Agroecological Knowledge and the Need of Having an Investigative Dialogue with Elementary School Students

Abstract

Schools are places where the insertion of individuals with different knowledge, experiences and life stories takes place. It is essential promoting the debate on environmental issues, with particular emphasis on agroecology for knowledge improvement, as well as for human, critical and reflective education. Moreover, it is necessary exchanging knowledge through dialogic practices. Thus, the aim of the current study is to analyze the importance of having students exchanging knowledge about environmental issues, with special focus on agroecology and on its philosophical, sociological and anthropological background, and about how it reflects on social knowledge. The study adopted a qualitative approach based on the dialectical method supported by action-research. The research project was submitted to the Research Ethics Committee (University of Cruz Alta), which issued favorable opinion to the development of it. Twenty-one students enrolled in a public school in Tupanciretã County, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, participated in the study. Initially, a focus group was held in order to collect information about students’ previous knowledge on the investigated subject. Results of the focus group were used to plan the action-research activities. Based on the dialogues, it is possible saying that students understand the meaning of agroecology, although they mainly associate such concept with animals and plants.

Keywords: Teaching; Learning; Environmental Knowledge.