On the National Agenda: ‘Os Parametros Curriculares Nacionais[1]’ – Environmental Education in Brazil’s National Curriculum
Michelle S. Springer
The University of Sydney
Abstract
With increased international attention on the environment, especially since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Brazil in 1992, there has been growing pressure on the nations of the world to address environmental issues. One of the proposed solutions to environmental problems has been Environmental Education (EE). The environmental education strategies of Brazil in particular are impressive. National Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have a variety of programs that address the plethora of environmental issues faced by such a geographically vast and biologically diverse country. On a formal level Brazil’s recent national curriculum, released in 1997, has demonstrated an innovative response to international goals for EE and reflects changes that have occurred globally in environmental awareness. The following review of Brazil’s curriculum outlines its methods regarding EE, and demonstrates its implications for both national priorities and EE in general.
Introduction
One specific solution by Brazil to the challenge of EE can be found in the recently formed National Curriculum (Parametros Curriculares Nacionais or PCN) (Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997). This document sets out the parametres of basic education (Ensino Fundamental[2]) for schools across the country. As well as constituting a formal element of the traditional subject areas – science and geography – environmental issues are spread throughout the entire curriculum via a method termed “Temas Transversais” (Transversal Themes). This is achieved by dividing the curriculum into two areas; the Subject Areas and the Transversal Themes. The content of the Brazilian Curriculum closely follows the imperatives outlined in the environment chapter of the national Constitution, as well as various environmental and educational laws. The 1988 Constitution places EE as an instrument to ensure the public right to a sound environment (Brazilian Government, 1988 Ch.VI Art.225 §1oVI). EE had also been identified as a tool for environmental protection previous to this in the National Environment Policy of 1981 (Lei 6.938/81 inDias, 1992 p.275). By the 1993 National Bill of Environmental Education (Feldmann, 1993 Projeto de Lei 3.792/93) EE had shifted from a tool of Environment Policy to an integral component of Education Policy, commanding cross ministerial support. In both this and a subsequent National Policy document released in 1996, the importance of integration and the international sphere had permeated EE discourses. This is accordingly reflected in the content and format of the PCN.
The underlying premise of the PCN is that as the world is changing, the demands placed on education are also changing. This indicates that previous ideas about what educational projects should be based on and how they are constructed must be overhauled. This has created,
…a exigência de um reequacionamento do papel da educação no mundo contemporâneo, que coloca para a escola um horizonte mais amplo e diversificado do que aquele que, até poucas décadas atrás, orientava a concepção e construção dos projetos educacionais[3](Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997 p.28 vol.1).
The transformation of current educational structures is precisely the task that EE has before it, given that current institutional settings are inadequate to the aims of EE (Bowers, 1996; Dias, 1992; Gough, 1997; McLaren, 1995; Santos, 1998; Springer, 1995). Educational thought has developed substantially over the last few decades, shifting from traditional teacher-centred concepts to more critical, problem-solving models centred on student experience. ‘Transformation’ then, in terms of changes in educational conceptions and pedagogical practices, has already occurred. However, notions surrounding EE demand further reforms, not only within educational thought, but also of institutional and social structures. Thus, while the PCN talks of educational transformation in terms of an expanded curriculum and in its use of the Transversal Themes, it falls short of actually promoting radical institutional change. How effective changes can be within limiting and traditional structures is a question that remains unanswered at this point. In order to evaluate the PCN in its use of EE this section is divided into four parts; educational philosophy, environmental education, the transversal themes, and the implications of these issues for future directions of EE within Brazil as well as the international community.
Educational Philosophy of the PCN
Within the Brazilian curriculum two main ideas about education can be discerned. These are; education for change, and education for empowerment. These areas have vast implications for both the content of the curriculum and the structure of school education in general. It is evident in the manifestation of these areas that the outcomes for EE within formal education could only be positive.
The belief that formal education can be a vehicle for social change is one of the guiding principles of the Brazilian curriculum,
A escola é uma instituição social com poder e possibilidade de intervenção na realidade[4] (Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997 p.53 vol.9).
