Educação Ambiental nas Escolas Públicas de Quirinópolis

Abstract

Environmental Education (EA) covers a complex process of building values, competences, attitudes and skills that transcends the formal education system. In schools, which are spaces designed to train citizens who are aware and engaged in the sustainable use of environmental resources, teachers play a crucial role. They participate in decision-making, planning and organization, including the construction of the Educational Political Project (PPP), which should include the implementation and evaluation of projects related to EA. The present research first proposed to raise data about the perception of the teachers of Basic Education in relation to the EA, aiming, by means of bibliographic review, to recognize their perception on the topic. A research was carried out, through a bibliographic review, on the Sustainable Development Goals and how these objectives reflect in the guiding documents of Education, especially EA. To understand how EA is addressed in public schools in Quirinópolis, Goiás, and the involvement of teachers in the planning and execution of projects related to EA, a survey with semi-structured questionnaires was conducted. In addition, workshops, divided into four modules, were offered to teachers. Subsequently, the same questionnaire was reapplied to assess changes in the perception of these professionals in relation to EA. The results of the teachers' perception of EA show that the majority have no training for their practice, have not received training, or when they received it, it was not significant or sufficient to provide a change in their vision of the EA topic. The survey also revealed that Brazil participated in the key moments related to the EA, such as the Eco-92 and the signing, together with other 193 countries, of the Agenda 2030 document, in which the signatories of the agreement committed themselves to adopting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (ODS). It was also carried out a survey in the PPPs of all public schools of Quirinópolis that offer primary education second phase and secondary education revealing that the EA is not provided in the guiding documents of the school units effectively in the schools in Quirinópolis, being the EA listed in these documents merely to meet the obligation of the approach of the topic, not being addressed in the interdisciplinary projects. The results of the survey carried out with the semi-structured questionnaires corroborate the results obtained in the survey conducted in the first phase of the research as to the perception of teachers, evidencing that the theme EA is contemplated early in specific dates that relate to the environmental standard. These professionals, despite having adequate academic background and feeling empowered, listed as problems that prevent or hinder the development of actions within the framework of the EA the extensive curriculum to be fulfilled during the academic year and the lack of teaching material concerning the subject, in addition to the absence of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects that impede or hamper the approach of EA in formal education.