Ecological footprint as a teaching resource in online environmental education activities

Authors

  • Valdir Lamim-Guedes Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Reitoria, Núcleo de Desenvolvimento da Criatividade, Laboratório de Estudos Avançados em Jornalismo (Labjor).

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4013/edu.2015.192.6840

Abstract

The ecological footprint (EF) is a calculation of the amount of land and water area (e.g., forest, farmland and rivers) that an individual, human population, political division (city or country) or an institution requires to produce the resources it uses and to absorb its wastes, using available technology. The EF is a way to translate the perception of sustainability in public action. In this paper, we evaluate the use of EF as a pedagogical tool in environmental education on two online courses. Most students got frightened by the EF obtained on calculators available on websites. Moreover, students have provided positive feedback on the effectiveness of EF for the environmental impact assessment. We believe that EF is an efficient tool to be used on online courses of environmental education.

Keywords: Distance Education, teacher continuing education, Education for Sustainability.

Author Biography

Valdir Lamim-Guedes, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Reitoria, Núcleo de Desenvolvimento da Criatividade, Laboratório de Estudos Avançados em Jornalismo (Labjor).

Biólogo (2008) e Mestre (2011) pelo Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais da Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto. Desenvolve projetos de pesquisa em interação animal-planta (polinização, biologia floral e ecologia do néctar), Educação à Distância e educação ambiental. Têm experiência como professor conteudista e tutor em cursos à distância (UFLA, UFOP, CECEMCA-UNESP, IF do Sul de Minas e Fundação Parque Tecnológico Itaipu). Em 2012, no 1º. semestre foi professor-visitante na Universidade Nacional de Timor-Leste, Díli, Timor-Leste, e no 2º. semestre, foi professor substituto na UNESP de Rio Claro - São Paulo. É Tutor à Distância no IF do Sul de Minas e Fundação Parque Tecnológico Itaipu.

E-mail: dirguedes@yahoo.com.br

Blog Na Raiz (www.naraiz.wordpress.com/);

Curriculo Lattes http://lattes.cnpq.br/3473994189361010

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Published

2015-04-27

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 2 (2015): May/August

Section

Articles

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