Effective environmental education requires the transformation of people’s attitudes, values, and behaviours towards the environment, making the adage of ‘education for change’ particularly relevant (CECAE & CEAM, 1989; Commission on Sustainable Development, 1998; Springer, 1995). The notion of Environmental Pedagogical Principles encompasses the various methods of bringing about social change. Critical thinking, problem-solving, cooperative learning, and values formation are some of the educational principles that have grown through EE, as well as other educational transformation movements, and subsequently incorporated into traditional subject areas. Brazil is a country desiring radical social transformation in many areas, including the environment, and has invested in education in order to achieve this goal.
The two predominant roles given to education in the PCN – the formation of citizens and the promotion of participatory democracy – depend greatly on the capacity of education to effect long-term and permanent social change, as well as equipping the population with the necessary tools to be able to achieve this. Both transforming society and empowering people to be active citizens were concepts used by Brazilian educationalist Paulo Freire in relation to liberation education and “conscientização”[5](Freire, 1970; Freire, 1980; Freire, 1985; Freire, 1996). These two notions have significant links with EE in terms of their transformative and empowering potential through the use of problem-solving education. Freire speaks specifically of “problem-posing” education, which requires the development of “critical co-investigators” (Freire, 1970 p.62) and “critical thinkers” (p.64). Developing a critical stance on issues is an essential part of both citizenship and EE (Stevenson, 1983). As this is also a basis for much of the PCN it is an ideal medium for the incorporation of environmental education.
Environmental Education in the curriculum
The environment is one of the main social issues that has to be faced, on a national as well as a global level and an environmental perspective is seen as an important element of basic education in Brazil(Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997). Brazil already has a commendable documentary record in the establishment of EE policies at the national level. As well as the substantial number of laws dedicated to EE, Brazil is one of the only countries to have included EE in its national constitution, as early as 1988. Although until recently this had remained pure rhetoric, recent practical endeavours have seen the growth of EE projects across the country. While the PCN remains a formal document, both its content and form are impressive, and to some extent it does demonstrate the Brazilian government’s dedication to environmental efforts. This aside, successful implementation of the document will rely heavily on the training and motivation of school teachers.
The global aspect of environmental endeavours is referred to throughout the curriculum. Most overtly, this global emphasis can be seen in the adoption of the principles introduced at the first EE conference at Tbilisi. This conference was held in the former USSR in 1977, after the Stockholm conference outlined the need for specific work on EE. Although this conference was held over twenty years ago, the ideals of EE that were developed have been maintained at subsequent conferences, as well as through the literature. The twelve principles outlined in the text – the ‘total environment’, the long-term and permanent nature of EE, interdisciplinary focus, the global perspective, local relevance, historical perspective, cooperation and interdependency, development, creation of environmental awareness and values, problem-solving, critical thinking, and practical experiences (Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997 p.51 vol.9) – have firm foundations in the guiding principles developed as a result of Tbilisi. These form the basis not only for the environmental section, but for the PCN at all levels. The consequence of this has been that much of the content within the traditional disciplines revolves around principles that are promoted within EE discourses. This can be observed in the “General Objectives” section of each of the subject areas. Ideas promoted across the curriculum include; communication and participation, reflection, critical analysis, problem-solving skills, understanding and transforming the world, establishing connections, working collectively and cooperatively, and forming questions. Although the core subject areas are not necessarily connected specifically to environmental issues (except through the transversal themes), the learning objectives outlined above are reminiscent of those often contained exclusively within EE (Abraham, Lacey, & Williams, 1990; Bowers, 1996; Commission on Sustainable Development, 1998; Dias, 1992; Fahmawi, 1998; Filho, 1992; OECD, 1992; Reigota, 1994; Stevenson, 1983; UNESCO, 1983).
