Concepções de educação e educação ambiental nos trabalhos do I EPEA

This paper presents a concept of continuous environmental education that has a generic nature but was considered in the context of one particular region — the Republic of Altai. The work also presents a structural-functional model of the system of technological support of the continuous environmental education of secondary school students. The model of the system mentioned above is based on the results of theoretical, methodological and practical research as well as on its experimental verification. The system is based on the principle of environmental education with its substantive, regulatory and procedural functions. The study has confirmed the assumption about the necessity of this concept and proved its effectiveness in terms of developing a technology for continuous environmental education in the region. This concept was adopted by the Government of the Altai Republic and became the theoretical and methodological basis of this technology. The concept of environmental education in the Republic of Altai proposed allows observing the entire educational process and taking into account the connections between all functional structures most fully, since all of them are based on systematic, activity, reflexive, synergetic, resource, cultural approaches. The concept creates a theoretical basis for solving an important practical problem — the scientific substantiation of the didactic basis of environmental education. The investigation performed helps explain the essence and predict the development of complex processes in the field of education. The research allows using the experience of theoretical substantiation of the introduction of didactic provisions to the rank of teaching principles and experience in developing their "instrumentality" (the method of application) in the form of content, normative and procedural didactic functions. Also, this research allows building a concept that creates a theoretical basis for solving important practical problems in the education system and using the experience of revealing the deeper content of previously known pedagogical concepts, enabling the identification of their new core features.

As a multifunctional space, national park (NP) offers visitors a range of experiences, including environmental education (EE) programs, which help visitors learn about the park’s ecosystems, biodiversity, and cultural heritage. These programs can take various forms, such as guided hikes, interpretive displays, educational workshops, and citizen science projects. This paper presents theoretical research and practice in EE in NPs, drawing on research conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other countries. The study aims to identify effective ways of implementing EE function in NPs, including planning the legislative system and educational activity content. Successful EE programs often involve collaboration between park staff, educators, and local communities, tailored to the specific needs and interests of different visitor groups. Challenges faced by Congolese NPs in implementing EE programs include limited funding, inadequate staffing, and a lack of public awareness and support. The study provides examples of successful EE programs in other national parks that could serve as models for Congolese NPs. To achieve EE function in NPs, the study proposes solutions such as developing partnerships with local schools and universities, using social media to raise awareness about EE programs, and integrating EE into park management plans and policies. By implementing these solutions, Congolese NPs can contribute to global efforts to conserve biodiversity and protect the planet’s natural resources.

A pesquisa teve por objetivo analisar as práticas interdisciplinares em Educação Ambiental (EA) propostas ou implementadas na educação básica, descritas em teses e dissertações brasileiras. A multidimensionalidade presente nas questões ambientais e a importância da abordagem da EA, em todos os níveis escolares, numa perspectiva interdisciplinar, motivou a escolha do tema deste estudo. Buscou-se investigar a seguinte questão central: que concepções de Interdisciplinaridade, Ambiente e EA podem ser depreendidas da análise das pesquisas acadêmicas sobre práticas interdisciplinares em Educação Ambiental na educação básica? De um universo de 2.763 trabalhos, defendidos entre 1981 e 2012 e constantes do Banco de Teses do Projeto EArte, foram localizadas apenas 21 pesquisas relativas a esse objeto de estudo. Os documentos foram lidos, descritos e classificados quanto aos dados institucionais (autor, orientador, ano de defesa, instituição de ensino superior, programa de pós-graduação, unidade federativa, dependência administrativa, grau de titulação acadêmica) e quanto à prática interdisciplinar em Educação Ambiental, conforme os descritores: ano ou série escolar, tipo de escola, disciplinas abrangidas nas práticas, métodos e estratégias de ensino, recursos e materiais didáticos, tipo de integração curricular, referencial teórico-pedagógico, público envolvido e a interação entre ele, nível de integração disciplinar, concepção de ambiente, concepção de EA e sua manifestação curricular. As pesquisas concentraram-se, fortemente, na década de 2000, com dezoito trabalhos. As práticas analisadas, em sua maioria, centraram suas ações nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental, desenvolvidas a partir de temas geradores ou projetos de ensino. Os materiais didáticos utilizados foram os comumente encontrados nas escolas, de baixo custo, além de atividades externas. As ações pedagógicas vincularam-se às propostas curriculares das escolas e as disciplinas mais envolvidas (sempre em conjunto com outras) foram Geografia e Língua Portuguesa, seguidas de Matemática, Ciências, História e Artes. Os pais e a comunidade assumiram papel cooperativo nas práticas e notou-se uma relação hierárquica quanto à decisão da proposta de trabalho por parte dos professores e pesquisadores para com os alunos; contudo, tanto no aceite da proposta, quanto no desenvolvimento das atividades pedagógicas, observou-se intensa participação dos estudantes. Dezoito práticas foram consideradas como interdisciplinares e três pluridisciplinares. Nas práticas analisadas predominou a concepção de ambiente integrado e de Educação Ambiental numa perspectiva crítica, manifestada como elemento essencial e integrado ao currículo escolar. Conforme a análise das pesquisas revelou, muito embora os professores demonstrassem interesse pela EA e pela prática interdisciplinar, não se encontravam preparados para esse tipo de trabalho, ao que se sugere investimento na formação continuada e revisitação nos cursos de formação inicial de professores.

