The Outdoor Learning Professional and Initial Teacher Education

This chapter examines the role of the outdoor learning professional within initial teacher education (ITE) across the UK, at a time when learning beyond the classroom is increasingly recognised within curriculum policy yet unevenly embedded in teacher preparation. Drawing on examples from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the chapter explores how outdoor learning features within different ITE routes and the implications this has for student teacher confidence, motivation, professional identity, and pedagogical practice. It considers the varied positions occupied by outdoor learning professionals in ITE, including as external contributors, embedded members of programme teams, and student teachers bringing prior outdoor expertise. Through a fictionalised case study, student-teacher micro-cases, and illustrative snapshots, the chapter foregrounds the relational and affective dimensions of collaboration and pedagogy, alongside tensions surrounding legitimacy, recognition, and professional boundaries. It argues that while outdoor learning is often rhetorically valued, its integration within ITE remains fragile and dependent on local cultures and partnerships. The chapter concludes by suggesting that more sustained, professionally informed collaboration is required if outdoor learning is to become a normalised component of teacher formation rather than an optional add-on.