The incorporation of EE into the Brazilian curriculum can be seen in two main sections of the document. The first of these is in the seven core subject areas. Although environmental pedagogical principles, such as those outlined earlier, have been incorporated across the curriculum, actual environmental issues are treated only in the areas of Natural Science and Geography. Within both of these domains the environment plays a major role, and each holds a very different focus. Within the science curriculum the environmental component takes an ecological and technical perspective. Although this is often seen as a limiting view of environmental issues due to its focus on factual information and neglecting values and attitudes, the PCN by no means takes ecology as its basis for EE. In fact, the science curriculum states the importance of “desenvolv[enda] competências que lhe permitam [alunos] compreender o mundo e atuar como indivíduo e como cidadão”[6](Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997 p.31 vol.4). The justification for a factual perspective in this instance is to provide a solid foundation to the values and attitudes that are taught throughout the PCN,
Os fundamentos científicos devem subsidiar a formação de atitudes dos alunos…. Para que essas atitudes e valores se justifiquem, para não serem dogmas vazios de significados, é necessário informar sobre as implicações ambientais dessas ações[7](Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997 p.37 vol.4).
One of the main questions emerging from this is whether it is suggested that only science can provide legitimacy to environmental concepts, thus elevating the status of the scientific-rational once again. While there is a place for ecological information in EE, it is perhaps hazardous to place science as the unitary vehicle for its dissemination. This dilemma is perhaps overcome in that the objective of the Geography curriculum is to explain and understand the relationships between society and nature (Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997 p.74 vol.5). The Geography curriculum complements the factual, technical information provided within Science in its exploration of the human component of environmental issues,
O estudo de Geografia possibilita, aos alunos, a compreensão de sua posição no conjunto das relações da sociedade com a natureza; como e por que suas ações, individuais ou coletivas, em relação aos valores humanos ou à natureza, têm conseqüências... (Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997 p.76 vol.5).
This allows it to explore an aspect of environmental issues that is not covered in the science course, providing the balance that is needed.
Notwithstanding the importance of environmental content in the subject areas of any curriculum, it has been acknowledged that the most effective method for the teaching of EE is interdisciplinary (Commission on Sustainable Development, 1998; Sato, 1997; United Nations, 1992), and the PCN incorporates this in the form of Transversal Themes,
Mais recentemente, algumas propostas indicaram a necessidade do tratamento transversal de temáticas socias na escola, como forma de contemplá-las na sua complexidade, sem restringi-las à abordagem de uma única área[8](Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997 p.45 vol.1).
EE is incorporated admirably into the Transversal Themes of the PCN, along with other transversal social themes that are considered of both national and international concern. While other countries may differ in the extent of their treatment of each of these concerns, they still maintain a definite international character. These themes are not isolated units, but rather a complex blending of interrelated issues. In this vein, the transversal themes attempt to cross traditional curricula boundaries and create a situation in which these social questions can be examined in their true context.
Os Temas Transversais – The ‘Transversal Themes’
The Transversal Themes address the present, important, and urgent questions that Brazilian society faces in her day to day existence (Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997 p.15 vol.8). These five themes – ethics, environment, health, cultural plurality, and sexual orientation – are not new disciplines or subject areas, but rather new ways of orienting school education. They are based on the constitutional text surrounding four main principles. These are; human dignity and respect, equality of rights, participatory democracy and active citizenship, and co-responsibility for the social life of the nation (pp.20-21 vol. 8). These ideals are considered to constitute a fundamental role for education in Brazil. Before discussing the specifics of the environment as one of the transversal themes, it is necessary to define this relatively new term.
One of characteristics of EE has been described as its interdisciplinary nature, implying that it should be included in the teaching of all disciplines. The nature of the environment is such that it cuts across all sectors of life, and its teaching should reflect this nature. The PCN thus incorporates EE as a theme separate from, but integral to, the major subject areas. However, rather than the traditional concept of ‘Interdisciplinarity’, the Brazilian curriculum discusses ‘Transversal Themes’. While there are still many similarities between the two concepts, the major difference lies in views of how knowledge is structured. Interdisciplinary concepts cross the boundaries between fields of knowledge, and try to incorporate themes such as the environment into all school subjects. Transversality on the other hand questions, and attempts to break down the traditional segmentation of these fields and considers the reality of the web of relationships between and within every aspect of life. This has quite radical implications for practical pedagogy,
…o tratamento das questões trazidas pelos Temas Transversais expõe as inter-relações entre os objetos de conhecimento, de forma que não é possível fazer um trabalho pautado na transversalidade tomando-se uma perspectiva disciplinar rígida…. a transversalidade abre espaço para a inclusão de saberes extra-escolares, possibilitando a referência a sistemas de significado construídos na realidade dos alunos[9](Secretaria de Educação Fundamental, 1997 p.31 vol.8).
This pedagogical transformation requires a similar transformation in the role of the teacher. Teachers are expected to have mastered a specific subject, but also require competence across all other areas. Current notions of ‘teacher as facilitator’ are easily embedded into environmental and EE discourses. However, the form and content of teaching must also change in accordance with new educational philosophies, whether interdisciplinary or transversal. Taking a transversal perspective necessarily implies a transformation in practical pedagogy as we currently know it. The responsibility of teachers is amplified as the themes permeate every aspect of educational practice. Although this is the case, the transversal themes also need to be understood in their own right, hence the treatment of each in the PCN as a separate entity.
The content of EE, as well as the other themes, is not ordered in any particular sequence. This is due to the nature of EE as much as its integral relationship to the core subject areas. More than content, it is a way of teaching with an environmental slant across the curriculum. The problem that this brings however, is that the content of environmental education within the PCN is still more or less dictated by the criteria and sequences established in each teaching area. While this is potentially limiting for EE, perhaps its inclusion as a separate entity in the transversal themes allows it to maintain its own relevance. EE, whether as formal ecological knowledge or as problem-solving and values based education in any subject area, is afforded a significant role in the PCN and seen as a major part of the objectives of formal basic education in Brazil.
Implications
The PCN has various implications in relation to future directions for EE both in Brazil and in the wider international community. In terms of the former, the imminent implementation of the curriculum into Brazilian schools is an important issue to consider, along with the new concept of Transversal Themes. While the document is impressive in its content and scope, the success of a national curriculum depends largely on the teachers who will be implementing it. Incorporating Transversal Themes into a traditional institutional system, where knowledge is divided into discrete disciplinary units, requires extensive training in both the new content and new cooperative teaching methods. With new cross-curricula areas such as the environment being introduced, changes in current educational structure and teacher training is necessary. It is not suggested in the PCN whether this will be achieved by the modification of existing teacher training programs or through integrated and ongoing inservice training. The coordinator of the EE advisory in the Brazilian Ministry of Education indicated that some specialists will be brought in to train a representative from each state. This representative will then train representatives from the various regions in their state, who will in turn train individual teachers for classroom practice (Melo, 1998). This seems a mammoth and ambitious task, and it is questionable as to whether the benefits for the last teachers trained will be the same as for those at the beginning of the process. In terms of practical implementation then, the PCN seems to be more of an ideological treatise than a solid document for teachers to work from.
There have been profound changes in the world. Political breakdown, environmental devestation and disasters, economic globalisation, regionalisation, and the rise of social movements have created a condition in which we are facing new individual and social values. A democratic atmosphere in the school (and by extension in society in general) is a necessary component of effective EE. This encompasses participation, asking questions, feeling able to criticise and suggest, and so on. These areas are elementary components of both education in general and EE. A lecturer at the Open University for the Environment in Curitiba, Brazil suggested that EE should not be limited to ecological issues and sustainable development, and that if there was ‘correct’ education there would not even be the need for the name EE – there would simply be education for life (Santos, 1998). A similar perspective is espoused by Marcos Reigota, a prominent Brazilian writer in the EE field, suggesting that EE has the task of transforming education in such a way that EE as a specific activity would be made redundant,