Graca Carvalho

Teachers’ conceptions about the origin of life in three Latin American countries with contrasting levels of secularism were analyzed: Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. A European survey questionnaire was used and the interpretation of the results drew on Barbour's four categories concerning the relationships of science and religion. A large majority of Argentinian and Uruguayan teachers were clearly evolutionist, even when believing in God, with no difference between Argentina and Uruguay. The majority of Brazilian teachers assumed a religious position about the origin of life, being creationist or evolutionary creationist. Differences of Brazilian teachers’ conceptions may result from the higher percentage of evangelicals and lower proportion of agnostics/atheists. Brazilian Catholic teachers were more creationist than their Catholic colleagues in Argentina and Uruguay. Distinct patterns were found, but further research is needed to understand possible classroom impacts.

The programme PIBID-EA intends to closer licensees of undergraduate teaching courses with the reality of public schools. By promoting the teacher-researcher training on the basis of implementing collaborative actions between universities and partner schools it aims at encouraging critical questioning of environmental issues, providing appropriate conditions for PIBID-EA-grant fellows initiate school teaching. University lecturers, elementary school supervisors and the school community collaborate in partnership to improve knowledge and develop values and skills for students acting in favour of sustainable society, where Environmental Education is one of the main issues. The partnership acts collectively in the school field, establishing interfaces with social and environmental issues as follows: didactic monitoring, study of the environment and action research. From the interfaces of these actions, three priority axes were elected for the development of socio-environmental activities. Firstly, the “Consolidation of the Committee on Environment and Quality of Life in School”; The second priority axis is the“Construction of Agenda 21 at School”inally, the third axis is the “Youth in Action Project.”