O saneamento básico na Geografia: uma proposta de intervenção pedagógica para os anos finais do ensino fundamental

Abstract

Discussions regarding basic sanitation have increasingly gained prominence in the formulation of public policies, frequently appearing in scientific literature and mainstream media. In this context, this study aims to examine the disparities in the provision of basic sanitation services in the municipality of Araruama, RJ, primarily through the perspectives of fifty-four (54) students in the final years of elementary education at a public school in Araruama (RJ). The study seeks to use Geography education as a means to foster the construction of meaning about basic sanitation, connecting it to individuals, their environments, and their actions. It also analyzes how disparities in the delivery of these services can impact aspects related to quality of life. Furthermore, the research investigates how the portion of the population without access to basic sanitation copes with this reality. To enhance understanding of the topic, a review was conducted on issues related to basic sanitation at different scales and on the socio-environmental concept in Geography. This research is justified by its social relevance, given the opportunity to transform educational knowledge into practical tools that empower students to become active agents in their communities. The main objective is to develop a pedagogical intervention that investigates how Geography education can contribute to constructing understandings of basic sanitation based on students’ lived experiences, thereby playing a meaningful role in improving their quality of life. To achieve this objective, the methodology combines the Theory of Social Representations—which constitutes a type of knowledge shaped by reality and social interactions—and Problem-Based Learning (PBL). The methodological process aimed to capture the meanings attributed by students to the studied phenomena. Through Geography education, the research showed that students already possessed prior knowledge of basic sanitation services, which supported the development of this study. Moreover, they identified disparities in the provision of these services across different neighborhoods in the municipality of Araruama, RJ. The social representations developed through Geography education enabled students to gain a deeper understanding of the researched phenomenon.