Connect with a global community of educators while transforming your teaching practice with National Geographic’s free online courses for educators. 

Courses range in content, length, and schedule, and are open to any educator from anywhere in the world who works with students in either a formal or informal setting. In many of our courses, learners can earn graduate credits through our university partnerships. 

Learn more about our available courses below, and keep updated when new courses launch or when cohort-based courses open.

Course List: 

Self-Paced Courses:

Cohort-Based Courses:

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FOR EDUCATORS

Developing a National Geographic Explorer Mindset with Your Learners

Learn how to foster the mindset of a National Geographic Explorer in your students and explore innovative strategies and resources to transform your teaching. This hourlong, self-paced mini-course will introduce you to National Geographic’s interdisciplinary approach to education, its powerful resources, and a supportive community of educators.

Audience
Formal and informal educators - all subjects, all grade levels
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For Educators

Applying Geographic Thinking Skills with Your Learners

Empower your learners to make sense of our interconnected world by integrating geographic thinking skills and resources into your instruction. This 1½-hourlong, self-paced mini-course will introduce you to National Geographic’s interdisciplinary approach to education, innovative strategies and resources that will help your students understand complex concepts, and a supportive community of educators.

Audience
Formal and informal educators—all subjects, all grade levels
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For Educators

Storytelling for Impact in Your Classroom: Photography

Engage your students in photographic storytelling as they explore, learn, and communicate their ideas in ways that inspire action. In this short, self-paced online course in partnership with Adobe, gain a deep understanding of photographic storytelling, and the value of photography as an instructional tool in your classroom.

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FOR EDUCATORS

Storytelling for Impact in Your Classroom: Video

In our digital era, video is everywhere—and a powerful way to inspire change. Learn about digital storytelling and how to integrate video as an effective and dynamic instructional tool in your classroom. This short, self-paced online course is part of the Storytelling for Impact series developed in partnership with Adobe.

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For Educators

Storytelling For Impact In Your Classroom: Audio

Voice, sounds, and music have been used in stories throughout human history—and stories continue to be a powerful tool to inspire change. In this short, self-paced online course, learn how to integrate audio storytelling in your classroom and empower your students to tell compelling stories. This online course is part of the Storytelling for Impact series developed in partnership with Adobe.

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For Educators

Storytelling For Impact In Your Classroom: Graphics

Clear. Persuasive. Visual. Infographics combine data, words, and design in one powerful storytelling tool. Discover how to help your learners simplify complex information to communicate a story that inspires change in this short, self-paced online course. The course is part of the Storytelling for Impact series developed in partnership with Adobe.

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For Educators

Teaching Global Climate Change in Your Classroom

Follow National Geographic Explorers to the treetops of the rain forests, the reefs of Mexico, the glaciers of Iceland, and the shores of the Chesapeake Bay as they find solutions to global climate change. Practice innovative ways to visualize the changing climate with your students as we all seek a planet in balance.

Audience
Formal and informal educators
Dates
June 23–August 18
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For Educators

Mapping as a Visualization and Communication Tool in Your Classroom

Maps can inspire us and inform us. They help us see the world in a new way. Join National Geographic Explorers and cartographers to learn how your students can understand and create powerful maps in any classroom.

Audience
Formal and informal educators - all subjects, all grade levels
Dates
June 23–August 3
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For Educators

Connecting the Geo-Inquiry Process to Your Teaching Practice

Can people from small fishing villages help protect oceans? Are cattle ranchers the key to saving the Florida panther? What can national park rangers do to improve girls’ education in Mozambique? National Geographic Explorers ask questions, collect data, and create stories that inspire others to take action. Bring these skills to your classroom with the National Geographic Geo-Inquiry Process.

Audience
Formal and informal educators—any grade, any subject
Dates
June 23–August 18
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For Educators

Teaching Students to ASK Their Own Geo-Inquiry Questions

Curiosity starts with a question. Empower your learners to formulate their own questions—for participation, self-advocacy, and lifelong learning—with strategies and tools in this online course. Developed in partnership with the Right Question Institute, this course integrates the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) with the ASK Phase of the National Geographic Geo-Inquiry Process.

Audience
Formal educators of any subject in grades 4–12
Dates
June 23–August 3
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For Educators

Collecting Data to Explore Plastic Pollution in Our Communities

Follow National Geographic Explorers in the Sea to Source and Mount Everest Expeditions as they carefully collect data to track plastic pollution in the Ganges River and document climate change in Mount Everest. Hone your skills in guiding your students to design and select data collection methods that explore problems in their communities.

Audience
Formal and informal educators: all subjects, all grade levels
Dates
June 23–August 11
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For Educators

Integrating Service with Learning Goals

Curiosity and compassion drive National Geographic Explorers to the ends of Earth as they seek solutions to our trickiest problems. Empower your students to take action in their own communities as they meet curriculum goals.

Audience
All formal and informal educators with a focus on grade 5–9 subject areas
Dates
June 23–August 3
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For Educators

Educator Certification

Challenge yourself to teach about the world in innovative and interdisciplinary ways. You will collaborate with inspiring educators as you generate activities centered around real-world issues and implement them with your students.

Audience
Formal and informal educators—any grade, any subject
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