Seattle Ed Tech Monthly Unconference

Seattle Ed Tech Monthly Unconference

What should Seattle’s education and technology community be discussing—and building together? On the first Tuesday of every month, educators, founders, technologists, designers, researchers, creators, students, and education advocates will gather at SURF Incubator for an open, participant-led evening of conversation, ideas, and collaboration. This is an unconference, which means there is no predetermined speaker lineup or rigid agenda. The people in the room create the agenda.

How Does It Work?

We’ll begin by asking attendees to propose topics, questions, challenges, and ideas they would like to discuss. Topics might include:

• AI in education • Educational games and interactive learning • Children’s media and edutainment • Building and funding ed-tech companies • Classroom challenges • Homeschooling and alternative education • Accessibility and inclusive design • Student privacy and technology ethics • Curriculum and educational content • Product testing and educator feedback • Emerging technologies and learning models • Problems in education that need practical solutions

We’ll select the most popular topics and divide into small discussion groups. Join the conversation that interests you most, switch groups between rounds, propose your own topic, or simply listen and meet people working across Seattle’s education and technology ecosystem.

Schedule

5:00–5:20 PM: Arrival, introductions, and topic submissions 5:20–5:30 PM: Topic voting and group formation 5:30–6:05 PM: Discussion round one 6:05–6:15 PM: Break and group switching 6:15–6:50 PM: Discussion round two 6:50–7:00 PM: Takeaways, requests, and next steps You do not need to be a founder, educator, or technical expert to participate. Come with:

• A topic you want to explore • A problem you are trying to solve • Something you are building • A perspective others may not have considered • A desire to meet thoughtful people working in education and technology

You may also come without a topic and join whichever conversation interests you. This is not a pitch competition, formal panel, or high-pressure networking event. It is a recurring place for Seattle’s ed-tech community to think aloud, exchange knowledge, form relationships, and gradually build better things together.

When?

The first Tuesday of every month 5:00–7:00 PM Attend once, come occasionally, or make it part of your monthly routine.

Admission

Early-bird registration: $10 Day-of registration: $15 Early-bird pricing ends 24hrs before each event.

Admission supports refreshments, snacks, event supplies, Meetup and administrative costs, ongoing event production, and the continued growth of the Seattle Ed Tech community.

Register in advance to receive the lower price and help us prepare the space and refreshments.

Location

SURF Incubator 999 Third Avenue, Suite 700 Seattle, Washington 98104 SURF is conveniently located near Symphony light-rail station and several major bus routes.

Please arrive before 6:00 PM, when the building’s exterior doors lock. If you expect to arrive later, contact the host in advance for entry instructions.

A parking garage is located in the building. Guests arriving before 6:00 PM can receive a flat $10 parking rate. Additional parking instructions will be shared with registered attendees.

About Your Host

Kelly Kirk is the organizer of Seattle Ed Tech and the founder of Kelly Tutors, an education company creating learning experiences, books, media, games, and events for children and families. Kelly has taught more than 10,000 students internationally and has worked across education, children’s media, entrepreneurship, and community programming. She is currently developing children’s programs, creator communities, and educational events at SURF Incubator while working to grow Kelly Tutors into a children’s media and edutainment company. After attending Seattle Ed Tech events as a community member, Kelly stepped into the organizer role…