Environmental education in portuguese school programmes and textbooks in two periods : 1991-2000 and 2001-2006

Abstract

Environmental education (EE) is seen as a key instrument contributing for changing values, mentality and attitudes. This study intends to examine how EE addresses environmental education in the Portuguese school programmes in two periods, Time I: 1991/1992 – 1999/2000 and Time II: 2000/2001 – 2005/2006. We used the grids of analysis constructed within the BIOHEAD-CITIZEN project (CIT2-2004-506015). The analysis covered the national programmes and textbooks since the 1st grade (5/6 years-old pupils) up to the 12th grade (17/18 years-old pupils) by looking at the four pre-selected sub-topics: Pollution, Use of Resources, Ecosystems and Biodiversity and Cycles. Biodiversity is the sub-topic that had little presence in Time I but is nowadays (Time II) more present all along the school levels. In earlier years (1CBE) the textbooks follow the national programme very tightly. Major differences between the national programmes and the textbooks examined were found in the Secondary school (10th, 11th and 12th grade).