I find the best way to learn something is teach it. My philosophy with workshops & teaching is that we are all learners/students, on different parts of the paths (versus the idea that one person / the leader is the absolute authority). So the idea is to to create a learning environment (a time, place, and people), and help each other out.

A lot of us are doing this stuff solo anyway, and doing it socially is more fun and usually more effective (easily get unblocked).

Hubris is one of the 3 most important qualities of a good programmer.