Transformative Learning and Ecosocial Agency: Decolonial Pedagogy in Canaima National Park
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62876/educab.v1i17.8087Keywords:
Transformative learning, Ecosocial agency, Decolonial pedagogy, Systems thinking, Experiential learning, Environmental educationAbstract
The objective of this research was to analyze the impact of the 'Misión Gran Sabana' intervention on the development of systems thinking and ecosocial agency in elementary school students. The study addresses the environmental awareness gap within the framework of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through a qualitative single case study approach, involving 35 boys and girls (ages 10-12) in Canaima National Park (Venezuela). The intervention employs a situated and experiential learning model based on Kolb's cycle, integrating pedagogical decolonization and the Pemón worldview with the principles of the Earth Charter. Through the analysis of field diaries, systemic maps, and interviews, it is observed that sublime awe acts as a 'disorienting dilemma' that catalyzes an ontological shift. The findings suggest the emergence of complex relational thinking and proactive ecosocial agency, where the ecology of knowledges allows for transcending traditional literacy. It is concluded that this pedagogical praxis empowers children as agents of restorative justice in the face of the global climate crisis.
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