The Global, Environmental & Outdoor Education Council (GEOEC) is an interdisciplinary specialist council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association. Our mission is to provide resources and venues for dialogue and networking, as well as to promote quality professional development for Alberta teachers in the areas of global, environmental and outdoor education. Members receive current news items, teaching ideas, information about our workshop series, and food for thought through our quarterly journal Connections. We are also active on Facebook  and Twitter, with up-to-date information on PD opportunities and initiatives in Alberta.

Our Focus Areas

Outdoor Education

​Outdoor education is adventure education incorporating outdoor learning, outdoor school, adventure therapy, adventure recreation, adventure tourism, expeditionary learning, challenge education, experiential education, environmental education, forest schools and wilderness education.

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Global Education

​Global education is teaching and learning with a global perspective. It is active and experiential in nature, engaging the learner where he or she is, helping the student to develop tools which will aid her or him in understanding where she/he is and why. 

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Environmental Education 

​Environment education encompasses characteristics of interdisciplinary integration of subject matter; collaborative instruction; emphasis on problem solving and projects; combinations of independent and cooperative learning; and learner-centered and constructivist approaches.

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Executive Duties

Global Environmental and Outdoor Education Council 
Executive Duties and Responsibilities - September, 2016

​Duties and Responsibilities of Table Officers. All positions except Past President and President are open for election annually.

PAST PRESIDENT
Act as advisor to the president and the Executive Board in general.
Ensure that the Executive operate in accordance with the constitution.
Act as keeper of the historical records as the council historian.
Solicit nominations from membership for each of the Table Officer positions.
Coordinate the GEOEC’s recognition of individuals and organizations, and solicit recommendations and nominations for awards at least two months prior to AGM.
Report annually and maintain a registry of awards presented by the GEOEC.


PRESIDENT
Maintain liaison with ATA personnel, PEC representative and staff officer assigned to the GEOEC.
Call, set agenda for and chair all meetings of the Table Officers and Executive Board.
Arrange for the old and new Executive Board to meet near the end of term of office to pass on information and receive files.
Submit an annual written report about GEOEC activities to the ATA
Attend annual Seminar for Presidents of Specialist Councils.
Submit written reports at Executive meetings as required.
Keep Executive informed of developments.


PRESIDENT ELECT
Assist the president as required, and act in the absence of the president.
 Maintain liaison with committee chairs and report to Table Officers.


SECRETARY
Take minutes of all Table Officer and Executive Board meetings.
Send minutes, and action plans to Executive, ATA Staff Advisor, PEC representative and GEOEC Community Liaisons.
Have copies of previous year’s AGM minutes available at the current AGM.
Handle correspondence and communication, in conjunction with President.


TREASURER
Take charge of all money received and/or collected by the Council, and disburse funds as authorized by the Table Officers.
Keep accurate record of the financial affairs of the Council for both the account held at Barnett House and the current account.
Provide a statement of account to each meeting of the Table Officers.
Have books ready for audit by Barnett House at the end of each fiscal year (June 30)
Attend annual Seminar for Treasurers of Specialist Councils.
Present audited financial statement to the AGM
Provide consultative services to the Conference Director.


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Assess needs, make recommendations and provide in-service opportunities to GEOEC Members in addition to annual conference.
Establish, maintain and recommend a list of resource people.
Submit a report of PD activities to the AGM.

PUBLIC RELATIONS / MEMBERSHIP
Deal with issues relating to the image of the GEOEC and environmental education focusing
Specifically on outside groups.
Actively promote membership among interested members of the public.
Work with the conference committee to ensure that they have an up-to-date membership list, and that the conference is promoted to non-members.
Coordinate the development, interpretation and implementation of public relations policies.
Submit a report on PR/ Membership activities to the AGM.


PUBLICATIONS
Coordinate and act as editor for any publications that pertain to the goals and objectives of the GEOEC.
Attend the annual Seminar for Specialist Council Editors.
Submit a report of Publications activities to the AGM.


CONFERENCE DIRECTORS (2018)
In consultation with the Table Officers, plan and carry out an annual conference program which is to be outlined in the fall and published at least two months prior to the conference. 
Keep a conference file. Pass this file on to the Conference Director-Elect.
Attend annual Seminar for Conference Directors of Specialist Councils.
Submit an audited financial statement to the Table Officers within two months following the conference.
Present this statement to the Executive Board at the first fall meeting.
Submit all financial records to Barnett House on or before June 30 for auditing.


CONFERENCE DIRECTOR-ELECT (2019)
Serve as a member of the conference steering committee in preparation for the following year. Assist the Conference Director as required.
NOTE: (It is not essential that this person attend Executive meetings).


COMMUNITY LIAISONS (Two Positions)
This is a non-voting appointed position, created to facilitate sharing of experience and knowledge between community (non-formal) and school-based (formal) educators. It acknowledges the significant contribution of non-formal educators to global, environmental and outdoor education.

Meet GEOEC

Don McLaughlin, President

Breanne Oakie-Carriere, Past President

Jeff Siddle, Outdoor Education Specialist

Jessica Prodor, Secretary

Court Rustemeyer, Outdoor Education Specialist

Karen Larter, Outdoor Education Specialist

Beth Townsend, Public Relations

Kate Robertson, Professional Development

Jennifer Connoly, Journal Editor

Awards & Competitions

At our Annual Conference, the Global, Environmental and Outdoor Education Council of the ATA honours those people who have contributed to global, environmental and outdoor education. As a member of the council you have the opportunity to nominate a deserving person for recognition.

