definition for: #teachmeet

An unconference event, founded in 2006, at which teachers share ideas with teachers, and all attendees are active participants.

Described by Hallinan as “a model of CPD which involves those attending as participants in delivering the training as well as receiving it”, or by Bennett as "guerrilla CPD", TeachMeet came into existence in 2006 in Scotland. The first event was organised by three educators who were also bloggers and who wanted to have some discussion face-to-face. The subtitle given to the event by the founders was “teachers sharing ideas with teachers”. TeachMeet combines the philosophy and practices of three unconference forms - Open Space Technology, BarCamp, and Pecha Kucha - and is empowered by the communication methods offered by contemporary social media. A major factor has been the use of tools and practices of online collaboration that have enabled the TeachMeet community to develop and grow organically, unincorporated, without formal constitution or management structure, in a way that seems at present to be sustainable.