The Global, Environmental & Outdoor
Education Council
An Interdisciplinary Specialist Council of the Alberta Teachers Association.
GEOEC is your resource for teaching in the area of global, environmental, and outdoor education.
Become a member, take part in our conference and workshops, receive teaching ideas, and bring global, environmental and outdoor education into your classroom.
Our mission is to provide resources and venues for dialogue and networking, as well as to promote quality professional development for Alberta teachers. Members receive current news items, food for thought through our journal Connections, teaching ideas, and information about our workshop series.
We are also active on Facebook and Twitter, with up-to-date information
on PD opportunities and initiatives in Alberta.
Education Council
An Interdisciplinary Specialist Council of the Alberta Teachers Association.
GEOEC is your resource for teaching in the area of global, environmental, and outdoor education.
Become a member, take part in our conference and workshops, receive teaching ideas, and bring global, environmental and outdoor education into your classroom.
Our mission is to provide resources and venues for dialogue and networking, as well as to promote quality professional development for Alberta teachers. Members receive current news items, food for thought through our journal Connections, teaching ideas, and information about our workshop series.
We are also active on Facebook and Twitter, with up-to-date information
on PD opportunities and initiatives in Alberta.
EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS!
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We at GEOEC want to invite you to participate in our inaugural Winter Wellness Week at the end of the month.
At some point between January 26-30, we encourage you to head outdoors for some much-needed winter recreation. Strap on some skis, step into those snowshoes, lace up your trail runners, and hit the trails. While you're out there, be sure to snap a photo of you (or your crew) in action. Share that photo on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #WinterWellnessWeek and tag GEOEC in your post and you'll be entered to win a fantastic prize pack from us and some of our partners! Huge thanks to Take Me Outside, Ever Active, Inside Education, The Outdoor Learning School & Store, and Alberta Parks for your ongoing support and for donating items to the prize packs. Get out there and get moving! #GEOEC #ABed #Teachers #Wellness |
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We’re excited to share our partnership with Take Me Outside at the Outdoor Learning Conference. Join us May 7-9, 2026 in beautiful Banff, Alberta, for three days of inspiring keynotes, hands-on sessions, meaningful networking, and time spent learning outdoors. The overarching theme for the 2026 Outdoor Learning Conference is "Place and Pedagogy: Where Learning Happens". This years' Conference will continue to focus on Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Health & Wellbeing, and Environmental & Climate Change Education |
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Camp Registration Starts Soon! Exciting things are on the horizon! Planning is well underway for Camp GEOEC '26, and we can’t wait to share what’s coming. Registration information will be announced very soon for our Fall Camp, featuring meaningful professional learning, connection, and time outdoors with educators from across Alberta. Be sure to keep your GEOEC membership up to date so you don’t miss important announcements, early registration details, and conference updates. We can’t wait to host you at Camp GEOEC '26! Stay tuned! |
UPDATE FROM OUR PRESIDENT:
Welcoming the New Year!
As we step into 2026, I want to take a moment to thank you for being part of the GEOEC community.
The past year has been a powerful reminder of the impact outdoor, environmental, and global education has on students, schools, and communities. In times of change and uncertainty, learning rooted in place, experience, and connection continues to matter deeply and the work you do each day reflects that.
Looking ahead, 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year for GEOEC. We have meaningful professional learning opportunities, collaborative events, and continued growth planned, all centered on supporting educators and strengthening our community across Alberta. Most importantly, we remain committed to amplifying the voices, ideas, and leadership of our members.
Thank you for the passion, care, and dedication you bring to your students and to this council. I’m grateful for this community and optimistic about the year ahead. Here’s to a year of learning, connection, and time spent outdoors.
Wishing you a healthy, inspiring, and adventurous 2026.
—The GEOEC Executive Team
PD EVENTS AND NEWS
If you want to see GEOEC at your Conference, Workshop, or PD Event,
please contact us, and we would love to help support in any way possible!
These are a few of the regular P.D. training and workshops we provide:
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Outdoor Council of Canada Field Leader (Hiking) Training & Certification Program Please contact us if you would like a course set up for you! Successful graduates will be certified as OCC 'Outdoor Field Leaders' Don't miss out on this amazing training certification program! For more information check out the Outdoor Council of Canada website! Link below |
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PROJECT WILD GEOEC is proud to sponsor the training & certification of Project Wild! Please let us know if you are interested in a course or more information! Project WILD is a wildlife-focused conservation education program for K-12 Educators and their students. For more information follow the link below! |
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Nation Wide Virtual Campfire
Monthly! Dates are being finalized as we speak for the 2026 Calendar Year! 7 pm to 8 pm (MST) Come join us for this amazing networking opportunity. With our partners at Take Me Outside and the Outdoor Learning Store we proudly look forward to hosting you! For more details register below! |
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The Outdoor Playlist: Presented by GEOEC
These regular series feature a handful of environmental and outdoor education service providers as guest speakers, acting as a one-stop-shop for educators to find out how they've adopted their programs and how teachers can get their classes involved. Not only will you hear from many of the top school service providers in Alberta, but we will be giving out FREE RESOURCES! |
RESOURCE HIGHLIGHT
K-3 Outdoor Explorers Backpack!
In collaboration with the incredible Alberta Organization - Inside Education
Not only will this teacher PD provide you with tips and ideas for bringing your Division I students outside, it will also provide you with your very own K-3 Tool Kit, which includes a Teacher’s Guide and a backpack full of supplies that you can use to get your students outside right away!
This kit will give you the tools and ideas you’ll need to start exploring natural spaces with your students. This kit has the building blocks for outdoor lessons in science, physical education, art, math and language arts for Kindergarten to Grade 3. Along with a full teacher guide, you will receive all the equipment including , and more! (valued at ~$200). Not only will you get it for free, but we will also show you how to use all the equipment and facilitate meaningful curriculum-connected activities.
Themes:
This kit will give you the tools and ideas you’ll need to start exploring natural spaces with your students. This kit has the building blocks for outdoor lessons in science, physical education, art, math and language arts for Kindergarten to Grade 3. Along with a full teacher guide, you will receive all the equipment including , and more! (valued at ~$200). Not only will you get it for free, but we will also show you how to use all the equipment and facilitate meaningful curriculum-connected activities.
Themes:
- Tips & Best Practices for outdoor learning
- Environmental Awareness
- The Forest Floor
- Our Changing World
- Nature Stories
- Nature in Your Community
FIVE MINUTE FIELD TRIPS: VOLUME 2
Exciting NEWS!
Our latest edition of Five Minute Field Trips: Volume 2 is here!
Head on over to our Resource Section to check it out!
AWARD NOMINATIONS FOR 2025-26
Do you know a Teacher or Educator who is has done some outstanding work in the field of Global, Environmental and Outdoor Education?
If you know someone who deserves recognition in their field please take the time to read through our award applications and submit one today!
If you know someone who deserves recognition in their field please take the time to read through our award applications and submit one today!
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