The 17th Biennial national conference of the Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) will be held from the 30th September to the 3rd October 2012 at the Sebel Albert Park in Melbourne, Victoria and expects to attract over 350 teachers, tertiary educators, sustainability professionals and policy makers.

The conference theme is; Creating Our next Courageous Steps (Next Steps 2012). Next Steps 2012 is proudly hosted by the Victorian Association for Environmental Education (VAEE), the Victorian chapter of AAEE. AAEE advocates for Environmental Education and promotes best practice. It contributes to skills development among educators across the country and internationally. Environmental Educators work in government agencies, schools, businesses and community organisations. AAEE helps them stay at the forefront of sustainability education and behaviour change. It provides a network for the growing force of cross-sector environmental educators.

We aim to deliver a conference that both exemplifies and enables courage to take the next step on our Environmental Education journey. Within the context of that theme the conference will build educator capacity and school and community partnerships by:

• supporting government and non-government organisations to deliver programs/initiatives that achieve positive environmental change;
• fostering partnerships in the education, environment and business sectors to support a green skilled workforce;
• demonstrate effective pedagogy through peer, cross-age and student centred learning and teaching, representing all generations - participants will range in age from 16 year olds to 70+ year olds.
• providing time and space for participants to reflect and consider learnings that emerge in Next Steps 2012;
• inspiring and challenging organisations and individuals to demonstrate courage in reducing their footprint at work, home and in their work to educate others;
• creating dialogue using behaviour change, audience engagement and action learning approaches;
• demonstrating green values by creating a low environmental impact event.

We are please to announce that the conference patron will be Professor Kate Auty, PhD, MEnvSc, Dip Int Env Law (UNITAR), BA(Hons)LLB, MAICD; Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability. You can view her bio on the Speakers Page of the website.

Program at a Glance

Sponsors