Primary school teachers and outdoor education: Varying levels of teacher leadership in informal networks of peers

The study concentrated on an area in Greece with a multiplicity of sites for outdoor education. Informal networks of teachers were "detected" through a snowball technique and data were collected by means of a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. A typology was first enriched to account for teacher interaction. This typology was then operationalized to assess teacher leadership in outdoor education. Participants were classified in three clusters; namely, "strugglers," "domesticators," and "succeeders". Leadership covariated with ability to overcome obstacles, master "affordances" of destinations, and focus on on-site instruction. Peer interaction offered opportunities for reflection. Leadership categories revealed a transient character, Which implied that peer interaction might facilitate empowerment. However, there were indications of protecting existing practice against innovation. Implications for leadership development are discussed.