Environmental degradation and climate change are global phenomena where actions in one part of the world impact ecosystems and populations across the globe. The environmental and climate crises can be significantly reduced by altering only the conduct of individuals and communities. We may alter our lifestyle and develop enduring environmentally friendly habits, knowledge, skills, attitude, ethics etc. For ensuring such, education can be a great tool. In this regard Environmental Education (EE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is one defined field of specialization which directly deals with environmental conservation and protection. Also, it is too much important that environmental education should be taught effectively to the students. To impart environmental education, teachers as well as prospective teachers can play a major role in creating environmental consciousness and awareness amongst students. They play a major role in the present scenario for inculcating a positive outlook towards our environment. The present research determines the attitude of the prospective teachers towards the Environment Education i.e., what prospective teachers understand and know about environmental education and to determine whether the different factors like stream, gender, and locale influences the attitude of the prospective teachers towards environmental education. Data was gathered from the sample of 200 prospective teachers studying at different B.Ed. colleges of Jammu district using Attitude Scale towards Environmental education developed and validated by Dr. Anjali Suhane. Analysis was performed using percentage and t-test. Findings revealed that majority of the prospective teachers are aware about the concept of Environmental Education and have a favourable attitude towards environment but still there is a much need and responsibility of all educational institutions to view and promote Environmental Education.

An environmental education (EE) consortium located in the pacific northwest United States coalesced an external evaluation team to research its K-5 EE programming. The purpose of this article is to describe one phase of this program evaluation process including the exploration of adult stakeholder perceptions of EE programming accessed by 4th grade children. The author highlights the goals of the consortium and the context for the program evaluation, and the relevant literature addressing adult perspectives on EE is reviewed. The study framing, method, and qualitative results are reported. Findings suggest that adult stakeholders perceived positive impacts from 4th grade participation in EE, though the programming was viewed as being most beneficial to children coming from economically disadvantaged families. Implications for EE practice and research are discussed.

O técnico agrícola é um profissional que possui contato direto com o meio ambiente e investigar como ocorre a formação deste profissional é tarefa necessária para compreender como o mundo do trabalho vem concebendo a relação educação ambiental x sociedade. O presente trabalho é um recorte de uma pesquisa de mestrado que investiga a articulação da educação ambiental em um currículo de curso Técnico em Agricultura. Nesta etapa, trazemos os resultados obtidos em entrevistas semi-estruturadas com professores do curso em questão. O objetivo foi investigar as concepções de meio ambiente e educação ambiental dos docentes, bem como compreender suas práticas pedagógicas. A partir dos diálogos com os professores foi possível diagnosticar que entre eles impera uma concepção de meio ambiente não-antropocêntrica, porém utilitarista e um entendimento de educação ambiental como um processo de sensibilização e conscientização de pessoas, visando somente as práticas preservacionistas.

