Megan Zeni

Megan Zeni is a fourth-year PhD student and sessional lecturer in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia. With over 20 years of experience as a professional educator in Richmond School District #38, she brings extensive practical knowledge to her academic work. Her teaching focuses on outdoor and garden classroom education within public school settings.

Her research interests center around developing professional learning communities with in-service teachers to bridge emerging theories with teaching practices that include unstructured outdoor play as a pedagogical approach. She specializes in pedagogies of place and play, school garden development, and creating effective outdoor learning environments. Her work addresses systemic barriers to outdoor education while providing practical, cost-effective solutions for capacity building in schools.

Zeni is highly active in professional development, offering multiple workshop series including The Garden Classroom Series, Pedagogies of Play, and Pedagogies of Place. Her workshops have received significant praise from educators, with testimonials highlighting how her sessions have transformed teaching practices and inspired master's thesis projects. She consults extensively on garden classroom start-up and maintenance, as well as practical implementation of loose parts play in school gardens.

• Executive member of EEPSA (Environmental Educators Provincial Specialist Association)
• SSHRC-funded PhD scholar in curriculum studies
• Creator of practical resources for teachers building capacity for outdoor play and learning

Her advocacy focuses on systemic changes needed to support outdoor learning, including simplified consent procedures, gear-lending libraries, dedicated funding, and changing public perceptions about the value of outdoor education. She maintains an active presence through her website meganzeni.com and social media @roomtoplay.