Towards a citizen-based education, through geographical science, in the public basic education network in Caicó/RN: the international educational project “We Propose!”

Abstract

The current early twenty-first-century context and the ongoing process of globalization encourage reflection on education through an intrinsic relationship among the subjects involved in educational processes. Educational institutions seek to enhance the competencies and skills of students and teachers by fostering problem-solving abilities, critical citizenship, and concerns related to sustainability, the environment, and community well-being. In this regard, an important initiative is the international project “We Propose!” (Nós Propomos!), established in 2011 by Professor Sérgio Claudino Loureiro Nunes, from the University of Lisbon, Portugal. The project is based on innovative methodological approaches to Geography teaching, contributing to a better understanding of reality. Therefore, this article aims to analyze the contributions of the international project “We Propose!”, developed in Caicó, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, to the promotion of citizenship-oriented geographic education and to the enhancement of Geography teaching and learning processes. To achieve this objective, bibliographical research on Geography education was conducted, as well as quantitative and qualitative investigations involving educational managers, Basic Education teachers, and undergraduate Geography students from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Thus, the study seeks to reflect on how the “We Propose!” project contributes to citizenship education and to a more critical understanding of the spatial dynamics of Caicó and the state of Rio Grande do Norte.