Educação ambiental sob a perspectiva de Paulo Freire no ENPEC: análise bibliográfica (1997-2021)

Abstract

The present research analyzed articles on environmental education that are linked to the epistemology of Paulo Freire in the formal setting from 1997 to 2021 at the National Meeting of Research in Science Education (ENPEC). The objective was to investigate how these studies approach Paulo Freire and Environmental Education, using textual analysis to facilitate dialogue and understand how these approaches unfold throughout the event. This dissertation is configured as qualitative, employing bibliographic analysis. The work is structured with a section on the relationship between Paulo Freire's contributions and Environmental Education, the choice of ENPEC, and its trajectory over the years, followed by methodological approaches, bibliographic analysis of articles, results, discussion, and concluding remarks. As a result, the research highlighted possibilities arising from the exploration of the intersection between Paulo Freire's epistemology and environmental education. This includes envisioning a practice based on dialogicity, teaching science through generative themes, and adopting a critical and transformative perspective on Environmental Education, facilitated by the process of awareness-raising. These possibilities guide towards a meaningful educational praxis in the lives of learners, as these methodologies take into account the reality they experience. The analyses provided significant reflections, starting with the problematization of reality and addressing theoretical aspects that bring educators and learners closer, as they have real-world applicability, considering the factors shaping society. Through the Freirean theory, educators are prompted to position themselves as unfinished subjects, concerning their worldviews and perceptions. Dialogicity puts critical awareness into action for both educators and learners. Furthermore, the dissertation consolidated an approach to aspects that outlined the progress of research on Environmental Education throughout the 13 editions of ENPEC, spanning over 20 years. It explored themes that resonate and contextualize with the social, economic, and political reality of the country, demonstrating transformations and potential steps forward for the subject. The research concludes that by incorporating Environmental Education from a critical perspective grounded in Paulo Freire's theory of knowledge, a new educational praxis can emerge, elevating the teaching of environmental themes to a collective, affective, and contextually aligned character within people's experiences.