movement know about the late Ted Sizer and the National Coalition for Essential Schools? Horace Smith (Horace’s School) showed you the way! Have you ever considered forming “Critical Friends Groups” in your own schools? Ever heard of the notion of starting at home base and achieving small victories first?
The NCES has a clear progressive education focus, but (at least) has a coherent educational vision for schooling…and a model for professional learning that might actually improve teacher culture in the school you inhabit.
Ready for a little constructive criticism? (It’s all intended to provoke a little “tweaking” of the singular formula)
Today’s EdCamp reminds me too much of apostles attending “camp meetings” under tents. Without ordained ministers, everyone is a lay preacher (shades of Occupy Wall Street). No movement has ever had so many co-founders.. EdCamp writ large looks evangelical because it seeks to jettison traditional PD and appeals to Gen Y’s and Gen X’s experiencing an epiphany. Having discovered “The Answer,” they pay lip-service to “TeachMeet Evolution,” seemingly oblivious to the “Critical Friends Group” movement, and march forward as secular soldiers to the cause.
Take that, EdCampers! Under advisement, I mean (Smile)
Hello Paul,
Thanks for extending the conversation from your post on the EduChatter blog here onto our blog. I think I do speak for all the founders when I say this is precisely the kind of dialog we were hoping for when we established this space.
I’d like to add to the points Dan Callahan made in his excellent reply to you.
On motivation – edcampers often say they are attracted to these events due to dissatisfaction with the status quo (sic: existing PD). That may be true but I think there is an even greater force at work here – SHARED PASSION. Edcampers, in my view at least, are passionate about a) their jobs – what they do every day, b) improving themselves professionally, and c) improving education as a whole. SHARED PASSION is what brought us (the group that organized the first edcamp) together and it is what keeps up together (and excited about the growth of what we see as a viable, inexpensive, fun and effective framework for professional development – either provided by a school/district or held on a weekend or over the summer.
On growth of the movement – simply put, edcamps seem to have helped others discover their SHARED PASSION. In my opinion, this exponential growth is a classic representation of the Hype Cycle. Having pulled the “Technology Trigger” in 2010 with the first edcamp (philly), we are now on our way to “The Peak of Inflated Expectations.” Will the movement survive the “Trough of Disillusionment,” scale the “Slope of Enlightenment” and eventually reach the “Plateau of Productivity?” Time will tell. One thing we know for sure (speaking for the people I am honored to be working with on the Edcamp Foundation team): we are enjoying ourselves, learning continuously, and committed to helping others experience organic, participant-driven professional development for themselves. (We’ll let nature take its course from there.)
On history and learning from others – we (the edcamp philly team) came together at an unconference (BarCamp Philly) in 2009. We saw the power of the model firsthand that day. Though it was a group epiphany, it was not the first unconference for us. Many had been to EduBloggerCon for years; others were familiar with the Open Space model. Others were familiar with the work being done by Bud Hunt and his colleagues in Colorado whose “Colorado Conversation” series started in 2008. We created “edcamp” after parsing and processing these experiences. We used what worked for us and discarded what didn’t. We ended up with a model based on established principles and informed by practices of experienced people. That process is ongoing (and why we thank you for your contributions to this discussion.)
On the future – edcamps and unconferences are growing in popularity but won’t effect mainstream PD unless and until high level school district leaders experience them and begin integrating them into district PD offerings. THIS IS ALREADY HAPPENING in several districts. Also, in New Jersey, plans are underway (thanks to the vision of edcamp founders Mike Ritzius and Chrissi Miles) to bring this model directly to Superintendents, Principals, and Supervisors at an event being planned for early next year. Seems to me for that audience to be impressed enough to implement the model in their districts, they will need EVIDENCE that the model will help them achieve organizational learning objectives (while saving money and empowering learners.)
Sorry for the lengthy reply – but THANK YOU again – this is precisely the kind of dialog we need to help the movement change district PD practices and, perhaps, education as a whole. I know that’s what excites me about being an educator today.
Best,
Kevin Jarrett