Abordagem sobre resíduos sólidos na educação profissional e tecnológica (EPT): estudo de caso no IFMA Campus Coelho Neto

Abstract

There are many existing environmental problems, but one of the most worrying nowadays is the exacerbated generation of solid waste, resulting mainly from the population increase and the production and consumption model verified in today's societies, without a correct management of these wastes. Teaching institutions as a whole, among them those that offer Vocational and Technological Education (EPT), play a fundamental role in the formation of subjects more committed to environmental issues and multipliers of such knowledge. The present research aimed to investigate how the theme of solid waste is addressed in the teaching process in the classes of the High School Technical Course in Informatics Integrated to High School, at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Maranhão (IFMA) Campus Coelho Neto, aiming to understand citizen action in the world of work and socio environmental sustainability. Therefore, the methodology consisted of a case study and the research was exploratory, bibliographic and qualitative in approach. Data were collected through the application of online questionnaires to students from two 3rd year classes of the Technical Course in Computer Science, as well as through a semi structured interview with a group of five professors and a representative of the pedagogical team of the aforementioned Institution. Subsequently, the data were tabulated, analyzed and discussed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. These analyzes provided the basis for the elaboration of the diagnosis and the educational tool, which served for a better understanding of the approach to the theme in an EPT school. It was found that most students have general knowledge about solid waste, understand that the responsibility for the generated waste belongs to society as a whole and not just to public managers (81%), however, in practice, these students are not committed in actions that reduce this problem, since 84% said they rarely or do not separate waste at school, while more than 40% also do not or rarely separate at their homes. Most of the participating teachers work on the teaching of solid waste in their disciplines, using different methodologies, but mainly through projects, but there are still teachers who, even understanding the importance of the theme, still do not address it in their pedagogical practices, which compromises the teaching of this transversal theme. The member of the pedagogical team recognizes the importance of teachers working with this theme in their respective disciplines, mainly due to the fulfillment of their work as a teacher and the institutional mission, in addition to confirming that this work has been carried out in several projects, events and activities, although there is still a need to add so that other professors start to really work in an inter and transdisciplinary way in the institution. Regarding the educational product, the Comics (HQ) elaborated was well evaluated in several aspects by the participants of this research and recognized as a great tool for the approach and facilitation of the teaching-learning process of the theme, contributing to the awareness not only for students, but for the school community as a whole.