Over the past thirty years, it has often been stated that primary school education should endeavour to improve and protect the environment through producing an ‘environmentally informed, committed and active citizenry’. Even so, existing research shows that the implementation of environmental education in primary schools is problematic and has had limited success. However, the reasons for these shortcomings are far from clear, with present research merely speculating about barriers to effective implementation. This paper presents a detailed discussion and analysis of primary school teachers knowledge and beliefs about environmental concepts and environmental education. In so doing, the paper identifies a perceived gap within the field of environmental education research and literature. This field has neglected studies of Australian primary school teacher’s knowledge and beliefs about environmental education as a factor affecting the capacity of schooling to achieve environmental education goals. To these ends, we utilise the concept of ‘environmental literacy’ to assess primary school teacher’s knowledge and beliefs about environmental education. Based upon preliminary data analysis, we tentatively claim that current Queensland primary school teachers are variably committed to and demonstrably lack content knowledge of environmental concepts and environmental education. More significantly, these primary school teachers tend to dismiss the importance of content knowledge, preferring to focus upon attitudes towards environmental education and environmental concepts. Clearly these levels of environmental literacy are inadequate if environmentally literate students and thus an environmentally literate citizenry are to be achieved within schools. We conclude that the introduction of environmental literacy in educational policy would advance the goals of environmental education, namely the production of an informed, committed and active citizenry.

This paper addresses the question of how Australian environmental education (EE) research was conceptualised and contextualised in the decade of the 1990s. Sixty seven articles published by Australian authors in this journal from 1990–2000 were analysed to examine the conceptualisation of this research using an inductive emergent categorisation approach and a five frames model (Reid, in press) of key arguments and debates in the field. Contextualisation was explored in relation to specialist areas, scale and environmental dimensions of focus. A search for a coherent and distinct meaning of of this research was explored by making comparisons with international environmental education research during a similar time period that was the subject of two reviews. These analyses revealed that Australian environmental education research can be characterised as questioning and challenging prevailing (at the time) environmental education orthodoxies by critiquing and theorising the conceptual and curriculum framing of environmental education, most commonly from a socially critical and global perspective. Specialist areas and educational sectors that received little attention are also discussed.

When considering a topic as broad as research in environmental education it seems worthwhile, at the outset, to make some basic distinctions. First, establishing research priorities is not simply an empirical question. While it is undoubtedly useful to try to establish perceived needs and interests, and to consider them when establishing research priorities, this can only describe part of the task at hand. There are surely some logical requirements as well.Second, a much more challenging task, it seems to me, is to more clearly understand the nature of the questions to which we seek answers. We must seek to distinguish between those research techniques which are more or less consistent with the nature of our task. Unfortunately, research in education generally, and in environmental education, in particular, has been hindered by a failure on the part of the research community to recognize the need for a more complete range of research perspectives than those customarily found, and by a failure to recognize the occasional and inevitable misapplications of technique which can occur when appropriate methodologies do not seem available.With some misgivings about the scope of research in environmental education in mind, I am led to my concern: How do we go about furthering our understanding of concepts central to our field of study? In exploring this question I propose that conceptual analysis is an important research area. Further, I also argue that it is not simply an option, but rather a logical necessity if we are to establish greater coherence within environmental education and avoid unnecessary confusion (see for example: Barrow & Milburn, 1986; Scheffler, 1960; Soltis, 1978; and Wilson, 1969). Further, it is in the nature of this question that we find appeal for this particular approach to research.

The assemblage of water/watery/watering is a lively cartography of how water may be accounted for when theorising with and through environmental education research. Challenging the universalising claims of Western technoscience and the colonial logic of extraction, the article develops an alternative theoretical mapping of environmental education through engagements with Ingold’s (2007, 2012, 2015) concepts of lines, knots, and knotting. For this article and for the Special Issue in which it is housed, the concepts of such knottings are defined as an assemblage of haecceities, lived events that are looped, tethered and entangled as material and conceptual agencies that inhere within situated encounters. Thus, this article grapples with the need to account for water differently in contemporary posthuman ecologies. To overcome anthropocentric and mastery-oriented approaches, various other ways to account for water in science or environmental education will continue to come to the surface, bubbling and rushing like a waterfall as they have done in this work. Some of these will include thinking with water, which will be central to a theoretical mapping of water that seeks embrace sticky knots. The article explores a (re)turn to artful practices and encounters as spaces in which posthumanist concepts for environmental education might be cultivated.

