RCE Curitiba-Parana - 2022

Learning Experience Project
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Learning Experience Project
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Curitiba-Parana
Contributing organization(s) : 
Reverbera Educação, Chácara Mato Preto and UFPR
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Maira Ruggi
Organizational Affiliation: 
Reverbera Educação
Name: 
Silmara Crozeta
Organizational Affiliation: 
Chácara Mato Preto
Name: 
Marcelo Errera
Organizational Affiliation: 
UFPR
Format of project: 
PDF
Language of project: 
Portuguese
Date of submission:
Monday, July 25, 2022
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Americas
Country: 
Brazil
Location(s): 
Paraná - Brazil
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Reverbera: 795, Prof. Álvaro Jorge st. Curitiba city
Chácara Mato Preto: 2112, Jose Rossa st. Campo Largo city
Target Audience:
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Brazil is a country already well known for its inequalities. With the pandemic, the situation has worsened a lot, with the rich richer and the poor poorer. In education, this context was also more evident. With schools closed, it took some time to understand that it would be necessary to promote changes so that teaching/learning could continue, even in adverse circumstances. Most educational institutions offered classes online or through TV channels, with delivery of activities and tests. However, the solutions found gave rise to increasing racial, social and local disparities, as many homes did not have access to the internet and/or adequate devices to follow classes, thus generating an increase in the numbers of school dropouts. According to a survey released by Datafolha, in January 2021, 4 million students dropped out of school during the pandemic; the main motivations were the difficulty of remote access to classes and financial problems. Added to this is the emotional fragility of students and educators and the disjointed curriculum in some important areas such as sustainable development and the SDGs.
The region where the project operates is the greater Curitiba (Curitiba and neighboring municipalities). In Curitiba, many students and teachers do not relate where what they eat or drink comes from. Campo Largo is a city in the metropolitan region with a lot of rural area. The project integrates these two perspectives, takes educators from the city to share experiences in the countryside and talk about education, nature and sustainable development.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
The project primarily focuses on SDG 4 – quality education, with more detail on targets 4.1 and 4.7.
Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education that leads to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and the contribution of culture to sustainable development.
This is because the meetings are aimed at educators, with greater force for municipal teachers from the public network, who serve the most needy population in the region. However, during the meetings, several topics are addressed such as health and quality life, welfair/ good living, consumption, gender equality and in all of them there is a balance between activities aimed at the head, heart and hands.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
January, 2021 to December, 2022
Rationale: 
We see a disconnect between what is taught in schools and some of today's biggest challenges. The learning experience meetings were created to try to close this gap. The initiative was born from the idea of ​​opening space for dialogue and reflection on learning focused on sustainability and nature. A moment to talk about practices and ways of approaching the themes; how to insert the look of the environment into everyday life; the care of nature; engagement with sustainable development goals; the process of thinking about a healthier lifestyle; and how to pass this on to children and the community.
The project is intended for education professionals and educators who want to nurture and share their knowledge on the topics. There are four full-day meetings throughout the year, following the seasons: summer, autumn, winter and spring. The practices of each day were chosen with the Head, Heart and Hands Model in mind for transformative learning, which balances the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains. Participants learn in a diverse context, outdoors, with manual activities linked to traditions such as macramé, painting, dream catchers; discuss and deepen topics related to education, the SDGs and human development; and feed the emotional with stories, poems, dances and the sharing of affections. They leave with the perspective that it is also important to incorporate this vision also in the way they conduct teaching and learning in their workspaces. A few days later we sent a learning portfolio, a document that included what was done during the day, topics discussed, photos and links to other information on the topics.
Objectives: 
The aim is to incite change in education through educators. With the project, we open space for learning that is different from the usual, outside the classroom, respecting body, mind and emotions. A learning close to nature, with experiences and significant experiences. The goals are:
- experience the head, heart and hands model of transformative learning;
- expand the repertoire on learning; SDGs; sustainable development;
- understand that the role of educator, teacher does not need to be solitary;
- create a network of professionals who support each other to transform activities and the teaching/learning model in local schools
Activities and/or practices employed: 
The project was created based on the head, heart and hands model of transformative learning. Thus, all activities are developed with this balance in mind. The model shows the holistic nature of the transformative experience and relates the cognitive domain (head) to critical reflection, the affective domain (heart) to relational knowledge, and the psychomotor domain (hands) to engagement.
It was conceptualized from a synthesis of diverse subjects of study such as: sustainable education, transformative learning theories, location-based learning, indigenous learning approaches, experiential learning, eco-literacy, among others.
This model not only represents the multidimensional nature of transformative processes, but includes the importance of the learning context. The context of place provides a framework of authentic experience for deeper reflection, a sense of belonging, and bodily and sensory stimulation that acts as a catalyst for the engagement necessary for transformation.
It is believed that the Head, Heart and Hands Model of Transformative Learning can be an organizing principle for integrating and transforming pedagogical perspectives for education for sustainability.
Size of academic audience: 
220 in 2021. We expect more this year
Results: 
We did the full cycle of the four meetings (summer, autumn, winter and spring) last year and this year we already have classes in progress. These are some testimonials from people who participated in the meetings:
“Participating in the Learning Experiences meetings was a gift to myself. In each meeting I lived experiences where I could connect, disconnect and reconnect. I reconnected with my purposes, with what I believe for Education, with nature, with my courage and with friends who became journey partners. I connected with new people who believe they can make the world a better place and I disconnected from fears. I went in one person and left a totally different person: renewed and willing to do the best in my work and in my personal life.
I conclude by saying that the mission is not over and I want to experience many other experiences alongside Reverbera and Mato Preto, as they are spaces managed by good people and consequently we meet other people who have the same purposes with education, with the world and With the life.
The world needs this: more people who use their heads, hearts and hands in their everyday practices. Gratitude to Maira and Silmara for the idealization and realization of the practices. "
Juliana Luiza Mattos Costa

