This research examines the nature of primary-aged children's, teachers' and outdoor educator's perceptions and how these interrelate in generating an appropriate and effective experience within fieldwork -a two day residential visit. An eclectic methodology through the application of complementary qualitative and quantitative research instruments underpins this research. A pre-intervention, intervention, post-intervention framework is applied and a combination of ethnographic and a quasi-experimental method (times series design) employed to examine the perceptions and products of fieldwork activities. Data gathered clearly indicates the powerful transformational impact this brief residential visit had on both teachers and pupils. This is a direct consequence of moving between different educational spaces (school/classroom and the outdoor centre) perceived as subcultures with characteristic but contrasting discourses. Strong evidence emerged to suggest all participants (pupils and teachers) require explicit support in navigating such spatial shifts. The specialised pedagogical content knowledge of outdoor educators, functioning as discourse brokers, is critical in enabling this to happen. Huge gains in personal and social development were achieved and there is some indication that these pupils accessed ecology-related scientific concepts independently of any structured guidance something likely to be due to sociocultural factors, contextual relevance and extremely high levels of intrinsic motivation. The discussion examines both the complex and multifaceted nature of this brief residential visit from the point of view of those who experience it, and the implications of these findings for supporting more effective use of outdoor experiences both in school and the outdoor centre. iv