USCG PodCamp

Earlier this week I was down in Virginia Beach to participate in the first annual USCG PodCamp which in fact was the first US military PodCamp. Being first is good and this event was run alongside the much larger USCG Innovation Expo which seemed entirely appropriate on so many levels.

Not familiar with the term PodCamp. Well,  it’s a social media unconference. Still confused, don’t worry you’re not alone. An unconference is basically a self organized conference/event where people come to share their knowledge and experience on a particular topic/theme. PodCamps focus on social media.

Participants get to decide on what topics will be explored and discussed in sessions throughout the day. It might sound a bit chaotic and it can be, but for the most part it an extremely effective way to cover a wide range of topics in a relatively short time frame and to tailor learning to the needs of the group.  It works best when attendees actively participate through leading a session, asking questions and engaging in dialogue/discussions.

The USCG PodCamp was a great success and I’ve written a post on it over at seaz.me. (Five Highlights of USCG PodCamp).  If you are in the Coast Guard,  maritime industry or just interest in learning more or sharing your social media experience and knowledge you might want to mark your calendar for the 2nd annual USCG PodCamp next November in Tampa, FL.

We recorded episode 27 of the Weekly Leader podcast at USCG PodCamp.

Here’s a copy of my Podcasting Fundamentals presentation via Slide Share.

Congratulations to Ben Strong, Katie Hood, Peter Stinson and Ryan Erickson for doing all the prep work and all of the participants in making USCG PodCamp such a great success!