Just a few months ago, our world was turned upside-down. To say the least, COVID-19 changed the way we did life. As always, physiological and safety needs must be satisfied, first. Even then, with schools disrupted, where does education fit in–if at all? After all, the last thing anyone has time for during a global pandemic is… an edcamp. 

Yet, desperate times call for… innovative measures. 

Edcamp brings people together. The beauty of Edcamp lies in its freedom to personalize the learning experience. It’s a unique space where educators can meet informally to learn about formal practices. And there’s no interaction more personal, more meaningful, and more relevant than connecting with someone face-to-face at an edcamp. 

But not during this time in history. So, if not face-to-face, then where?

Enter Flipgrid 

Engaging in Edcamp Remote Learning (#EdcampRL) on Flipgrid personalized our learning in ways unforeseen. Here’s why:

• Flipgrid’s interface looks like a grid where each person owns a window space. Edcampers get to choose their topic(s), when to speak, and when to listen. Each voice is heard. No one is interrupted. No one is excluded. Each participant piece is a part of the whole edcamp puzzle. This format fosters a sense of self and restores a sense of belonging (another basic need) with the whole community.  
• With so much uncertainty in everyday, synchronous life activities, educators could join conversations anytime, anywhere. This asynchronous option provided the much-needed flexibility for participants to engage and learn at a time of their choosing. 
• Video is powerful. With edcamp’s flexible structure and Flipgrid’s user-friendly features, Edcamp Remote Learning gave educators a space where they could experience our most important resource–each other. It was about seeing and being seen. It was about hearing and being heard. It was about humanizing our circumstances. It was about the human connection. What makes an edcamp successful? The people!

How It Happened

On April 14th, 2020, I tweeted: “What if we had an edcamp on Flipgrid?” Immediately, a conversation was born. The first followers were especially passionate. I wanted to celebrate and empower them, and then get out of the way. After all, Edcamp belongs to the people.

Six days later, one tweet turned into Edcamp Remote Learning, represented by learners in 42 states and 24 countries. Originally, I thought I could handle this all by myself. Later, I would learn that collaboration was not only a good idea–it would become our collective lifeline. What made our first Edcamp Remote Learning experience successful was not only the ongoing support from the Edcamp Foundation and Flipgrid…

Yet, by far, the best thing I did was to invite others to serve as leaders themselves. In Flipgird, they’re called Co-Pilots. In Edcamp, they’re called Organizers or Session Facilitators. In my book, they’re called Amazing. Not only am I grateful for their leadership and friendship, #EdcampRL simply would not have happened without them.

Special Thanks To: Pam Hubler, Supriya Vasudevan, Nathan Stevens, Lindsay Santiago, Summer Pettigrew, Jon Harper, Dr. Brian Cook, P. Sloan Joseph, Basil Marin, Phil Echols, David Hennel, Kelli Coons, Chanel Johnson, Susan Aplin, Michele Lee, Kenny McKee, Katie Norton, Carly Black, and Laura Brower. 

Thank you! We’ll see you next time. 

💚 THANK YOU! 💚 TY to the 1200 educators from more than 30 states and 6 countries who joined the conversations in our first Edcamp Remote Learning! TY to @Flipgrid, @EdcampUSA, our co-pilot topic moderators, and co-organizer @specialtechie. Thank YOU! #EdcampRL #FlipgridForAll pic.twitter.com/5CmigQTeaQ

— Kyle Hamstra (@KyleHamstra) April 27, 2020