You did not hear about the EMEAUC and the Education GIS Conference that is going to happen from October 22-25 yet? There you go.
For us in the Education & Research Team at Esri Germany and Switzerland, it is pretty new to organize such a huge event. Still, we think we are on track and ready to introduce a special element to the conference: an ‘Unconference’ track scheduled for 1:30 pm until 4:30 pm on October 22nd. Our colleagues from Esri Inc. tried the same this year and we think all participants benefited from this new ingredient.
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The Unconference approach allows a lot of interaction and exchange in groups focusing on current technological developments, new potential of applications, and innovative ideas. But what makes it different from a normal conference? An Unconference consists of diverse open sessions, which the participants set and carry out themselves. We already participated in various Open Data BarCamps, WhereCamps and Unconference sessions during our Esri Development Center forums.
Many variations emerged but most of these events have some criteria in common:
- It is an interactive, dynamic way to exchange ideas – anyone can participate, there is no separation of audience and lecturer.
- Participants set the agenda themselves – voluntarily and democratically. Hence, they get more opportunities for conversation.
- The event has an informal character – there is no fixed agenda; topics from previous discussions can be picked up directly.
- There should be a benefit for everybody – ideas will be discussed and developed during the session. At the end of each session, the results will be reported to the entire group.
Both spontaneous and thoroughly prepared contributions are possible and are assigned to the appropriate slots on-site at the Education GIS Conference. Ideas for the Unconference can be submitted at any time before or during the event. All sessions will be held in English.
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Soon, there will be more blog posts, in which some session leaders will announce their topics. This is your chance: Talk about your favorite topic, connect with others, and generate new ideas.
– Anna Lena Schwieger, Account Manager Education & Research, Esri Germany