Environmental education plays an important role in creating awareness of sustainable life amidst global challenges related to ecosystem damage. One strategic effort to instill this awareness is through the integration of environmental education into the Islamic Religious Education (PAI) curriculum. This article aims to examine how the concept of environmental education can be integrated into PAI as part of sustainable education. This study highlights the potential of religious values, such as amanah, responsibility, and harmony with nature, in forming a generation that cares about the environment. Through a holistic approach, this integration not only teaches religious knowledge but also builds students' ecological awareness based on the principles of Islamic spirituality and morality. The results of the study show that this integration requires comprehensive curriculum planning, policy support, and training for educators to be able to implement relevant and applicable learning approaches. With proper implementation, environmental education in PAI can be an integral part in forming a generation that plays an active role in preserving nature for the sake of human survival.

In Aotearoa New Zealand children learn about biodiversity loss and protection through a bicultural environmental education (EE) program. Connected with Predator Free NZ, a nationwide restoration project, the program teaches children about killing possums, rats, and stoats. Children’s involvement in possum killing has a long, troubling history in Aotearoa and EE is now working to transform attitudes from ‘hating possums’ into respecting all animals. This paper analysis the recent shift in rhetoric, with a focus on the discord between animal rights scholars and EE and by addressing the histories of Aotearoa, possums, and EE. With the help of Donna Haraway, Rangimārie Rose Pere, and other indigenous scholars, the troubles obscuring the move into interspecies respect are made visible. Militarized discourse, war games, individualism, Restoration, nature-culture divide, and human exceptionalism, are all emphasized as barriers. This paper also draws attention to a major concern with possum-child worlds and EE research in that children’s voice is seriously lacking. It is then argued that children’s stories must be present in future EE research, and that the pathway toward respecting possums is one and the same, located in indigenous, interspecies, children’s, and ecofeminist stories. Positions that emphasize interconnected ecologies between people, place, and animals.

Can we avoid inheriting serious issues from research related to environmental education when the researcher community is addressing education for sustainable development? This paper identifies and discusses three main issues: if an explicit and coherent concept of environmental education or education for sustainable development is missing; if the field is dominated by researchers with an environmental science background; and if the research is aiming at improving practice through prescriptive, normative recommendations. The elaboration of the issues is taking a point of departure in the World Environmental Education Congress 2007 in Durban with perspectives for future ESD research and traces the historical roots of some of the trends and issues. It is argued that the overall question is related to a basic dichotomy: is the researcher seeing the role as a support to solving environmental problems here and now, or is the researcher seeing long‐term empowerment through education as the main idea.

The present research explores whether environmental education practices and methods can serve as a professional development tool and help science teachers to transform theory into educational practice. To answer this question, the perceptions of 40 experienced science teachers implementing environmental education programs were explored. Activity theory was used as an analytical tool to illuminate how teachers relate science teaching to environmental education and to highlight the contradictions and tensions that develop due to the conflict between the dominant positivist model of science teaching and the child-centered model of constructivism adopted by environmental education. The analysis showed that environmental education has the potential to lead to the desired transformation if implemented in a way that is consistent with its principles and objectives. It can also support horizontal professional development efforts as it utilizes the very strong intrinsic and personal motivations of teachers that drive them to engage in environmental education programs.

It has been suggested that a positive human–nature relationship is essential for countering today’s environmental problems. Prior environmental education research has focused largely on knowledge or attitudinal outcomes, and few studies have examined the ability of environmental education programmes to promote connectedness with nature. Therefore, our goal was to (1) examine differences in connectedness with nature among a sample of children with differing ages and academic tracks, and (2) investigate whether environmental education can help promote and sustain connectedness with nature. With a pre-, post- and retention test design, we assessed a comprehensive four-day environmental education programme on water at a school field centre, using the inclusion of nature in self (INS) scale to identify the change in connectedness of 9–10-year-old pupils and 11–13-year-old pupils. We found that younger children and university-track pupils had higher INS scores than older children and general-education-track pupils, respectively. Participating in environmental education resulted in a robust short-term increase in connectedness with nature in both age groups. However, only the younger pupils’ connectedness remained sustained four weeks following the treatment. Environmental educators should keep in mind that strengthening connectedness to nature is more sustainable before the age of 11.