FROM SIMPLISTIC THINKING TO COMPLEXITY: AGROECOLOGICAL EXPERIENCES IN BIOLOGY TEACHING

Abstract

Biology teaching in high school is often organized around fragmented approaches, aligned with what Edgar Morin calls Simplifying Thinking, which hinders the understanding of the interrelationships between life phenomena. This article analyzes Agroecology as a pedagogical path capable of fostering the development of Complex Thinking within the scope of Environmental Education. This is a qualitative, action-research study developed with 3rd-year high school students from a private school in the municipality of Sorocaba-SP. The intervention consisted of pedagogical activities carried out in a university Agroecological Learning Space, involving practices such as bioconstruction and matter recycling, articulated with traditional knowledge. The results indicate that the experience in agroecological environments contributed to overcoming linear conceptions about natural systems. The students' productions showed a greater capacity to relate social, environmental, cultural, and scientific dimensions, pointing to a more integrated understanding of society-nature relationships. It is concluded that Agroecology constitutes a relevant strategy for strengthening critical Environmental Education in High School.