This post was contributed by Andrea Kopp, NCEA Educational Resource Manager.
Edcamps have been trending for a few years now. The beauty of Edcamp is that they are fast, free and voluntary. As the international grassroots trend has gained legitimacy and popularity, the Edcamp foundation gained support from educational organizations and businesses interested in helping educators network and learn. Edcamps stray from the traditional professional development model and are sometimes referred to as an “unconference”. While Edcamp formats can vary, there are some basic ground rules that most adhere to.
1. There is no pre-set agenda. It is decided on-site what topics will be covered based on the interests and needs of the attendees.
2. All registration, organization and promotion is done online.
3. There are no presenters; or more accurately, everyone is a presenter.
4. Sharing is mandatory. The collective experience in the room is the value of this PD model. The purpose is to share what you know and ask what you don’t, educator-to-educator.
5. Vote with your feet. If a conversation is no longer useful, move on to one that is.
6. Follow up on social media. Participants are asked to tweet, share, join and like each other on social media to maintain connections with each other for ongoing conversation and support.
Organizing and leading an Edcamp is a low or no cost option for educators and there is great support provided by the Edcamp foundation to do so. NCEA is assisting in organizing and supporting #CatholicedCampDMV on March 19th in cooperation with Notre Dame of Maryland University and school leaders within the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Archdiocese of Washington. This event is open to anyone but will primarily serve educators in the DC, Virginia and Maryland region. If you would like NCEA assistance and support in creating a Catholic Edcamp in your diocese or region, contact Andrea Kopp: Manager of Educational Resources at [email protected].
To find out more or to register for #CatholicEdCampDMV click the links below.
