[OSCTC-planning] alternative event framework

[Heidi Ellis]

Hmmm, so is this idea sort of like having “stations”?  Where students with laptops can visit various stations on things like IRC, git, etc. as they need?  I like this idea. It allows students to spend as much time as they need at a particular station and skip stations that they don’t need. And can also allow for peer-instruction.  One idea would be to have “stations” in the morning and then project-specific stations in the afternoon?
Just thinking out loud.
Heidi

From: OSCTC-planning [mailto:osctc-planning-bounces at lists.openhatch.org] On Behalf Of Shauna Gordon-McKeon
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2014 4:44 PM
To: Planning for Open Source Comes to Campus
Subject: [OSCTC-planning] alternative event framework

Below is an excerpt from a discussion with Britta on #openhatch.  I'm interesting in hearing peoples' thoughts!

"There's a lot of tension between trying to make events easier for local organizers to run and trying to create flexible events that allow multiple approaches for multiple learners. I wonder if there's a way of reimagining the event framework to resolve this tension, or whether it's an inherent tension.

So my housemates Katie and Will run a summer camp and unschooling center (<http://partsandcrafts.org/>).  Their approach is to encourage both counselors and kids to come up with project ideas that they find inherently worthwhile and exciting. The first time I went, I was disappointed that only a few kids wanted to try my project, but I eventually adapted.  Katie and Will focus on teaching counselors and kids how to operate in such a space: how to ask for help, how to think through obstacles, and on expectations-setting for the space.

If we were to run the "Parts and Crafts" version of OSCTC, we would get mentors who were enthusiastic about teaching specific things, expectations-set with them about the approach and give them general teaching/mentoring guidance, and let students choose what they want to work on. Letting students go from group to group as they were satisfied that they knew all they wanted to about X or Y or Z. "Oh, you're not familiar with git?  Neither am I, but Jane over at the table by the door is teaching folks how to use it."

This structure is probably worth trying for a single event, experimentally! Maybe I'll try to set aside some time for a Boston-area event with this structure that I could personally attend and run."


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