Thanks.

I think this Ed Camp model is the most effective for improving teacher professional development AND creating a positive climate for collaboration throughout a school. We had wonderful teach specialists and a library media specialist organize both events.

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