One of the exciting ideas which emerged from EdCampOKC last Saturday was hosting a free “PLAYDATE” event in Oklahoma City later this semester. If you’re interested in this after reading this post, please complete this 1 question poll/survey also embedded below.
Saturday April Gustafson and I discussed hosting a PlayDate in the evening on an upcoming weekend at John Marshall High School where April teaches science in OKCPS. We’re thinking maybe a Saturday night from 6 – 10 pm. If you’re not familiar with the “PlayDate” concept, check out the official PlayDate Google Site. PlayDate conferences are a brainchild of the amazing #BurNTA teachers in Chicago. PlayDate events correspond very well with the ethos and philosophy of EdCamps. They explain PlayDate conferences this way on their site:
A new kind of conference.
No presenters. No agendas. Just playing.
Explore the things you’ve never had time to explore.This is a new kind of conference. Think about the last time you attended an EdTech PD, conference or other professional learning event. Oftentimes, we leave full of new knowledge and a list overflowing with new apps, programs and skills to try out. However, once we return to “the real world” many of us lack the time and support to actually try out all of these new tools.
PLAYDATE is a space for us to come together and collaboratively explore these tools we’ve always wanted to learn more about. The concept is to invite educators from around the area to join together on one day, sit in a room for a few hours and just play. They will collaborate to learn about EdTech apps, programs and tools with one another. There are no presenters in the room, no experts and no agenda. Simply time to play, tinker, and explore.
Like EdCamps, PlayDate conferences are now popping up around the United States. The key elements for a successful PlayDate are summarized in Carolyn Skibba’s tweet today: The time must be “collaborative, self-directed, presenter free, & hands on.”
For more background about PlayDate conferences, read Jenny Magiera‘s November 2012 post, “PlanePlanning: The Birth of #PLAYDATE13.” You can also check out this 30 min video “What’s a PlayDate?”
What do you think? Would you be interested in attending a FREE Saturday evening “PlayDate” conference later this semester in Oklahoma City? The Saturday evenings we’re considering are Sat March 29, or any of the Saturdays in April Please add your thoughts as comments to this post, and submit this poll (several times if desired) to let us know what date(s) are best for you.
Sounds like fun