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Summary Report on the AERO Conference

When we first realized that we would have to abandon the in person AERO conference that was planned for Minneapolis and create a virtual conference, we were skeptical that it could measure up to the face to face one.
When it became obvious that we couldn’t have a regular AERO conference this year, we had to suddenly switch gears in March a start to create our first remote conference. We’d never done a full conference this way before, but we were determined to try to incorporate key aspects of the AERO conference: A wide spectrum of attendees, extensive networking, opportunities to create spontaneous pop-up workshops, etc.

For a long time it looked like our network was also skeptical. We stagnated at about 100 registrants for a long time. Then, at a member’s suggestion, we threw it open to everyone by offering to let people name their own conference fee for a week. This led to an explosion of registrations. Many still paid the regular price and we ended up with a record 500 registrants.

The conferences itself was a continuous revelation. We were surprised at almost every turn. For example, we did introductions with 90 people in the virtual room. It was not chaotic! Everyone took their turn to make a brief introduction with no moderation necessary.

As the conference grew and evolved it suddenly occurred to us that the conference was like a giant learner-centered child, learning and developing as it went along.Stephanie Sewell said “I felt like I jumped into doing a doctorate!”

Eventually we had over 45 regular workshops, 8 keynotes, 4 panels, 4 mini-talks, 4 school visits and 4 documentaries. We also had our first online AERO auction that raised $1450, a continuously open main room, operated overnight by people from Sri Aria School in Malaysia, 15 spontaneous pop-up workshops including one inspired by Jaki Armstrong about systemic racism.

As often happens, this year we received many unsolicited workshop proposals and didn’t reject any. Anyone who attended was able to host a popup session or discussion topic. We had more leeway because it was online. Also, for the same reason we had a record 30 countries 35 states, and 7 Canadian provinces participating, from such places as Burkina Faso and South Africa to Egypt, Russia and China.

Riverstone Village students singing conference theme song

There we so many things created at this conference! For example, there was a collaboration between Carl Rust in Indiana and students and teachers at Riverstone Village in South Africa that produced this song. It became our conference theme song and was played throughout the conference. It is a really catchy tune sung by a well known African singer. Let us know how we can spread the tune further.

There were many student activities, including three student panels on student rights and other topics, some student-led workshops, and even a conference Minecraft server.

The AERO Conference website was elegantly created by our conference webmaster, Anthony Umina. It was set so people only needed to click on the website they wanted to attend and it would go right to a Zoom link. Now it wall be revamped so that you can use the same website to go to the over 50 videos of the conference if you were an attendee. If you did not attend you can purchase the video package HERE .

We used a special app called Whova so attendees could communicate with each other, to the organizers, network or create popup workshops. According to our records, at least 250 attendees downloaded the app and have sent nearly 5,000 messages and continue to use it now, after the conference.

By all measures this first online AERO conference was quite successful, surprisingly so for us. It may have appeared seamless, but there were lots of little fires being put out in the background. Luckily we had Anthony as our web expert. We are considering doing another virtual one, maybe next February in an expanded virtual AEROx.

Some Conference Feedback

It was extremely well done and the pivot to a virtual conference seemed clean and easy on the participant end! I am still catching up the conversations and looking forward to a lot of video replays. KT

Jerry this has been the most unbelievable experience!! I’m the most technologically challenged person on earth, and I’m cruising through. It’s so well organized. Well done! TR

I think that the organization you and Peter have done shows the amount of time you have put into it. It is the best run Zoom meeting I have been involved in. CN

Much better than taking part in a conference in person as I have obstacle of language. Now I can follow it much better by text and oral together.

The conference energy has been great to observe. Tell Peter he is doing a great job with all of the reminders and coordination – and when he did the interviews, too.

I can honestly say, from the bottom of my heart, my life will never be the same.

This conference was one of the most meaningful, inspiring experiences I’ve ever had.Not only from an educational point of view, but also from a human perspective.

I think that you are undercharging. Strongly recommend raising the price, but having a pay-what-you-can option as well. This establishes it as a valuable conference and continues to allow people who need a price break to take it. I would also add the option of paying extra to support those who can’t pay full.

No words can describe how amazing it was!Great conference and an eye-opener for saving travel, motel, variety of participants, and meal experience. Prepare for an even larger participant virtual conference in the future. WJ

Some parts were excellent; some parts were average, and everything in between.

