The EdCamp movement in Ukraine: an example of implementation

Abstract

In the context of establishing and developing the EdCamp movement in Ukraine, which aims to develop soft skills in learners and the pedagogical community, the article highlights the experience of teacher professional development within the EdCamp model using the example of an event initiated and organized by Ternopil Secondary School I-III Grade No. 19 in the format of a (un)conference.

The tasks of the event (mini-EdCamp Ternopil 2024 “Psychological Lecture “Hear Me”) were: exchanging experiences and practices (in the format of “peer-to-peer”) in the formation of soft skills: achieving mutual understanding in the community, supporting and sustaining community members; forming interactions and partnerships between the school and the community; and developing communication among students, parents, and teachers. The tasks of the event included providing methodological support: in the development of key, professional, and managerial competencies of teachers and school leaders; in the development of individual self-education and self-development trajectories of participants according to the concept of lifelong learning; creating a safe, non-discriminatory, and inclusive educational environment; planning and organizing the educational process in conditions of war and post-war situations; improving participants’ physical and emotional resilience skills; developing public speaking and self-presentation skills, information literacy, etc.

The mini-EdCamps model is implemented through open space technology, which facilitates the participants’ ability to self-manage and produce results and includes mandatory elements: special expert sessions, discussion panels, teacher sessions, and workshops. The event had a structure and consisted of blocks: a motivational block, a content part, an intellectual warm-up, and a meaningful summary. Throughout all the blocks, active interaction among teachers, students, parents, and experts was envisaged, all set to demonstrate critical thinking and a creative approach to solving assigned tasks and problem issues. As a result, there was an exchange of modern progressive experiences, processing of psychological relief, and assistance practices.

Future research perspectives on the EdCamp movement in Ukraine are promising. We aim to study the ability of EdCamp participants to generate new ideas, make effective decisions in their professional activities, and take a responsible attitude toward duties, thereby forming leadership competence.