I am always proud to be a Philadelphia educator as the annual Educonconference approaches. It’s a magical time of year when educators from across the US gather to explore deep pedagogical questions, network, laugh and enjoy some of the best restaurants on the East Coast (no bias!)
What makes Educon so special?
Size
Educon, unlike state conferences or conferences put on by large organizations, is small and intimate. With only a couple hundred attendees, it easy to strike up, join or listen in on conversations and since it is held at the Science Leadership Academy, a school, there are no large auditoriums or huge, informal session halls.
The Conversations
Educon is centered around conversations instead of presentations. Every session that makes the cut is carefully chosen for its plan for engaging the participants. In addition, the conference is always centered around these guiding principles:
1)Our schools must be inquiry-driven, thoughtful and empowering for all members
2)Our schools must be about co-creating – together with our students – the 21st Century Citizen
3)Technology must serve pedagogy, not the other way around
4)Technology must enable students to research, create, communicate and collaborate
5)Learning can – and must – be networked
The Participants
Educon attracts a who’s who of engaged, innovative and outspoken members of the edtech community. Participants travel from all over the country to engage in pedagogical exploration and to share challenges, innovative projects and to learn through conversation. People come to Educon to engage and learn, not to rack up credits or satisfy district requirements. Many travel on their own dime because they find the experience that important to their professional practice.
If you have been considering attending Educon, I highly suggest you register before it fills up. You won’t regret it.