A educação ambiental nas escolas do município de Uberlândia -MG

Abstract

Environmental education, more than just a project - it is a State of mind and a process of conversion in itself. It takes much more than ideas to practice environmental education. It is necessary to learn how to feel and share compassion for life and relearn the path to integration with Nature. The purposes of this work have been: 1. to investigate environmental education activities carried out at schools belonging to the Rede Oficial de Ensino (Official Teaching NetWork) in Uberlândia; 2. to analyze the conceptions of environment and environmental education used by education professionals involved in the research; 3. to evaluate selected projects based on the same categories of answers used to assess education professionals, environment and environmental education conceptions; 4. to compare and contrast the project conceptions to those of the professionals involved in order to analyze consistency among them. The research was carried out from October 2000 to June 2001. All schools in the Rede Oficial de Ensino in Uberlândia, a total of 214 of them, were investigated. Multiple tools for gathering data were used, including forms, interviews with questionnaires and telephone calls. Answer categories were established according to literature available and interviewees’ answers. Environment categories were defined as anthropocentric, biocentric and non-explanatory. The biocentric category was further divided into biological, physio-biological and social, physical and biological ones. Environmental education categories established were traditional, problem-solving, integrating and non-explanatory. One hundred eleven education professionals were interviewed. Eleven selected projects were evaluated according to their characteristics and conceptions. A parallel was established between the project conceptions and those presented by the professionals involved in order to assess consistency among them. Environmental education activities were observed in 128 schools. Approximately 66% of public schools carry out environmental education activities compared to 50% of private schools. Out of 13 schools in the rural area, 12 municipal and one federal, only one does not carry out any environmental education activities. Almost all of these activities show a conservative profile and are characterized by little involvement of education professionals. In general, the education professionals evaluated show either anthropocentric or physio-biological biocentric conceptions of environment. Most professionals have a traditional conception of environmental education. Urban area professionals often show an integrating conception of environmental education. The main conception presented in environmental projects was the social, physical and biological biocentric one. Most environment education projects present a conception aimed at problem-solving. Public schools, especially the municipal ones, represent the main focus where environmental education activities are carried out in the Rede Oficial de Ensino in Uberlândia. Most education professionals have shown utilitarian conceptions of environment, restricted to biotic and abiotic aspects. The conceptions inserted into the investigated projects have been shown to be more advanced than those held by education professionals. The results found reinforce the tendency that these environment education activities are carried out without the appropriate levei of professional development among the professionals involved, who should be given more intellectual value. This would, in turn, lead to greater professional autonomy.