Inovação social e educação ambiental : um estudo com foco em dimensões

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze the dimensions of social innovation and environmental education. Starting from the analysis of the dimensions, we sought to understand how social innovation and environmental education, when adopted in connection, contribute to the promotion of sustainable development. In the scope of social innovation, it was used as a base reference for this investigation the conceptual encyclopedia of CRISES, with the main categories and elements that characterize social innovations elaborated by Tardif and Harrisson (2005). The main categories of the board are: Transformations, Innovative Character, Innovation, Actors and Processes. Maurer (2011) developed a study in which he uses the categories of the board characterizing them as dimensions that allow the analysis of other social innovations. Because of this analytical dimension, this research was conceived in a perspective of social innovation. The basic reference for research in the sphere of environmental education was the Environmental Education Treaty for Sustainable Societies prepared by Pronea (1992), alongside the authors who work with the perspective of environmental education proposed by the Treaty. Using the treaty as a starting point, it was possible to identify the following dimensions: Transformations, Interdisciplinarity, Emancipation, Actors and Processes. In the literature on social innovation, several concepts and classifications were found, thus it can be said that social innovation is a concept under construction. However, the conceptual definitions presented are related to what underlies social innovation as its main objective, which is to improve the quality of life of individuals. To fulfill the purposes of this research, it was used the definition pointed out by CRISES (2020), which admits social innovations as new social, organizational or institutional arrangements with an explicit social purpose. These initiatives are designed to meet a need, to bring a solution to a problem or to take advantage of an opportunity for action, to seek to modify social relationships. The literature on environmental education, still, points out that the concept is evolving as the world conferences led by the UN have been addressing the topic. In Brazil, the relationship with the theme is increasingly closer once public policies on education and the environment have evolved. There are some epistemic approaches to environmental education that demand attention, and others that are criticized for being too distant from socio-historical reality. However, for the purposes of this research, it was consistent to use the definition conceived by Pronea (1992), in which the program states that environmental education is understood as a dynamic process in constant construction, guided by values based on social transformation. In order to achieve the objective of the work, there were adopted qualitative techniques; therefore, this study is characterized as an exploratory and descriptive research. As investigation strategy, it was adopted the case study approach. Thereby, the case studied was the social impact and innovation company Apoena Socioambiental. The data collection methods were: in-depth interviews with women entrepreneurs and project beneficiaries, and documentary research of some Apoena materials. The analysis was conducted by the dimensions originated in the conceptual framework, that united the dimensions and elements of social innovation and environmental education. The research results highlighted the projects designed by Apoena and its main areas of activity, such as environmental education practices in the face of recycling cooperatives, public schools and social mobilization events, among other actions that the company participates as a partner. The analytical dimensions of social innovation and environmental education were verified in the studied case. The Apoena case study showed the importance and singularities of social innovation and environmental education in various contexts, revealing contributions to the promotion of sustainable development based on the local reality.