- Update - I had a hard time getting enough Michigan Tweeps, so I decided to open it up to anyone in the MidWest that is interested in putting on an unconference together in our neck of the woods. If you want to help, check out the wiki and sign up. Ignore the Michigan Title as I will change that in the future. I would love to do something like EdcampPhilly. Spread the word and we could create something amazing in our neighborhood.
First, I want to say I'm sorry to @jenniferpro, my wife, for starting a new project when there are so many other things on the burner. I promise this will not get in the way of my chores. :-)
I was watching the Twitter feed the last two days and was more and more bummed that I was not able to attend #edcamp Philly. My schedule was jammed packed and it was not feasible to get down there. I really want to meet some of these great people I've formed friendships with and maybe even present my Nerdiness to the group. I watched as another group of teachers started talking about an #edcamp in KC. Another great idea that is too far away from me. Ugghhhhhhh. I joked about an #edcamp Detroit and there was some positive feedback. However, this is not something that one man can do alone.
I started to think about the Whats and the Wheres of an #edcamp Detroit. Seems like a feasible deal. Then I started to think of the Whos and I realized that I do not Tweet with very many Michigan educators. I'm not sure why, but most of my Tweeps are all over the world and not in my backyard. I tried to rally the Michigan troops back in February, but I had little luck. I think it would be great to create a network of Michigan Teachers who blog, tweet, wiki and use other tech in the classroom. We can share this with other teachers from all over and maybe this could be the foundation for an #edcamp in the future. Sometimes it is nice to talk and connect with local educators because they are dealing with the same local problems.
I've created an open Wiki that allows people to put their name, Twitter ID, etc in one place. Please add to the list and pass it along to others. Feel free to add to the wiki in any way. If you have an idea to improve the wiki, go for it. I want everyone from Michigan to have ownership of this as we move forward. Don't hesitate to contact me with ideas or questions.
Awesome. The creators of Edcamp Philly have been working on a wiki for sharing resources on putting together an edcamp. Check it out and let us know if you have any questions.
ReplyDeletehttp://edcamp.wikispaces.com
Go for it! Although, @jenniferpro should know you will be sacrificing some chores. I organized a TeachMeet (Basically, the same thing as edcamp. They have the same goals and share a common beginning in BarCamp.) last month. It is a gigantic amount of work, but I can't express how beneficial it is to other teachers. Make sure you give yourself adequate time to plan (I had 2 months. That was stupid.) and I'm sure it'll be great. Let me know if you need anything.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jason -- sounds like a fantastic idea! And make sure to heed his advice in terms of giving yourself a long timeline...you'd be surprised how many Michigan connections your PLN has online if you give enough notice.
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