Outdoor and Land-Based Pedagogies in Early Childhood Education Express of Interest

Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) invites eligible publicly supported post-secondary institutions, CEGEPs, and Indigenous Institutes of Education to participate in the Outdoor and Land-Based Pedagogies in Early Childhood Education initiative.

This national project supports the integration of Outdoor and Land-Based Pedagogies within Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs across Canada, helping institutions strengthen their capacity to prepare future early childhood educators to support children’s learning, well-being, and connection to the land.

Guided by More Than a New Course: A Framework for Embedding Outdoor and Land-Based Pedagogies in Post-Secondary Early Childhood Education Programs, the initiative recognizes that meaningful implementation requires more than curriculum change alone. It also requires faculty development, respectful Indigenous engagement, institutional commitment, community partnerships, and opportunities for collaboration across the sector.

Over four years, participating institutions will have opportunities to engage in Communities of Practice, implementation projects, microcredential development and delivery, and national knowledge mobilization activities.

Why Participate?

Participating institutions will have the opportunity to:
Strengthen institutional capacity to support Outdoor and Land-Based Pedagogies
Increase faculty knowledge, skills, and confidence
Support respectful and meaningful Indigenous engagement
Integrate Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing
Develop innovative resources and approaches
Strengthen connections between post-secondary education and Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) practice
Contribute to pan-Canadian collaboration and systems-level change

Current Opportunity

CICan is currently seeking Expressions of Interest from eligible institutions interested in participating in the first phase of the initiative.

Selected institutions will contribute to advancing Outdoor and Land-Based Pedagogies in Early Childhood Education while helping shape a national community of practice and learning.