Exploring careership in outdoor education and the lives of women outdoor educators

The last decade has seen significant interest in research associated with outdoor education and outdoor learning in the UK. However, there has been little research into the perspectives of those staff, particularly women, who make available outdoor experiences to various groups in different situations and locations. The importance of understanding the lives of educators for understanding their professional development has been much discussed in relation to the physical education profession. This article considers how the notion of careership and the use of life-history research, through illuminating how outdoor educators make their career decisions in relation to their own socio-cultural and structural contexts, can provide an insight into professional development of outdoor educators and the gendered nature of outdoor education careers.