The Global, Environmental and Outdoor Education Council (GEOEC) seeks nominations for the following awards:

Appreciation of Service Award
Award is presented to member and nonmember individuals and organizations in acknowledgement of service contributing to the professional growth of GEOEC members.
Considerations include service, events, hosts, materials, sponsors, affiliate organizations and departments that have been of significant benefit to the Council.


Award of Merit
The Award of Merit is presented to member and nonmember individuals and organizations in recognition of exemplary teaching, leadership or service in the field of global, environmental and outdoor education.

Considerations include teaching, leadership or service representing a significant commitment of effort and time; effective influence on the development of global, environmental and outdoor education in a region, province or nation; contribution to the awareness and understanding of an environmental ethic; or extension of teaching practice, research, legislation or funding in global, environmental and outdoor education.

Distinguished Fellow Award
The Distinguished Fellow Award is presented to a member in acknowledgement of outstanding achievement and distinguished service in the field of global, environmental and outdoor education. Considerations include years of service, significance of achievements, effect of leadership, and commitment to the Council’s development and operation

GEOEC Executive Service Awards
For two, five and ten years of service to the Executive of the Global, Environmental and Outdoor Education Council and to teacher professional development in Alberta.

DISTINGUISHED FELLOW                           
Presented to people who have made a career of outstanding achievement and distinguished service in the field of global, environmental and outdoor education in Alberta.

APPRECIATION OF SERVICE            
Presented to people or organizations (member and non-member) in acknowledgement of service contributing to the professional growth of GEOEC members.

AWARD OF MERIT
Presented to people or organizations (member and non-member) to recognize exemplary teaching, leadership and/or service in the field of global, environmental and outdoor education in Alberta.

2017 GEOEC Awards Nomination Form - nomination deadline April 15th, 2018

Past Winners 

Year	Distinguished Fellow	Appreciation of Service	Award of Merit
1977	-	-	Liz Hall ​Helen Schuler
1978	Joy Finlay	-	-
1980	Brad Blocksidge ​Dr. Les Tolman	Mary Bailey	-
1981	Donna Barge	Jean Funk Susie Washington Jim Weaver Ross Wright ​County of St. Paul	Bert Lougheed Jim Martin Irl Miller Dan Stoler
1982	-	Anne Isaacs Hank & Frances Roessingh ​Lois Fenna	Greg & Lady Stevens ​Burt Demeriez
1983	Hugh Philips	Lloyd Flaig ​Bod Townsend	-
1984	Bernie Galbraith	Cam Finlay Alberta Parks & Recreation ​Ron Erickson	Sally Banks ​Dick Staples
1985	-	Alberta Environment- Education Brand Goldeye Centre	George Shaw ​Reg Houghton
1986	Jim Martin	Society, Environment & Energy Development Studies Foundation (SEEDS) Devonian Botanic Gardens	Carl Ellingson Eric Mokash Ron Sweet ​Phil Schummacher
1987	Nestor Kelba	Kananaskis Country Enviro Ed Brand Rocky Mountain YMCA ​Yamnuska Centre Outdoor Schools	Rob Osberg Calgary Board of Education Joanne Barwise Lloyd Pearce
1988	-	Fish Creek Provincial Park Shannon Terrace Education Centre Ed Henderson ​Bob Mitchell	John Kinnaird Ken Yuha Rick Mrazek
1989	Dan Stoker	Kiwanis Club of Calgary	Jeff Reading
1990	Rick Mrazek Ron Sweet Don Kenyan Jim Martin	University of Calgary Kananaskis Centre for Environmental Research	Dennis Gogal ​Katherine Zimmerman
1991	-	Society of Education Resource Groups	Bill March George Taven ​Ian Waugh
1992	-	Friends of Environmental Education Society of Alberta (FEESA)	Dan Tarney ​Deb Brandell
1993	-	Linda Hart ​Keith Harrison	Ray Cromie
1994	Colin Lumby	Doris & Eric Hopkins	Linda Hart
1995	-	Jim Butler	Cal & Katherine Kullman ​George Millar
1996	George Taven	-	Bev Yee
1997	Jeff Reading	Pat Worthington	Alberta Eco Trust Peter Lenton
1998	-	Rita Poruchny	Gareth Thomson
1999	-	-	Green Teacher Magazine
2000	Earl Choldin	Encompass Magazine	Ben Gadd Earl Cholden ​Bert East
2001	Ian Waugh	Open Minds Program Alberta Learning Network	Pat Worthington ​Suzanna Wong
2002	Gareth Thomson	-	Ken Kure
2003	-	Sharon Vogrinetz	-
2004	-	Vicki Ziegler ​Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society Evergreen Theatre	Glyn Hughes Scott Millar ​Sara Coumantaraskis
2005	-	Jane Rekstan The Calgary Zoo ​River Valley Programs -Edmonton	Mary Harding
2007	Carey Booth	Calgary Board of Education Off-Site Activites	Ron Berezan
2008	Peter Lenton ​Suzanna Wong	Karen Whitehead	-
2009	Sharon Vogrinetz	Alberta Council for Global Cooperation (ACGC)	Cayley School
2010	Noel Jantzie	-	High Park School, Stony Plains
2011	-	Polly Knowlton Cockett Parks Canada Palisades Stewardship Education Centre	Paul Bohnert Jere Geiger ​Kathy Satterfield
2013	Michael Mappins	Lara Fenton	Calgary Mayor's Environment Expo Canadian Geographic Energy Diet
2014	-	-	CGCER Tyler Dixon
2015	Rita Poruchny	-	-
2016	-	-	-