Environmental Education in the Pedagogy Undergraduate Program: the case of an institution in the countryside of São Paulo

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between the training of Pedagogy students and Environmental Education, aiming to identify points of convergence between these areas and understand the reasons behind this possible connection. The proposal stems from the need to reflect on the role of EE in teaching. Considering that we live under an economic model based on unsustainable production and consumption habits, which harm ecosystems and threaten the planet's regeneration, it becomes urgent to adopt a holistic view of reality, understanding the universe as an integrated network. With this purpose, the study analyzes the Pedagogy undergraduate course at a private university in the countryside of São Paulo, recognizing that teacher education plays a central role in building collective knowledge in Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, and Youth and Adult Education. The research is of a qualitative-quantitative nature and is configured as a case study, based on a literature review, document analysis, and data collection through interviews and questionnaires applied to the course coordinator, professors, and students at the institution. The data were systematized and analyzed descriptively and reflectively. The results reveal deficiencies in the training of future educators, which hinder the overcoming of a fragmented perspective on EE. Nevertheless, the study aims to foster reflections, raise new questions, and contribute to advances in research in the field, strengthening the critical education of students and their professional engagement with Environmental Education.