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Proposal:
THATCamp & Bootcamp GTA
Description:
THATCamps (The Humanities and Technology Camps) are one-day ‘un-conferences’
that bring together a diverse group of between 75-100 people from within and
beyond the academy to brainstorm, in breakout sessions, about issues at the
intersection of the humanities (or, more broadly, of society) and technology. More
details about THATCamps can be read here: http://thatcamp.org/about/.
THATCamps sometimes include a Bootcamp, often a one-day workshop on a
particular skill or technology (or set of skills/technologies), held on a day adjacent
to the THATCamp. The THATCamp concept was originated by the Center for History
and New Media (CHNM) at George Mason University. THATCamps have been both
popular and successful: a list of past and forthcoming THATCamps can be read at
http://thatcamp.org/.
There have been two THATCamps held in Ontario: THATCamp University of
Toronto (which unfortunately was restricted to U of T personnel) in May 2010 and
THATCamp UWO (University of Western Ontario, London) in May 2011 (largely
made up of UWO people). The THATCamp being proposed is THATCamp and
Bootcamp GTA, and will hopefully be a joint initiative of the universities in the
Greater Toronto Area: Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU),
Ryerson University (RU), University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT),
University of Toronto (UT), and York University (YU).
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One of the objectives of the THATCamp is to bring together and build a network of
practitioners of digital scholarship in the GTA and Ontario using an online forum
called DiSc (Digital Scholarship), currently being developed at UT, which will be
officially launched at THATCamp GTA.
Proposed Date:
October 14-15 (Friday-Saturday) or 15-16 (Saturday-Sunday) 2011.
Format:
The proposed format for THATCamp & Bootcamp GTA would be to hold the
THATCamp unconference at Ryerson University. For the Bootcamp portion, each
participating university would offer one Bootcamp workshop, and the workshops
would be held concurrently (THATCamp participants would register in advance for
the Bootcamp they wanted to attend). The Bootcamps would be an opportunity for
participating universities to showcase areas of expertise and could also be used to
showcase relevant research centres or initiatives at the institution (for example, by
giving a lunchtime tour during the day of the Bootcamp). The Bootcamps could be
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held prior to the THATCamp, which would enable participants to bring their
Bootcamp experience to bear on the THATCamp breakout sessions.
Logistics and Expenses:
Firstly, a team needs to be assembled consisting of a staff member and a student
assistant from each participating university to form an organizing committee. So far,
committee members are:
OCADU staff:
OCADU student:
RU staff:
RU student:
UOIT staff:
UOIT student:
UT staff:
UT student:
YU staff:
YU student:
Jason Boyd
Christopher Collins
Frances Garrett
Preliminary Steps:
1. Register THATCamp GTA with THATCamp Prime (CHNM)
2. Design a logo & banner
3. Create a website (CHNM offers hosting & quick and easy THATCamp website
creation; most of the work here will be content creation) for information,
registration, and soliciting ideas for breakout sessions.
(All these are free)
THATCamp:
As host, Ryerson will need to provide:
1. Meeting space (1 room large enough to accommodate all participants,
plus 4-5 rooms for breakout sessions)
2. All rooms will need chalkboards/whiteboards/projectors, dongles &
screens
3. Wireless internet access in all meeting spaces.
4. Online collaborative writing platform for the creation and sharing of
documents created at THATCamp session (for example, GoogleDocs)
Other participating universities would be asked for modest monetary contributions
for the following:
1. Refreshments (drinks and snacks) on arrival and during mid-morning
and mid-afternoon breaks. Given Ryerson’s location, participants can get
their own lunch off-campus nearby.
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2. Registration packet, including printed handouts, lanyards & nametags.
3. THATCamp swag (this has taken the form of branded USB keys, T-shirts,
etc).
Bootcamps:
Participating universities will be responsible for developing and running their
Bootcamps (although there will have to be some coordination to avoid overlap).
This involves:
1. Enlisting someone(s) to develop and teach a workshop. See suggested
Bootcamp curriculum here: http://thatcamp.org/plan/first/bootcamp/ and
see also the Bootcamp sections of the websites of past THATCamps for actual
examples.
2. Providing information about the Bootcamp for the THATCamp GTA website,
including maps and directions.
3. Providing the necessary resources for the workshop (for example, space,
wireless internet access, computers or electrical outlets if people are
bringing their own computers).
4. Dealing with and if necessary providing transportation and meals (especially
if it is difficult to get to or find places to eat at the university in question).