What's an Unconference? What's #EdCampKC?

About a year ago, I started seeing the term "unconference" show up in many of the blogs I read as well as in the stream of tweets on Twitter.  As a person who spends quite a bit of time planning and implementing conferences, I definitely felt I needed to find out about "unconferences."  Put simply, an "unconference" is a gathering of professionals, in this case educators, who meet to dialog about issues of importance to them.  Unconferences are free (as far as I have seen) and don't have set session topics determined ahead of time.  They are what the attendees make out of them.  Unconference attendees "vote with their feet" and go to whatever sessions (which are determined that morning and are more discussions than presentations) meet their needs that day.

Late this summer, my friend Kyle Pace started talking about hosting an unconference "EdCamp" in the Kansas City area.  I was all set to participate and attend, but when the date was finalized, it was in conflict with the National FCCLA Cluster Meeting in St. Louis, which I will be attending (along with many other teachers and their students).  Two things I really want to be part of, held at the same time, on separate sides of the state.  (Can you hear me sighing over this one?)

EdCamp events are being held all across the United States in places like Philadelphia, New York City, Tuscon, and now, Kansas City.  (You can see a list of the many EdCamp locations at the EdCamp wiki.) 

If you're going to the FCCLA Cluster Meeting in St. Louis -- that's great and I will see you there!  But if you're not, and you are interested in meeting educators from across the Midwest at this free event - you should consider attending EdCampKC.  Given that this event takes place on a Saturday, and that nearly all of the attendees are likely coming at their own expense from all over, you know that these people are dedicated to not only education, but to learning and improvement.  I have a feeling you won't be disappointed. 

EdCamp KC - November 6, 2010

University of Central Missouri Summit Center, Lee's Summit, MO

http://edcampkc.wikispaces.com/

Cost:  Free

EdCampKC from Josh Allen on Vimeo.


Those attending EdCampKC and who are on Twitter will want to follow the #EdCampKC hashtag, and you can even follow a list of those attending.  The backchannel promises to be a great learning tool for those of us who can't attend in person.  I'll definitely be checking out the backchannel tweets while I'm in St. Louis!   (If any family and consumer sciences teachers do attend EdCampKC, I'd love to hear about your experience, so please contact me after the event and let me know how you liked it.)