Outdoor education in the Rio Doce Alluvial Plain in the State of Espírito Santo/Brazil: Potential for Teacher Training in STS Education

Abstract

This qualitative case study analyzed the potential of outdoor education focused on Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Education for science teacher training. The field trip, conducted in the Rio Doce floodplain in Colatina, Espírito Santo, Brazil, involved in-service teachers and focused on analyzing the river’s water quality. The results indicate a high potential for the replicability of the pedagogical practice, with participants identifying scientific, technological, social, and environmental aspects during the activity. Interdisciplinarity and socio-environmental contextualization, focusing on the environmental crime of the Mariana dam collapse, were relevant aspects of the experience.The research concludes that CTS-focused field trips are valuable for teacher training, as they promote a meaningful and contextualized learning experience, preparing teachers to implement similar practices in their school contexts. This approach contributes to the formation of critical and conscious citizens aware of the impacts of science, technology, and society on the environment.