Background: Physical education has a long association with teaching outdoor and/or adventure education (OAE). As physical education teacher educators, with a special interest in teaching OAE, we wanted to examine perceptions of models based practices in physical education/teacher education. Purpose: This manuscript; explores and critiques a range of national and international perspectives on models based practices in OAE; challenges what stands for teaching OAE in PETE; and offers suggestions for future practice and research. Method: Papers were selected through a systematic review methodology. Data analysis: Using a process of inductive analysis and constant comparison we identified two main themes: Ways of doing this in PE and Ways of doing this in PETE. Discussion/Conclusion: Future recommendations include the pedagogical relevance and importance of understanding the socio-cultural context, the challenge of adventure education being a controlled orchestration and the need to pedagogically change the key of this orchestration, and employing innovative methodological approaches to further explore these issues.