On the move: The theory and practice of the walking interview method in outdoor education research

Abstract

This paper documents and discusses the walking interview method as it was used to explore how outdoor educators’ sense of place informed their professional practice in the Port Hills of Christchurch, New Zealand. Eight participants who were working as outdoor educators in the primary, secondary or tertiary education sector in Christchurch, and who spent time in the Port Hills both as part of their teaching practice, as well as in their personal lives, were interviewed. We found walking interviews provided a richer perspective on place and practice than would have been possible using only indoor and stationary interviews. This suggests there is merit in utilizing mobile methods across a range of fields examining the interactions of people and place. In the outdoors, where people and place are often on the move, the walking interview has potential to capture this mobility and better understand its significance in outdoor education practice.