ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE “OPEN AIR”: AN APPROACH ANCHORED IN THE THOUGHTS OF JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU

Abstract

The contemporary environmental crisis demands new ways of thinking about the relationship between society and nature. In this context, Environmental Education has played a fundamental role in developing critical and engaged individuals. This article discusses "open-air" Environmental Education based on the foundations of Critical Environmental Education and the philosophical contributions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The article seeks to highlight how Rousseau's thought, by valuing sensory experience, autonomy, and nature as an educator, interacts with educational practices that promote socio-environmental awareness. The analysis emphasizes the importance of these practices in the context of Early Childhood Education, highlighting the potential of childhood as a fertile ground for the formation of values, sensibilities, and bonds with the environment. It concludes that "open-air" education, while not the only path, constitutes a necessary and powerful pathway for building a more just and sustainable society.