ERIC Number: EJ1103105
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0095-8964
EISSN: N/A
Primary School Teachers and Outdoor Education: Varying Levels of Teacher Leadership in Informal Networks of Peers
Hovardas, Tasos
Journal of Environmental Education, v47 n3 p237-254 2016
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.
Descriptors: Outdoor Education, Classification, Foreign Countries, Networks, Questionnaires, Semi Structured Interviews, Peer Relationship, Educational Innovation, Teacher Leadership, Elementary School Teachers, Multivariate Analysis, Educational Experience, Likert Scales, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Greece
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A