An EdCamp, also known as “unconference,” is an informal discussion led by participants who are at the event. Participants put their questions on a board and similar questions are grouped together to create discussion groups. Participants can decide which discussion they want to join based on their interests. The discussions are then led by the participants themselves. The video below explains the basics of EdCamp.
This week in class, we had our own version of a virtual EdCamp. I chose to join the discussion on using storytelling in the classroom. We had an interesting conversation about how to implement this concept into our classrooms. It was nice to hear different perspectives in the conversation because it allowed me to think about storytelling in ways that I hadn’t thought about before.
I think the concept of EdCamps would be great to introduce in a classroom setting as well. It would be a good opportunity for students to share their knowledge with their peers as well as explore questions they are interested about. EdCamps can also be used for senior high school kids to help them transition to post-secondary. For example, when representatives from different universities come to high schools to explain the process of applying, etc. it can get overwhelming for students to remember all that information.
It would be helpful to organize it through an EdCamp because the discussions would be based on what students want to know about relating to post-secondary.
Another way EdCamps can be helpful in classrooms is to do a crossover between two or more classes. It allows students to share stories with each other and allows them to choose what they want to learn. Classes can also be of different grade levels so that older students can maybe provide guidance to the younger ones.
This article talks about an EdCamp activity that was done with Grade 3 and Grade 4 classes and shows what steps to take to have a successful EdCamp in the classroom.
Overall, this week’s activity has me looking forward to attending an EdCamp with teachers and educators as well as trying to organize one in my future classroom!
