Water and Environmental Education: Pedagogical Field-Object in the Purépecha Indigenous Community of Naranja de Tapia, Michoacánagua

Abstract

The present work outlines the guidelines of an ongoing research project within the framework of the Doctorate in Education program at the Michoacan Institute of Educational Sciences. Linking formal educational processes with the community space of Indigenous peoples for the generation of environmental knowledge is a growing trend in educational research. This approach is based on the practice and experience of teachers and co-producing social actors, emphasizing the relationship between the school and community spheres.
The body of contributions generated by educational experiences in the community's hydric and social space makes it a relevant pedagogical field-object. The interactions among community actors manifest in norms, knowledge, actions, and practices related to both natural and artificial objects associated with water. From Pierre Bourdieu’s field theory perspective, these interactions create a vast repertoire of cultural and social capital, which basic education teachers can integrate into didactic strategies within formal education curricula.
The importance of proximity between the school and its community environment suggests the relevance of a curricular pedagogical intervention, intertwining the knowledge from official educational programs with that learned through everyday community life related to water use and management. This approach aligns with the framework of the New Mexican School. The ongoing research employs horizontal methodologies such as ethnographic work and participatory mapping.