Concepções e práticas de educação ambiental na rede municipal de ensino de Jataí (go) - conhecimentos e sentidos produzidos por meio de uma pesquisa-ação-participante

Abstract

In the city of Jataí (GO), the Municipal Secretary of Education (MSE) established a team to develop actions for Environmental Education (EE) in public schools. Arose, then, the project of the Green Group (GG) which is composed of members connected to the MSE of Jataí(GO) and members connected to public schools, making the so-called junior Green Group. The goal of GG is to discuss and to develop actions of EE in the municipal schools and the municipality as a whole. Participation with the group as a member of it, and observing the development of their actions and meetings as well as the difficulties encountered in implementing the actions, we have this proposal for action research, based on design critical EE, dialoguing with the pedagogy of Paulo Freire and the theory of Social Representations and Environmental Perception. The research was divided into three stages: diagnosis of GG, preparation of an action of intervention and development of action for intervention. In the stage of diagnosis, there was redemption in the history of GG and the actions developed from its inception in 2003 until the present, which identified the key concepts that underpinned the actions taken. We analyzed the projects and actions of the GG that were in the archives of MSE in order to identify the conceptions of the environment, EE and the relationship between human beings and nature within them. The analysis showed the prevalence of behavioral and naturalistic conceptions of EE and the relationship between human beings and nature. Based on this evidence, elaborated a proposal for action by the group, consisting of a continuing education course in EE using dynamic strategies of cooperation, use of images and tracks in natural areas. These strategies were designed to reveal the representations of EE and the relationship between human beings and nature, and the environmental perception of the participants and make them reflect on them, seeking new resignifications. The text, images, drawings and designs of EE produced during the course, in addition to questionnaires before and at the end of it, were used in the analysis of concepts and perceptions in order to assess the changes. The results showed that still continued to be predominant naturalistic and romantic relationship between human beings and nature and therefore the EA, but with an important decrease while the socio-historical conception increased. In the draft EE analyzed predominant socio-historical conceptions of EE. The environmental perception, we found the prevalence of topofilic feelings regarding the school environment, but valuing predominantly physical aspects of the environment than aspects related to human relations in this location. The intervention enabled the exercise of the participatory process and allowed new looks were directed to the school environment, enabling new interpretations and meanings of the practice of EE. However, it is reiterated that the GG, while the MSE proposal of Jataí (GO) must be regarded as public policy and thus be better structured to maximize and better qualify their actions.