National parks and teaching: tendencies in brazilian national events

Abstract

National Parks are fully protected Conservation Units with high educational and visiting potential. This study carried out a survey on the use of Parks as non-formal spaces in studies published at the two events nationals Brazilians: Encontro Nacional de Pesquisa em Educação em Ciências, starting in 1997, and at the Encontro Pesquisa em Educação Ambiental, starting in 2001. The analysis of the twenty-one of the works found was of a quantiqualitative approach and carried out through interpretative reading and network analysis, seeking to characterize the sample and identify general descriptors, purposes, target audience and methodologies addressed. The Southeast region is highly expressive due to the number of Conservation Units, graduate programs and investigations carried out. There is a strong presence of environmental education in the sample, both in relation to the approaches used, and in the choice of the event for its socialization. The school audience was the most approached among the studies, emphasizing the potential that parks have as non-formal teaching spaces. The knowledge analyzed and systematized here provides subsidies for identifying shortcomings and potentialities to be explored in future investigations.

Keywords

• áreas protegidas
• uso público
• espaço não formal