Exotic species in the formal educational sphere in Argentina

CAMPOS, CLAUDIA M.; BERMUDEZ, GONZALO M. A.; DÍAZ, GABRIELA; VILCHES, ALFREDO

Introduced Invasive Mammals of Argentina

SAREM Series A Mammalogical Research Investigaciones Mastozoológicas

Lugar: Mendoza; Año: 2023; p. 173 - 191

Education about exotic species is essential for controlling and managing biological invasions and constitutes a part of the environmental knowledge a scientifically literate citizen should have. Scientific information is converted into knowledge “to be taught,” as expressed in official curricula, documents and programs, and school textbooks. At the same time, knowledge “to be taught” is adapted to classroom settings as knowledge “actually taught,” which results from an interaction among knowledge, teachers and students. Here, we analyze 1) how exotic species are portrayed in formal curricula (national documents and provincial curriculum designs in Córdoba, Buenos Aires and Mendoza) and textbooks, and 2) what are the views and conceptualizations of exotic species held by teachers and students, placing emphasis on the teaching of exotic species as a problem. In curriculum documents, biological invasions are only mentioned as contents in one primary grade level (7th grade) and in the initial cycle of secondary school. However, many contents related to ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity conservation offer the opportunity to include exotic species in the latter curricular cycle of elementary education and throughout secondary school. A variety of terms are used in school textbooks to define biological invasions and exotic species, calling into question the coherence of concepts being taught as compared to scientific knowledge. The examples offered by textbooks are not always accompanied by images, but encompass several species, particularly exotic mammals. Two native mammals were reported as exotic (Patagonian mara, Dolichotis patagonum, and Patagonian huemul, Hippocamelus bisulcus). Our studies also show that students are more familiar with exotic mammals, particularly domestic or charismatic ones like dogs, horses, etc., than with native species. Indeed, many students even believe that these exotics are native. Nonetheless, in their last years of high school, students can name more native species. Teachers recognized 41 exotic species from Argentina, seven of which were mammals, but almost all teachers surveyed consider that the definition of “exotic species” is instead that of “invasive species.” We recommend that teachers make pedagogical decisions concerning the contents of curricula and school textbooks based on sound science as a dynamic knowledge-construction process.