“The Learning Experiences course was very productive, because in it I got to know a learning methodology (Pedagogy of Context) different from the conventional one, which added a lot to my professional curriculum. The meetings also added knowledge to my staff, in which it was possible to learn a little more about sustainability. Sustainable ways that I want to follow and move forward, contributing to this new community that has been emerging, thinking about education and the preservation of the environment.”
Claudemir Aurélio
Lessons learned: 
From last year to this year, we rethought the topics discussed in each meeting and reorganized them in a more assertive way. We also added a key element to each meeting, according to the seasons: summer – water; autumn – air; winter – fire; spring – land that help us think about practices and define each encounter as unique. We believe that with the slowdown of the pandemic, we will be able to make bigger classes to impact more education professionals. The idea is to use an inverted impact pyramid. We work with education professionals, they with their students and students to some extent with their families.
Key messages: 
We need to include important themes in school curricula such as sustainable development and the SDGs, respect, justice, but we will do this effectively if we approach teachers and show that it is possible and that they are not alone in this journey. That's why the Learning Experiences project is important, to show how and why, to open space for different learning and to create a network of professionals who experience, listen, learn and form partnerships to impact more and more people.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
Sustainable Entrepreneurship in School
Funding: 
the project has no funding

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon WhatsApp Image 2021-02-11 at 10.04.48.jpeg (41.51 KB) learn in circle in the pandemic
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Indirect
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Indirect
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Direct
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 
Direct
SDG 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 
Indirect
SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 
Indirect
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Indirect
SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries 
Indirect
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Indirect
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Indirect
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Indirect
SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 
Indirect
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Indirect
SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Direct
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Direct
Theme
Disaster Risk Reduction 
Indirect
Traditional Knowledge  
Direct
Agriculture 
Indirect
Arts 
Direct
Curriculum Development 
Direct
Forests/Trees 
Indirect
Plants & Animals 
Indirect
Waste 
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes