Educators from across the state gathered on Friday in Boise to participate in Edcamp Idaho. More than 120 people took part in the unconference where educators exchanged ideas about new ways to teach in the classroom. Unlike a traditional conference which schedules are set and presentations are done, Edcamp Idaho is the opposite. Breakout sessions are developed in the morning by the attendees and the day is worked around what people want to learn.

“We have a schedule board and people write down what topics they want to learn about from social media, to new apps and STEM,” said Janet Avery, Edcamp Idaho coordinator. “This is personalized professional development and a great experience for all educators.”

This is the second year an Edcamp has been hosted in Idaho. Last year the camp was at Wood River High School in Hailey.

“Edcamp started in Philadelphia in 2010 and hundreds of events are held around the United States,” said Kristen Swanson, Edcamp co-founder.

Edcamps are:

• free
• non-commercial and conducted with a vendor-free presence
• hosted by any organization interested in furthering the Edcamp mission
• made up of sessions that are determined on the day of the event
• events where anyone who attends can be a presenter
• reliant on the “law of two feet” that encourages participants to find a session that meets their needs

If you’re looking to attend an Edcamp click here.