Thanks for putting this together and providing so much support with the prices to make it super affordable
I started a discussion because of the deafening silence around anti racism. It seemed that AERO had its blinders firmly in place. On second thought, nothing before its time! So perhaps AERO’s reluctance forced me to ‘go brave’.
Thanks so much for still forging ahead with the conference. I think it was a beacon of light in a dark time, and so heart warming to see the energy and enthusiasm everyone has for keeping this approach to education alive and growing. I think it was especially important for my team to be involved as up til now I was the only one that had been to a conference (APDEC). I think this will have helped to inspire them and solidify the what, why and how of the philosophies behind our school at a pivotal time for us (we’re launching our first one day nature programme in term 3 this year).

Of course, given the choice, I’d prefer to attend an in-person conference, but this one surpassed my expectations. There were even perks that the online offered that are not possible in person, such as the wonderful international spectrum of attendees. The main room offered opportunities for networking that I was concerned were not possible online, so even that was a happy success. All in all, this stands up very well to the in-person conferences and was a wonderful and inspiring experience.

I am still feeling the excitement of the conference. It far exceeded my expectations of what a virtual conference could provide. The international piece was great. I felt like globally no one thought education should or would go back to prior to the pandemic. Lots of exciting work going on globally. CF

Yong Zhao does a keynote on Zoom
Brian Conner of the National Student Rights Association
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Another Important Open Chat This Sunday at Noon EST

We had 29 people last Sunday.

Thank you for your support of AERO and being a part of the Education Revolution. We will go with a mix of suggested topics and open breakout rooms.How has learning changed since Covid – 19?  Where do we go from here? What’s alive for you now?  

New to AERO Open rooms 

Peter Berg is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: AERO Zoom meeting – 5/24/2020

Time: May 24, 2020 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)Every week on Sun, Wed, until Jul 1, 2020, 12 occurrence(s) Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83748757627?pwd=czJpbFpQVGh2YzIzWkJWaHVINVdKZz09
Meeting ID: 837 4875 7627

Password: 157158

One tap mobile+16465588656,,83748757627#,,1#,157158# US (New York)+13017158592,,83748757627#,,1#,157158# US (Germantown)
Dial by your location    +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)    +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)    +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)    +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)    +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)    +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)Meeting ID: 837 4875 7627

Password: 157158

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kDOKDcnO7

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AERO’s First Feature-Length Film, Beyond Education Exclusively at Virtual AEROx! See the Trailer Below

For more than a year we have been quietly working on an amazing documentary of educational alternatives and indigenous life in Brazil.  It is the first feature-length documentary co-produced by AERO with financial support from the New Visions Foundation. The documentary will have its first screening at the Virtual AEROx on February 22nd exclusively for participants. It will not be available anywhere else until much later in the year, when it will be rolled out world-wide. Watch the trailer. It is gorgeous!  https://youtu.be/mEjy9lBfmsE
Here is a description:

Beyond Education is a thrilling documentary about transformation of society and cross cultural learning in times of crises.

Yasmin, a 14-year-old teenager is questioning her time in school. She takes off on a learning journey with two indigenous educators of the Xukuru nation with the quest of exploring new forms of education.
During this journey they visit traditional fishermen communities, a software company, an indigenous Guarani village, public and alternative schools. Along the way we will get to know Yasmin, her perspective on our world, her relationship with learning, her wishes and her fears. We will also learn about the extraordinary history of the Xucuru people that nearly disappeared in the 1980s. Today they form a nation of 12000 indigenous and run 38 Schools in their territory with 3000 students and 230 indigenous educators.
This meeting of the protagonists reflects the current state of our humanity facing deep transformation. It is a film about friendship beyond ages and cultures. Now you can watch the new documentary trailer HERE!! You can still register this week for $35, half price.

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AEROx Regional Event November 1st!

AEROx Regional Event in 12 Days! Longview Students Will Demonstrate Democratic Meeting!

The AEROx Regionalevent hosted by Longview School in Brewster, NY, November 1 – 3, 2019 
Take a look at the breakout sessions, panels that we have so far. Unschooling expert Kerry McDonald with her daughter will do a workshop together. On Saturday evening Longview students will take us through their democratic meeting! Attendees will include a diverse group of teenagers and adults from democratic schools, liberated learner centers, unschooling, self-directed education. Also there will be a mine craft server. We may have some presenter spots open so if you are interested in submitting please do so ASAP by clicking here.  

The price for registration is only $140, $89 for day rate.  You can see the food and lodging options here

Contact us for group and student rates: Peter – peter@educationrevolution.org  or Jerry jerryaero@aol.com