Hi everyone! After more than a decade of organizing and hosting Edcamp Connecticut, we wanted to relay an update on this event. One of the team’s co-founders has moved on from the host school after thirteen years of service. As a result, we are putting the event on hold as we determine our next steps. 

Every year since 2011, the Edcamp CT team has raised money to create a day where participants are fed, fueled, and equipped to engage in conversations around teaching and learning. By writing grants and reaching out to sponsors, we, a group of volunteer educators, have done the work of fund-raising to make teacher-led professional learning available free of charge to educators from around New England and New York. To date, folks from more than 600 schools and educational organizations have been able to gather at Edcamp CT, and we are so proud of and grateful for this dynamic professional learning community. 

As the co-organizing team looks at our professional positions and the potential for future hosting opportunities, we will be in touch. In the meantime, in the spirit of Edcamp, we welcome others to keep stepping up and creating space for conversations. Whether five teachers or 500 are able to connect, the sharing that ensues is invaluable.

Cheers to our continued support of teacher-driven PD! Thank you for supporting us as we’ve worked to support you. We look forward to reconnecting at the next iteration of our event and at those opportunities that you all make possible.

With love and potato chips,

The Edcamp CT Team

All photos courtesy of the amazing Tyler Varsell

All photos courtesy of the amazing Tyler Varsell

All photos taken and shared by the talented Tyler Varsell

All photos taken and shared by the talented Tyler Varsell and Liss Couch-Edwards

All photos taken and shared by the talented Tyler Varsell

Photographer: Tyler Varsell

Edcamp CT 2012
photo by Tyler Varsell

My first experience with Edcamp was in 2011 when I attended the first ever Edcamp CT at The Ethel Walker School. I heard about the professional development opportunity from a colleague at Kingswood Oxford School who posted the information on our faculty-staff bulletin.

After reading the description of an “unconference,” I was immediately intrigued by the format and how different it was from the etiquette of the more traditional conferences that I had attended.  I also felt compelled to sign up because Edcamp is designed for educators and run by educators. I thought to myself, finally a professional development opportunity that is geared towards me and places a premium on participant experience, sharing and collaboration.

Before I continue, you should know that I love going to conferences and over the course of my eight-year teaching career, I have been to at least one (I’m being conservative) major foreign language, teaching or technology conference a year. I was a repeat conferencer because I enjoyed meeting other like-minded educators, learning about the latest research or practices in my field and gaining valuable resources and ideas that I could apply to improve my courses or enhance the best practices at my school. While I wouldn’t say that I was dissatisfied with any of my prior conference experiences- they just are not Edcamp.

Edcamp changed my view of how to organize professional learning opportunities and connected me to a well established network of talented professionals who discuss teaching and learning everyday, not just for a day or two at a time like a traditional conference.

So, what exactly were my take-aways from Edcamp CT, and why was it so valuable for me?

Well, first I learned about a variety of useful apps like Explain Everything, Poll Everywhere and Zite and expanded my understanding of Google Apps as collaborative tools. This knowledge was a game changer for me as I was just beginning to use my iPad as a teaching and learning device.

Second, I gained familiarity with iBooks, Creative Book Builder and the ePub format thanks to an awesome presentation by Megan Wilson, Apple Distinguished Educator and author of www.ipodsibilities.com

But perhaps my biggest take-away was understanding how to tap into the power of Twitter for professional development. I learned how to find and filter interesting and relevant content, how to share content and how to connect with others. After Edcamp CT, I had the makings of a robust professional learning network that continues to connect me with excellent resources and educators. #priceless

Oh yeah, did I mention that all of these monumental learning experiences were FREE. Hard to believe isn’t it! My advice is if you can, attend an Edcamp! You won’t regret it!

Jen Weeks

@jweeks21

Edcamp CT co-organizer