Educação ambiental e conhecimento pedagógico do Conteúdo: estudo das bases do conhecimento Profissional de professoras dos anos iniciais do ensino Fundamental

Abstract

The need for critical considerations regarding the environmental crisis and the social, historical, economic and political factors that drive it favors greater inclusion of issues related to Environmental Education (EE) in academic research. Education has been a path to human awareness aimed at environmental citizenship. Taking into account all of the above, a research work that discusses the bases of professional knowledge on environmental issues of elementary school teachers becomes relevant. In this context, the present study aimed to characterize the bases of professional knowledge on environmental education of elementary school teachers. This was a qualitative research, which used Pamella Grossman's PCK model and the field of environmental education as a theoretical framework. The justification for conducting a study on the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of elementary school teachers on environmental issues was that, in addition to the scarcity of studies on PCK and Environmental Education in the early years, the characterization of such a base can favor reflections on teaching performance at this level of education. The methodological design of this qualitative research was planned in three stages, considering the following collection instruments: the construction of the CoRe (Content Representation), the production of a pedagogical proposal on environmental issues, and the stage of interviews with the participating teachers. Data processing was carried out through the content analysis methodology. The analysis of the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of teachers on Environmental Education (EE) in their teaching practices revealed an understanding of this content with the presence of the components of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), among which pedagogical and contextual knowledge stood out. The first is essential to adapt teaching to the needs of students, creating a collaborative environment. Knowledge of the context allows teachers to understand the social, cultural, and economic realities of students, making teaching more meaningful and connected to local experiences. The teachers’ conceptions of EE reflected conservationist and pragmatic tendencies, emphasizing the need for diversified training to meet the varied contexts of EE. However, the lack of specific training can influence the depth of pedagogical practices. Teachers face additional challenges, including cultural resistance and lack of support from the school community and families. Although teachers report the interdisciplinary practice of EE, in reality, it is mainly addressed in science classes, with rare exceptions, such as in arts. It can be inferred that, although there are variations in the depth of pedagogical knowledge of the content of the participating teachers, all recognize the importance of Environmental Education. This consensus emphasizes the need to ensure continuous and comprehensive training in order to promote transformative pedagogical practice. Continuous training is vital to promote critical and engaged environmental education. This type of training helps ensure that EA not only informs, but also raises awareness and involves students in socio-environmental issues, promoting meaningful practices and contributing to the development of environmental citizenship.