EdCamp…. well heck, I’d never heard of this before.
And hey, we got to even try it out!
I like the idea of EdCamp versus the “normal” conference, because it is inclusive; nobody in the group has to be an expert, they just have to discuss it, and it still stimulates valuable conversation.
I could see using this in a future class of mine, with a particularly valuable use for self-guided curriculum. It could lead to more active participation, could be helpful to students’ inquiry projects by helping students to brainstorm and get feedback on their inquiry. It could also be used as a final presentation format for completed inquiry projects.
I like the structure, or rather lack of traditional structure that EdCamps have, and they feel like a they would be a great way to find cross-curricular applications as well as being able to talk about a “passion project” in a less formal setting.
Finally, I LOVE that you can just leave the sessions by using the “two feet rule” – an accepted social contract within these camps, so that you can extricate yourself from a learning experience that isn’t beneficial to you without causing offence.
Yea or Nay?
I say yea!
