Integrating Emerging Pedagogies and Technologies in Environmental and Formal Basic Education

Abstract

Emerging pedagogies and technologies are instrumental in adapting educational processes and tools to changes and challenges of the contemporary world. Among them, the global climate changes, together with their associated processes and consequences, bring capital questions for education of all levels, from policymakers to elementary students. This chapter presents the conceptual and practical integration between emerging pedagogies, as outdoor, phenomenon-based education and citizen science, within a transdisciplinary framework, to be applied in formal basic education. Two successful case studies at coastal areas are presented. “Phenomenon-based education” is focused on real-world problem solving and interdisciplinary approaches. Natural environments, the most usual in “outdoor education,” offer countless complex and systemic phenomena for analysis, which require not only interdisciplinary collaboration, but also ethical and normative coordination, whence a “transdisciplinary” approach. “Citizen science” is a complementary instrument for studying and comprehending phenomena through actual scientific investigation. All of them are in agreement with “environmental education” principles, which, besides providing an integrated vision of the world that includes all living beings and their environments, also empower people to develop proactive and responsible reactions to social problems. Recent and emerging technologies, including digital media, by contributing to emerging pedagogies, have become important allies for education, especially when considering younger generations, for whom smartphones, tablets, and other devices are essential elements in their lifestyle. Several tools, such as “QR codes,” and their alternatives, viz., “radio frequency identification tags” (RFID) and “augmented reality,” are discussed, according to how they can be particularly applicable to outdoor education. Efficient “social network” and “educommunication” strategies are complementary educational instruments, fostered by new technologies and digital media, essential to sharing and multiplying highly successful results, and to enabling students, educators, and community members to discuss and solve socio-environmental problems. Our understanding is that these emergent pedagogies and technologies can increase the society’s access to formal and environmental education, thus corresponding to relevant tools to sustainability.