A Case study of pedagogical practice and environmental education for teachers of technical courses

Abstract

In Brazil, it is mandatory to include environmental education at all levels and modes of education. The objective was to verify if, when conducting their pedagogical practices, teachers who work in the technical courses of IFSC - Câmpus Gaspar consider environmental education. A structured interview applied to a sample of 30% of teachers was used in the second half of 2014. All respondents considered the incorporation of the environmental dimension in technical courses to be relevant. With regard to the effective incorporation of the environmental dimension in classes, the responses showed that 63.6% incorporate; 9.1% who did not; and 27.3% stated that they partially incorporate. The unanimity in the understanding of the importance of the insertion of environmental education is opposed to the real pedagogical practice for 36.4% of the teachers, this disparity may be due to the Pedagogical Projects of the Courses or to the lack of preparation of these teachers. As actions to contribute to this incorporation, the following were pointed out: encouraging debate about environmental issues; exemplary posture; and inclusion of environmental themes in the curricular units. Initiatives by public and institutional managers are needed to leverage environmental education in the curricula of technical courses as prescribed by current public policies.