Concepções de meio ambiente dos educadores ambientais do Zoológico de Goiânia: implicações nas atividades e contribuições para a formação do sujeito ecológico?

Abstract

The concept of environment has a direct relationship to the pedagogical practices that are developed and applied and the current environmental setting which is imperative, as it requires solutions that must be consistent with reality. Thus, the ecological subject has its foundation based on the critical current of EE (Environmental Education), which regards the environment as a whole, considering the complex and conflicting interfaces that permeate the relationship between humans and nature. Thereby, we propose in this study to investigate what is the concept of environment held by the environmental educators at the Zoo in Goiânia. We intend to verify how this is translated into pedagogical activities and, finally, analyze the contributions of this informal education setting to the formation of the ecological subject. It was noticed that didactic activities at the Zoo in Goiânia are based on a naturalist and conservationist perspective, which regards the environment as nature and resource. Moreover, we found simplistic practices that, although reinforcing the need of the subject to acquire behaviors considered in agreement with environmentally friendly practices, as well as the need to rebuild a connection with nature, they do not contribute to the critical formation of the ecological subject. This way, the zoo, as an informal educational setting, does not fulfill its educative role, nor its commitment to aid the development of critical-thinking citizens, aware of his or her rights and social duties, and capable to intervene on environmental issues, in pursuit of a juster and environmentally sustainable society.