The Saturna Ecological Education Centre (SEEC) is a publicly funded outdoor school located on
Saturna Island
Saturna Island is a mountainous island, about in size, in the Southern Gulf Islands chain of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated approximately midway between the Lower Mainland of B.C. and Vancouver Island, and is the most easterly of the ...
in
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
. It is part of
School District #64. It operates three days a week, with students sleeping over on Saturna during the week. The education style at SEEC is very different from that of a conventional school, although it does adhere to the provincially required learning outcomes. Its name is commonly shortened to "SEEC."
Education style
The style of learning at SEEC is very different from the style taught at most high schools around the province. Classes are typically multi-disciplinary and often held outdoors. For example, students may go for a hike up a mountain, navigating via
GPS, and then write a reflection on the experience. This will complete prescribed learning outcomes from a variety of courses, including PE, Geography, and English. Typically, each semester will focus on four courses, with students also having the freedom to create an IDS. An IDS, or Independent Directed Study, is a course that a student can independently design according to their own interests, as long as it follows at least one Prescribed Learning Outcome of at least one provincially recognized course.
Awards
Winners of the 2017 BC Green Games $1000 grant.
References
Further reading
OECD - Innovative Learning Environment Project about SEECSchool District #64 website page
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Schools in British Columbia