TEACHER TRAINING, FIELD STUDIES, AND LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: DIALOGUES ON THE MANGROVE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE IN DIOGO LOPES/MACAU-RN

Abstract

During teacher training—specifically for future Geography teachers—direct contact with diverse environmental realities is a highly relevant method for their professional careers. Consequently, "Field Study" (or environmental fieldwork) stands out as a distinctive asset for teachers of this discipline, which encompasses both environmental and human dimensions. In this context, a study conducted by a group of Geography teacher-training students from IFRN enabled analyses within the Ponta do Tubarão State Sustainable Development Reserve (RDSEPT) in the municipality of Macau, Rio Grande do Norte (RN). This allowed for the observation of various aspects defining the locality's social, economic, and environmental landscape. Given this, a teacher-researcher's prior understanding of the importance and applicability of the Field Study method fosters significant learning, as it offers the educator direct contact with the object of study. However, this knowledge can be exponentially enriched if the researcher has the opportunity to interact directly with members of traditional communities. This is particularly significant because these individuals possess empirical and practical knowledge passed down through generations. Thus, this study aimed to analyze—using the Field Study method—how the environmental dynamics of places can be characterized and understood. It also sought to examine how traditional knowledge from local communities, combined with the academic knowledge acquired during the teacher-researcher's training, can serve as driving forces in the professional development of Geography student-teachers. Ultimately, observations made in the RDSEPT mangrove—integrated with data collection methodologies, interviews with community representatives, and the Field Study practice carried out by the student group—enabled the formulation of the results and conclusions presented in this work. The results indicate that the knowledge held by local communities is of fundamental importance to teacher training; furthermore, the field study method allows teachers to observe, in practice, the concepts they have learned in an academic setting.