EdCamp Ukraine () is a movement of educators in Ukraine. It is based on the principles of the worldwide EdCamp movement, which originated in the United States. Ukraine was the third country in Europe and the ninth in the world to join the original movement in 2014. As of 2020, EdCamp Ukraine is the second biggest EdCamp community in the world, and the biggest community of educators in Ukraine.
The EdCamp Ukraine movement is supported by a non-governmental, non-profit public organization of the same name, which focuses on improving the Ukrainian education system. EdCamp Ukraine organizes career-enhancement training for teachers, lobbies the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science for educational reforms, and organizes various projects for educators and students.
EdCamp Ukraine's 2018 initiative concerning the development of professional education succeeded in reforming the career-enhancement training process, in particular by de-monopolizing the government-sponsored professional education enterprises. As the initiative's result, in 2019 the new regulations of the Ministry allowed educators to develop their professional skills through a wider range of educational and scientific institutions, as well as through private and legal business ventures. Their education is funded by government or local budgets according to the "money follows the teacher" principle.
The anti-discrimination expertise of EdCamp Ukraine became a part of the Ministry's textbook-approval procedure. EdCamp Ukraine's activity led to the establishment of the New Ukrainian School () reform, and to a variety of anti-corruption and de-bureaucratization procedures. For example, in 2019, two independent sources estimated that the de-bureaucratization reforms EdCamp Ukraine lobbied for decreased teacher paperwork by 20 to 30%.
EdCamp Ukraine's signature events are unconferences: free and independent events that focus on communication between educators, international experts, speakers, and government figures. Since 2015, EdCamp Ukraine has organized six national and 186 regional in-person and online unconferences. In 2020, more than 10,000 members attended the Sixth National unconference, which became the biggest online event in Ukraine (as recorded in the Ukraine Record Book).
History
The original movement
The original EdCamp movement was established in 2010, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US. The movement was created as an alternative source of professional development for educators and in response to American educators' complaints about the inefficiencies of their educational system. As of 2020, 44 countries have joined the movement.
In 2019, 2020 and 2021, the EdCamp format was acknowledged by the HundrED organization in their worldwide review of innovative education organizations.
In 2020, EdCamp US merged with the Digital Promise organization, which develops innovations for education especially through incorporating technology.
EdCamp Ukraine
Based on the principals of the original EdCamp movement, EdCamp Ukraine is a movement of Ukrainian educators based around a non-governmental, non-profit public organization that focuses on the independent professional development of educators nationwide. It also works on education system reformation and improvement. Ukraine became the third country in Europe and the ninth in the world to join the original movement. The members of the organization are called "white crows," describing people who seize change in their community and are not afraid to try alternative techniques.
The EdCamp Ukraine organization was founded by Oleksandr Elkin, and as of 2020 he still serves as its Head of Board. Prior to the foundation of the organization, Elkin worked for an IT company and developed programs to improve the Ukrainian education system, such as the school management system School Champion, a platform that connects Ukrainian education institutions. The EdCamp Ukraine organization was inspired by the 2014 Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine.
The EdCamp Ukraine movement began in 2014, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. On December 29, 2015, the EdCamp Ukraine organization was officially registered as a non-profit public organization. In 2017, it launched a crowdfunding project to fund its first office, which was opened in Kharkiv in 2018. In 2019, the organization became the official owner of the EdCamp trade mark in Ukraine.
As of 2020, EdCamp Ukraine is the second biggest EdCamp community in the world and the biggest community of educators in the country, with a membership more than 40000. Of those, 21,802 work in Ukrainian schools, which is about 5% of all Ukrainian educators. According to research, the EdCamp movement is present in half of Ukrainian schools.
Unconferences
One of the key signature events of EdCamp Ukraine are the free unconferences held yearly in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Educators apply and participate in an oral interviewto be selected to attend.
Unconferences are "edutainment" (education/entertainment). Topics are shaped at the beginning of an event, and participants are the main authorities, meaning that every member of the unconference can become a speaker. This format makes it easier for educators to learn from each other, as its sessions are held a free discussion format.
Several main methods and principles of unconferences are: Free attendance Independence Freedom of initiative The "two legs" law, which implies that every member is free to build their own schedule within the event, attending any session or joining any discussion The "long tale effect," which means that the most important steps are not made during the discussions or unconferences, but afterwards, when real action towards improvement is taken The "speed-geeking" practice (a three-minute tête-à-tête conversation between members and speakers) to spur communication and make as many acquaintances as possible between members and experts at unconferences
Arenas of action
Professional development for educators
National unconferences
EdCamp Ukraine's National unconferences are considered the key event of the year for Ukrainian educators. The first EdCamp Ukraine unconference was held in June 2015, and attended by more than 350 visitors.
