Pedagogic proposal focused on sustainable development: Fracking, a matter of significant debate at present in the Argentine Patagonia

CECILIA E. S. ALVARO; ALIDA MARINA ABAD; NORMA SBARBATI NUDELMAN.

San Luis de Potosí

Simposio; Simposio sobre investigación en Desarrollo Sostenible en México; 2017

Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Manchester Metropolitan University, en Manchester, Reino Unido y la HAW en Hamburgo, Alemania.

This research focuses on the development of a pedagogic unit on hydrocarbons for the last year of high school students. It links the contents of science with social, technological and environmental aspects using a global approach. Oil extraction by hydraulic fracture known as fracking, arouses a deep social debate due to its environmental, economic and social implications. This proposal emphasizes a holistic view of school contents, helping students to make critical analysis for the achieving of a sustainable oil extraction methodology. The challenge is to tackle a sensitive problem on which the economic future of the area depends, and to make the students aware of their own responsibility as active participants. This exploratory research uses a qualitative methodology based on classroom observations, student surveys and interviews to teachers. The analysis of results shows a substantial increase in the student interest in this type of proposal focused on real issues that involves technological as well as social and environmental knowledge. The scientific procedures applied in the classroom, such as multiple variables analysis, well-founded conclusions and argumentation were mentioned by the teachers as very gratifying. They also considered that the performance of the students was much better than in the traditional lectures.