SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL PERCEPTIONS OF SCIENCE TEACHERS IN THE AMBIENCE OF THE PIABAS STREAM/PB

This article analyzes the socio-environmental perception of Science teachers working in public middle schools (final years of Elementary Education) located in the surroundings of the middle stretch of the Riacho das Piabas, in the city of Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil. The research represents a partial outcome of an ongoing master’s dissertation and adopts a qualitative approach, of basic nature and exploratory character. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires, applied after approval by the Research Ethics Committee, and analyzed based on emergent categories. The results indicate that, although teachers present different levels of knowledge about the Riacho das Piabas, all recognize its environmental, historical, and social relevance. The teachers associate the stream with elements such as preservation, biodiversity, water resources, and historical aspects, in addition to identifying its potential as a contextualization object in Science teaching. Furthermore, the understanding of environmental education as an instrument capable of promoting the transformation of the local socio-environmental reality is evident. Furthermore, interconnections between non-formal environmental education processes, driven by communities and local NGOs, are evident, consolidating an understanding of inequalities in the territory and social engagement.