The Second National unconference
In April 2016, the second unconference was held in Kharkiv. The event was part of the 2016 Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science and the Institute of Educational Modernization () events. It was held in partnership with more than 40 Ukrainian organizations and financed via crowdfunding at the Ukrainian platform Spilnokosht (). Between 500 and 550 people visited the unconference, including around 80 Ukrainian and international experts from 12 countries. The event consisted of 145 sessions in 17 different locations.
Main topics included new technology, an anti-discrimination approach in education, community integration, and English language as national priority. The concept of the New Ukrainian School (), a reform in Ukrainian education, was outlined and discussed. International speakers at the event were: Oskar Brenife, author and philosophy Ph.D. from Paris, France; Eva Rambala, lecturer and trainer in non-violent communication, from Budapest, Hungary; and Esther Wojcicki, journalism teacher and media arts program founder from Palo Alto, California, USA.
The Third National unconference
The third EdCamp Ukraine unconference was held in April 2017. Almost 700 educators participated, including people from 20 countries other than Ukraine. The Ukrainian Minister of Education and Science, Liliya Hrynevych, joined the event. There were 20 sessions in 20 locations and 135 speakers from 20 different countries. At this unconference, the Ukrainian version of the Global Teacher Prize was announced.
Main topics at this event included the formation of the New Ukrainian School () and future reforms in the Ukrainian school system. British author, speaker, and international advisor on education Ken Robinson addressed the unconference in a 10-minute video message. European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) researcher Giovanni Porchellana spoke at the unconference.
The Fourth National unconference
The fourth EdCamp Ukraine unconference was held in Kharkiv in 2018. Participants totaled 946 educators from 24 Ukrainian regions, and 143 experts from 11 countries presented. One of the main topics of the unconference was anti-discrimination in education.
Six hundred EdCampers gathered at the Constitution Square in Kharkiv for a flash mob that was later registered in the Ukrainian Record Book as the biggest gathering of educators ever. Ukrainian and international public figures took part in the flash mob, including Liliya Hrynevych, the Minister of Education and Science; Hadley Ferguson, co-founder of the original EdCamp movement in the US; Caspar Peek, representative from United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine; and Yaacov Hecht, Israel educator and founder of democratic schools. Speakers included Yaacov Hecht, Liliya Hrynevych, and Esa Sinivuori, a Finnish expert from Lumo Education.
The Fifth National unconference
The fifth unconference was held in 2019 in Kharkiv. About 1,000 educators attended, including experts from 20 countries.
Anti-discrimination policies in education were widely discussed during the event. Another main focus introduced the concepts of Social Emotional Ethical Learning system (SEE Learning) to Ukrainian educators (SEE Learning is a system of the "soft skills" that include creative thinking, empathy, the ability to work in a team, and other skills previously introduced to EdCamp Ukraine team by the fourteenth Dalai Lama).) Plans were discussed to incorporate SEE Learning into Ukrainian schools.
The EdCamp Ukraine team invited the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to join the unconference to discuss Ukrainian education and necessary reforms. Due to a scheduling conflict, the President couldn't attend, but addressed the EdCamp Ukraine team and members in a letter. The members were also addressed by the Dalai Lama in his video message.
During the unconference, another record was set: "The biggest number of locations to join an online educators' flash mob" registered Ukraine Record Book. Liliya Hrynevych, as well as several other Ukrainian public figures and international guests such as Giovanni Porchellana from the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and Israel educator Yaacov Hecht, took part in the flash mob.
The Sixth National unconference
Due to quarantine measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, EdCamp Ukraine's 2020 unconference was held online. Its theme was "High Five for Education." Oleksandr Elkin and EdCamp Ukraine 2020 were acknowledged in the "United States and Ukraine: Virtual EdCamps" issue of Education Continuity, published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The main subject of the online marathon—education within the Coronavirus pandemic—was discussed by educators and parents from all over Ukraine. It was the first time parents were invited to attend the unconference. More than 10,000 members and 65 speakers from 22 countries joined the online event. People entered virtual unconference sessions 80,689 times. Lectures and sessions totaled 55 hours.
The five main subjects discussed at the event were distance learning, education policies, physical and mental health, financial and legal challenges, and partnership in education.
Due to new Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science regulations, educators were able to receive a professional development certificate for attending. Many Ukrainian speakers from government and the entertainment industry attended the event and led their own sessions.